The Popularity of the "Cárcel de Amor"Author(s): James A. FlightnerSource: Hispania, Vol. 47, No. 3 (Sep., 1964), pp. 475-478Published by: American Association of Teachers of Spanish and PortugueseStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/336164Accessed: 15/04/2010 02:10

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THE POPULARITY OF THE "CARCEL DE AMOR"

JAMES A. FLIGHTNER

Montana State University

In his discussion of the Cdrcel de amor ("libro mas celebre hoy que leido, aunque merece serlo"), Menendez y Pelayo states with customary acumen the essence of the work and the reasons for its popularity in the decades following its publication in 1492: "No eran frecuentes todavia narra- ciones tan tiernas y humanas, conducidas y desenlazadas por medios tan sencillos, y en que una pasion verdadera y finamente observada es el alma de todo."'l The Ccircel found a receptive audience because it pre- sented a tale of frustrated love in an ele- gant and eloquent manner superior to that of other sentimental novels including Diego de San Pedro's earlier work, Arnalte y Lucenda. In addition to such effective imaginative innovations as the allegory of the carcel and Leriano's last dramatic ges- ture imbibing the letters of his beloved as he dies, there are, as I see it, three prin- cipal "medios sencillos" which contributed to the work's popularity.

The first essential ingredient of this presentation was the author's awareness of Time as he explored the multiple nuances of feeling and predicament experienced by courtly persons who loved honor and honored love. The pace with which the narrative progresses is an immediately dis- cernible instance of this awareness. Things happen in the Cdrcel. Diego de San Pedro is aware of the exigency of maintaining the interest of his aristocratic audience as he restricts both the physical action and the analysis of the psychological dilemmas of the characters to that development neces- sary for a vivid elaboration of the central theme of pathetic love. In accord with the literary convention of the period and of the genre, considerable attention is devoted initially to an exploration of the psychology

of love via letters and laments. Throughout these rhetorical sections, however, there is a repeated awareness of Time: "Mi res- puesta fue breue, porque el tienpo para alargarme no me daua lugar .. .";2 "No respondo a todos los apuntamientos de vuestra habla por no hazer largo pro- ceso . . ." (169); "Por cierto, si el alargar no fuese enoioso.. ." (207). No letter or lament is very long and there is the primi- tive beginning of a dialogic development of theme as the narrative shifts from character. In comparison with San Pedro's earlier work, Arnalte y Lucenda, wherein Arnalte bewails his condition to several persons in addition to the page who serves as his go-between, Leriano confides in the author alone, thus concentrating the atten- tion of the reader on the protagonist and his situation without the repetition of addi- tional presentations of the same lament.

The pace of Cdrcel quickens when Leriano and Laureola meet. In rapid suc- cession occur a denunciation of the couple, a joust, the imprisonment of the beloved, release of the beloved by the knight, a seige by the avenging father, bestowal of justice to the false accusers, and the final rejection and death of the lover. Through- out the narration of these events, the author constantly seeks to avoid lengthy descriptions. Typical is the terse descrip- tion of the dispensation of justice to the false accusers: "Y'por no detenerme en las prolixidades que en este caso pasaron, de los tres falsos onbres se hizo tal la iusticia como fue la maldad" (183).

The one long interruption in the de- velopment of the action occurs after Leria- no's fate is determined. Leriano defends women against the charges of his friend Tefeo, a defense which was undoubtedly

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a courtly response to the misogynous defa- mations of such works as the Corbacho. The author recognizes this digression and, returning to his narration, quickly yet sen- sitively presents Leriano's death and the lament of his mother.

Within the limitations imposed by the rigid standards of conduct which govern the activities of the characters, the events of the Cdrcel are quite plausible. Here again, it is Diego de San Pedro's recogni- tion of the importance of the temporal requirements of characterization and situa- tion which provides this plausibility. When, in Leriano's second letter to Lau- reola, he reveals that ". . . vn anfio ha o poco mas que ha que soy tuyo," (141) we can better understand the intensity of his emotion. The passion and despair of Leria- no have been amplified by a long period of separation from the object of his love. In comparison with a noble character of that master creation of the same decade, La Celestina, it is Leriano's rather than Calisto's passion which seems the more credible. Whereas Leriano has had approxi- mately one year to reach the depths of despondency, we are asked to believe that Calisto felt a mad, all-consuming passion after a single, short encounter.3

If the conclusion of the Cdrcel is to achieve the pathetic note so persistently sought by Diego de San Pedro, Leriano's love must be frustrated. There is also the necessity of sanctifying by death the ideal of the perfect lover. In spite of these artis- tic requirements, Laureola often seems an unnecessarily harsh character who denies her lover after he has seemingly conquered all obstacles to their marriage: ". . . no falto quien encontrase el final demasiado triste, y demasiado aspera y empedernida a Laureola, que ningun sentimiento mo- straba de la muerte de su amor."4 This judgment of Laureola, however, stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of her situation.

Leriano's task as a courtly lover has been

clear: he will love faithfully, perform what- ever deeds are necessary to demonstrate his love, and die as a testimony to the sincerity and nobility of his love if his affections are not returned. This course of action de- mands moral resolve and physical prowess but his code-service to his beloved- offers him no perplexing dilemmas. Leriano differs little from the courtly lovers of other sentimental novels.

Laureola's situation, however, has been difficult from the outset. She is beset by the demands of two conflicting codes: a social code which requires that she be kind to the person who loves her and who, by the tradition of courtly love, is deserv- ing of consideration for the esteem he is showing her; and a second social code which imposes the rigid necessity that family as well as personal honor be pre- served from the slightest taint: ". . . que sola vna macula en el linage cunde toda la generacion" (167). Laureola's initial outraged reaction in defense of her honor against the beseeching requests for atten- tion on the part of her adorer is subse- quently tempered as she becomes less cer- tain of the proper course of action. The author takes note of her hesitancy: "... y como avnque en sus palabras aufa menos esquiuidad para que deuiese callar, en sus muestras hallaua licencia para que osase dezir" (131). Later, the author presents a vivid picture of Laureola's uncertainty and disturbed condition: "Si Leriano se non- braua en su presencia, desatinaua de lo que dezia, boluiase supito colorada y des- pues amarilla, tornauase ronca su boz, secauasele la boca; por mucho que enco- bria sus mudancas, forSabala la pasion pia- dosa a la disimulacion discreta" (132).

Laureola's reply to the author's petition is a statement of the standards which will govern her decision: "Si pudiese remediar su mal sin amanzillar mi onrra, no con menos aficion que tu lo pides yo lo haria" (136). Finally Laureola decides that, inso- far as the author and Leriano are the only

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persons who are aware of the situation, Leriano will be allowed to visit her. The denunciation by Persio follows and Lau- reola is imprisoned, her honor destroyed by the mere accusation of wrongdoing. When freed, she immediately rejects Leriano.

This rejection was unavoidable. The ele- ment, too often overlooked, which com- pletely justifies Laureola's action is a recognition that she, the beautiful daughter of a king, living in a period when the practice of courtly love is a social requisite, is accustomed to receiving the tributes of many gallants. Leriano's violent protesta- tions of love are certainly not unique in her experience. Attempting to fulfill her responsibilities under two codes, Laureola errs when she fails to see that, given her lack of affection for Leriano and the in- tensity of his love, the social schemes are irreconcilable. When a measure of justice prevails and Laureola has regained her position in the royal family, she has learned the lesson so often stressed in Golden Age drama: maintenance of honor requires the utmost attention and diligence. As Leriano says in an ironically apt remark to the King: "Senor, las cosas de onrra deuen ser claras" (154). The secrecy with which their slight relationship has been con- ducted has made Laureola vulnerable to just such denunciations as were made by Persio. She will not again be tempted by "piedad" to compromise. Leriano may re- tire to a secluded spot to offer his sacrificial corporal testimony to love if he wishes. Laureola will remain at court with the many courtiers who are worshipping her properly in the open, public manner most conducive to affirming courtly love while maintaining personal integrity.5

In addition to the conscious concern for Time and for character motivation evi- denced in the work, the Ccircel paradox- ically owes much of its popularity and position as the best of an idealistic literary genre to the realistic elements which imple- ment the action. As previously mentioned,

there is a great deal of action in the Cdrcel and each of the events is presented quite plausibly. There is little of the super- natural so common to the imaginative prose of the period. The location of the work- Macedonia-is in accord with the fondness of the period for exotic settings, but within the work itself distances are quite definite- ly indicated. The locale of the Cadrcel, for example, is but a "media iomada" from Suria where the King's court is located. Leriano's stronghold, Susa, is two leagues from that city. An obvious contrast with the chivalric novel is evident in the author's recognition of the practical difficulties he faces as a go-between: ". . . vn onbre de nacion estrania cque forma se podra dar para negociacion semeiante? Y no sola- mente ay esta dubda, pero otras muchas: la rudeza de mi engenio, la diferencia de la lengua, la grandeza de Laureola, la graueza del negocio" (126). After Laureola has granted Leriano his "galardon" by allowing him to visit her at court, he does not immediately charge forth from his "silla de fuego" to see Laureola but retires to his home to recuperate. Even Leriano's feat of rescuing the King's daughter from the King's own prison, followed by the durability of Leriano's greatly outnumbered band of men under continuous seige and attack by the King's forces does not seem strange in a period which extolled the tales of the Reconquest, El Cid, and Amadis de Gaula. Much of this credibility, of course, stems from the care with which Diego de San Pedro describes the prepara- tions for Leriano's venture and, too, from the fact that Leriano is wounded and does lose three-quarters of his forces. Once again, the realistic note so characteristic of much of Spanish prose fiction is present, this time in an idealistic imported genre.

As I see it, then, the position and popu- larity of the Cdrcel de arnor is the result of three dominant and inter-related ele- ments which reinforce the uncommonly successful allegory which introduces the

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work: the careful use of Time to endow the work with plausibility and pace; the devotion of a significant portion of the work to the presentation of the predica- ment of the feminine recipient of courtly love; and the careful attention to the real- istic presentation of the action. In contrast with the picaresque genre which emerges in the following century, and with other instances of idealistic fiction in the fif- teenth century, no event could be omitted without damaging the continuity and significance of the entire work. (Always with the obvious exception, of course, of Leriano's long defense of women against their detractors after his fate has been irrevocably determined by Laureola's re- jection.) These three elements-Time, Laureola's situation and the realistic atten- tion to the presentation of detail-help the Cdrcel to surmount the epistolary and lachrymonious affectations imposed on the

work by its genre and its period and cause it to be considered "the best and most representative example of the conventional Spanish sentimental novel."6

NOTES

1 Menendez y Pelayo, Origenes de la novela (Santander, 1943), 1I, 37-38. 2 Carcel de amor, ed. Gili y Gaya (Madrid, 1958), p. 144. Subsequent references are by page number only. 3 For a discussion of time in the Celestina, see Stephen Gilman, "El tiempo y el genero literario en La Celestina," Revista Filologia Hispdnica, vII (1945), 147-159. Also, Manuel J. Asensio, "El tiempo en La Celestina," Hispanic Review, xx (1952), 28-43. 4 Origenes, II, 43. 5 For an excellent study of the conflicts occa- sioned by the several noncoincident social codes of the Cdrcel, see Bruce W. Wardropper, "El mundo sentimental de la Carcel de amor," Re- vista de Filologia Espafiola, xxxvII (1953), 168- 193. 6 Peter G. Earle, "Love Concepts in La cdrcel de amor and La Celestina," Hispania, xxxix (Mar. 1956), 92.

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