Troubadourism was a poetic movement and literary started in the 11th century, in the south of France, in the Provence region. At that time, poems (called songs) were meant to be sung to the sound of the flute, viola or lute.
O troubadour he was the author of the compositions. The singer was called jester, it's the minstrel he was considered superior to the juggler for having more instruction and artistic skills, he knew how to play and sing.
The Provençal troubadours were considered the best of the time, the style was imitated everywhere and spread throughout Europe. Most of the troubadours had their origins in the nobility.
The poetic texts of troubadourism were marked by exquisite features of the aristocracy and expressed veneration for women. The main literary manifestations of troubadourism were the song, the pastourelle and the sextina.
Troubadourism reached its apogee around 1150 to 1170, in the royalty of Provence and spread throughout northern France and Italy.
Historical context of troubadourism
Troubadourism took place during the period of the Middle Ages. At this time, feudalism and the Church dominated society, and the influence of the Church was dominant throughout Europe. Therefore, the values of society were governed by the Church and by faith in Christianity.
In feudalism society was rural and social classes were well divided. Those who owned land were part of the bourgeoisie and had power and money. The field workers (vassals), on the other hand, worked in the manors, served the feudal lords and lived in very simple conditions.
Thus, society was divided between the clergy (Church), the nobility (feudal lords) and the commoner (peasants).
Characteristics of Troubadourism
One of the most striking features of the movement was the union that existed between poetry and music. The songs of the troubadours were performed and accompanied by musical instruments.
The feelings of friendship and love were very frequent themes in troubadour. The songs dealing with these themes were called friend songs and love songs.
There were also the songs that criticized and satirized the way of life of the society of the time, the feudal bourgeoisie. These songs became known as mocking songs and cursing songs.
Know the main characteristics of Troubadourism.
Types of troubadour songs
In troubadour, there were different genres of songs: the lyrical genre and the satirical genre.
The lyrics were divided into love songs and friend songs. The satirical songs were divided into mocking songs and cursing songs.
love songs
In love songs the main theme was love, romantic feelings and the pain of unrequited love. Love was described as a perfect and almost unattainable feeling, often idealized.
One of the most striking features of this type of song was the troubadour's veneration for the woman he loved. The troubadours described the woman as an almost perfect and unreachable being. They put themselves in a position of inferiority and submission in relation to the woman they loved.
In these songs the man in love promised his eternal love, fidelity and protection of the honor of the woman he loved.
I know a certain man, oh beautiful,
Who for your sake sees his death come;
See who it is and remember it;
Me, my lady.I know a certain man who feels close
From you death has certainly come;
See who you are and bear him in mind;
Me, my lady.I know a certain man, listen to this:
He dies for you, and you desire him to depart;
See who he is and do not forget him;
Me, my lady.(unknown author)
friend songs
In the songs of a friend, in addition to feelings related to friendship, they also talked about love. In these songs, usually the narrator was a woman (female lyrical I), who described and declared her feelings of love for a friend or a man she loved.
The themes of the pain of separation, the feeling of abandonment and sadness for unrequited love were the most frequent in the songs of a friend.
The songs of a friend, although they were narrated as if they had been written by a woman, were also written by the troubadours.
Oh my friend, poor thing
I live because I don't see you,
and because I desire you so much,
in serious day it was nothing
if I give you, my friend,
I don't please and I say.Because the cendal won
of opinion in Valongo,
if I'm late, I'll go on,
in serious naci day
if I give you, my friend,
I don't please and I say.how many times to weigh
I made you that I loved you,
I will make you sometime
pleasure, and God no m'ampar
if I give you, my friend,
I don't please and I say.(Martim Padrozelos)
derision songs
The central theme of the derision songs was the social criticism made by the troubadours. Troubadourism existed in the period of feudalism and the mocking songs criticized the way of life, customs and values that were important to the bourgeois society of the time.
The criticisms made in the derision songs were not very direct. The most common was that the songs contained ambiguities and puns who indirectly made a satire of society.
Oh ugly lady, you went to complain
that I never praise you in my singing;
but now i want to sing
in which you praise yourself in any way;
and see how I want to praise you
ugly, old and crazy owner!Ugly lady, God forgive me,
because you have such great desire
that I praise you for this reason
I want to praise you now anyway;
and see what the praise will be:
ugly, old and crazy owner!Ugly lady, I never praised you
in my troubadour, though I troubled a lot;
but now I will make a good singing;
in which I will praise you in any way;
and I will tell you how I will praise you:
ugly, old and crazy owner!(Joan Garcia de Guilhade)
cursing songs
The songs of cursing, like the songs of derision, were also critical. The biggest difference between these two types of ditties was the way they were made, since in cursing ditties there were no hints or puns.
In cursing songs, the troubadours were direct in their criticism, it was common for them to quote the names of the satirized people. The verbiage used in the songs was also more upright and coarse and even included the use of profanity and obscene words.
Navy, your free time
I have it wrong,
and I've been amazed
of not seeing you burst;
because I cover this one of mine
mouth, your mouth, Marina;
and with this nose of mine,
I cover, Marina, yours;
I cover my ears with my hands.(Afonso Eanes de Coton)
Troubadourism in Portugal
Troubadourism had its radiating center in Portugal in the Iberian Peninsula. The Songbooks they are the only documents that bring together characteristics of troubadour. They are collections of songs with varied characteristics and written by several troubadours. They are classified into: Songs of friend, Songs of love and Songs of mockery and Songs and cursing.
The year 1198 is the probable date of the first known literary composition - the Cantiga da Ribeirinha or Cantiga de Guaravaia, written by the troubadour Paio Soares de Taveirós, is marked as a landmark in Portuguese literature.
Main authors and works of troubadourism
You authors best known from the troubadour period are:
- Afonso Eanes de Coton
- Alfonso Sanches
- Affonso Fernandes Cubel
- Aires Body
- Airas Nunes
- Arnaut Daniel
- Bonaval Bernal
- Bertran de Born
- Don Dinis
- William IX of Aquitaine
- jaufre rudel
- João Garcia de Guilhade
- João Soares de Paiva
- Johann of Cangas
- Joham Zorro
- Juan Lopes d'Ulhoa
- Lopo Days
- snack
- Martin Codax
- Nuno Fernández Tournament
- Paio Soares Taveirós
- Pedro Afonso, Count of Barcelos
- Peire Vidal
- Pero Garcia Burgalese
- Pero da Ponte
- Ricardo Coeur de Lion
- Thibaut IV of Champagne
Know the names of some of the construction best known of troubadours:
- Dona Maria [there is] society (Lopo Dias)
- Ai flowers of green pin (Dom Dinis),
Read an excerpt from "Ai flowers of green pin":
Oh flowers, oh pine green flowers,
if you know new about my friend?
Oh God, are you?
Oh flowers, oh flowers of the green branch,
if you know new about my beloved?
Oh God, are you?
If you know anything about my friend,
the one who lied about what he put with me?
Oh God, are you?
If you know anything about my beloved,
the one who lied from the chi mi has sworn?
- Love song (Afonso Fernandes)
See an excerpt from Cantiga de amor:
My lady, since I saw you,
I fought to hide this passion
which took my heart whole;
but I can't do it anymore and I decided
let everyone know my great love,
the sadness I have, the immense pain
I suffer from the day I saw you.
- Cantiga de Ribeirinha (Paio Soares Taveirós)
- Female Owner (João Garcia de Guilhade)
- Waves from the sea of Vigo (Martim Codax)
Read "Waves of the Sea of Vigo":
Vigo sea waves,
have you seen my friend?
and oh God, will you see yourself soon?
Waves of the washed sea,
have you seen my beloved?
and oh God, will you see yourself soon?
if you saw my friend,
o why do i sigh?
and oh God, will you see yourself soon?
If you saw my beloved,
o why i gram coidado?
and oh God, will you see yourself soon?
- Roi Queimado died with love (Pero Garcia Burgalês).
Also read about the Feudalism.
