The Role of el Cid in Medieval Spanish Culture and Epic Literature

This research looks at the medieval Spanish epic poem, the Poema de Mio Cid, and how it reflects the world of Spanish culture and literature, its place in the landscape of epic poetry on the European continent, and the noble virtues of the hero, el Cid. The Poema is an anonymous cantar de gesta, or “song of heroic deeds,” likely composed around the early thirteenth century by a person (or persons) very familiar with Castilian noble society and law in effect during the late twelfth and early thirteenth century, as well as the area of northern Spain around the city of Burgos. Like most epics, the Poema was originally sung by juglares or minstrels who often only performed sections of the poem at a time, adding or editing parts of it depending on the audience. This research draws mostly upon articles in both English and Spanish literary journals and also close readings of the text of the Poema itself. Most previous research on the topic of the Poema focuses on various individual aspects of its influence on or its reflection of Spanish society and culture. The purpose of this research is to offer a consolidated view of how the Poema reflects Spanish culture from the Middle Ages to the present day, as well as the Poema's place in the world of Spanish literature and the development of epic on a much larger scale.