Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical settingVaeth, Joseph Anthony
History
Tirant lo Blanch; a study of its authorship, principal sources and historical setting
Vaeth, Joseph Anthony
Martorell, Joanot, -1468. Tirant lo Blanch
_Tirant lo Blanch_ indicates that its author was intimately acquainted
with the English romance. Is it not probable that Guy of Warwick’s
activities at Constantinople reminded Martorell of Roger de Flor’s
heroic services to the emperor of that same city, whereupon he selected
that historical event as a background for a certain part of the career
of his hero? It must be remembered that Martorell knew well the
exploits of the brave and adventurous soldiers of the Catalan-Aragonese
expedition. His conception of military heroism was in great part based
on the history, traditional or written, of his people. The spirit
that animated its heroes became a part of him, and consequently it
was but natural that that spirit should find expression in a literary
production in which a military hero is portrayed.
From the above comparative study of _Tirant lo Blanch_ in relation to
its sources, viz., Lull’s _Libre del Orde d’Cauayleria_, Muntaner’s
_Chronica_, and the English romance, _Guy of Warwick_, we are convinced
that these sources have furnished important ideas and material to
Martorell. The features drawn from Lull’s work are few, but, on the
other hand, they have been subjected to very little change. It is
important, however, for it seems to have provided a starting point for
the author. Guy of Warwick has yielded more concrete material than the
other two sources, but it has been modified to suit the pleasure and to
meet the needs of the author. Muntaner’s _Chronica_ did not furnish as
many ideas and suggestions as _Guy of Warwick_, but the martial spirit
of the Catalan and Aragonese warriors pervades a large part of the work.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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