Fame and truth in Spanish XVth century epic. The political vergilianism and the Castilian tradition of the XVth century

Abstract

The starting premise of this essay is that the Spanish & Golden Age epic must be read from a historical perspective that takes into account the Hispanic literary tradition of the XVth century. In particular, it argues that epic should be approached from a theoretical perspective that explores its relationship with history in order to illuminate the differences between Italian and Spanish epic theory and practice in the XVIth century. The relationship between the discourses of epic and history can be explained through the imitation of the Vergilian model, specifically the Aeneid´s ideological representation of empire. However, it is also necessary to consider theoretical aspects in the light of the diferent uses of classical literature by Italian humanists and Castilian writers of the XVth century. Thus, its primary thesis is that although XVIth century Spanish epic shares the general principles of the Western Epic tradition, it should be approached from a specifically perspective Hispanic, in the light of the «political vergilianism» already enshrined in authors like Enrique de Villena and Juan de Mena, which is essential to appreciate how epic genre serves as memory for the present.