Información sobre el texto
Título del texto editado:
Metres of Spanish Poetry
Autor del texto editado:
Hallam, Henry
Título de la obra:
Introduction to the Literature of Europe, in the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth centuries,
vol. 1
Autor de la obra:
Hallam, Henry
Edición:
London:
John Murray,
1837
Transcripción realizada sobre el ejemplar de la Biblioteca Pública de Nueva York Hallam NAB. Digitalización disponible en
(texto completo)Encoding: Carmen Calzada Borrallo
Transcriptor: Clara Piedad Ramírez Pérez
Revisor: Mercedes Comellas Aguirrezábal
Sevilla, 4 febrero 2021
Metres of Spanish Poetry
The very
early
poetry of Spain (that published by
Sanchez)
is marked by a
rude
simplicity, a rhythmical, and not very harmonious versification, and, especially in the ancient poem of the Cid, written, probably, before the middle of the twelfth century, by occasional vigour and spirit. This poetry is in that irregular Alexandrine measure, which, as has been observed, arose out of the Latin pentameter. It gave place in the
fifteenth
century to a dactylic measure, called
versos de arte mayor,
generally of eleven syllables, the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth being accented, but subject to frequent licences, especially that of an additional short syllable at the beginning of the line. But the favourite metre in lyric songs and romances was the redondilla, the type of which was a line of four trochees, requiring, however, alternately, or at the end of a certain number, one deficient in the last syllable, and consequently throwing an emphasis on the close. By this a poem was sometimes divided into short stanzas, the termination of which could not be mistaken by the ear. It is no more, where the lines of eight and seven syllables alternate, than that
English
metre with which we are too familiar to need an illustration.
Bouterwek
has supposed that this alternation, which is nothing else than the trochaic verse of Greek and Latin poetry, was preserved traditionally in Spain from the songs of the Roman soldiers. But it seems by some Arabic lines which he quotes, in common characters, that the Saracens had the line of four trochees, which, in all languages where syllables are strongly distinguished in time and emphasis, has been grateful to the ear. No one can fail to perceive the sprightliness and grace of this measure, when accompanied by simple melody. The lighter poetry of the
southern
nations
is always to be judged with some regard to its dependence upon a sister art. It was not written to be read, but to be heard; and to be heard in the tones of song, and with the notes of the lyre or the guitar. Music is not at all incapable of alliance with reasoning or descriptive poetry; but it excludes many forms which either might assume, and requires a rapidity as well as intenseness of perception, which language cannot always convey. Hence the poetry designed for musical accompaniment is sometimes
unfairly
derided by critics, who demand what it cannot pretend to give; but it is still true, that, as it cannot give all which metrical language is able to afford, it is not poetry of the very highest class.
GRUPO PASO (HUM-241)
FFI2014-54367-C2-1-R
FFI2014-54367-C2-2-R
2018
M Luisa Díez, Paloma Centenera