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From Bernat Metge to Curial e Güelfa

Code: 105839 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics OB 2
English and Catalan Studies OB 2
Catalan and Spanish Studies OB 2

Contact

Name:
Montserrat Ferrer Santanach
Email:
montserrat.ferrer@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

None. Students of Filologia Catalana will have studied "Dels trobadors a Ramon Muntaner".


Objectives and Contextualisation

This course is (the second part of) an introduction to the history of medieval Catalan literature within its European backdrop. Students will also be introduced into the practice of reading and interpreting medieval Catalan texts, including works by authors who had a Latin background.

At the end of the course, students are expected (a) to have a general knowledge of all the relevant authors and genres, (b) to be able to comment on any of the works included in the syllabus, (c) to write short essays on any of them, and (d) to be able to analyze in detail an aspect of one of the major works.

This course leads to special subjects (medieval poetry and prose) that are offered in years 3 and 4 of the degree.

 

 

 


Competences

    Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights, diversity and democratic values.
  • Apply concepts, resources and methods of literary analysis to Catalan literature taking into account the sources, periods of Western literary history and social context.
  • Assess gender inequalities when acting in this field of knowledge.
  • Carry out historical studies on the trends, genres and authors of the Catalan literary tradition.
  • Critically read and interpret texts.
  • Demonstrate a mastery of the rules of the Catalan language, its linguistic bases and all its application in the academic and professional fields.
  • Identify the main tendencies, most significant authors and most representative work in Catalan literature.
  • Innovate in the methods and processes of this area of knowledge in response to the needs and wishes of society.
  • Produce written work and oral presentations that are effective and framed in the appropriate register.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Use information in accordance with academic ethics.
    English and Catalan Studies
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Apply scientific ethical principles to information processing.
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Critically evaluate the literary and cultural production in the Catalan and English languages and their historical and social context.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the rules of Catalan and mastery of its foundations and applications in the academic and professional fields.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams with the aim of attaining the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Identify and interpret literary texts in different languages, analysing the generic, formal, thematic and cultural characteristics in accordance with the concepts and methods of comparative literature and literary theory.
  • Innovate in the methods and processes of this area of knowledge in response to the needs and wishes of society.
  • Recognise the most significant periods, traditions, tendencies, authors and works of literature in the Catalan and English languages in their socio-historical context.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
    Catalan and Spanish Studies
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Carry out historical-type studies on tendences, genres and authors of the Catalan and Spanish literary tradition.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the rules of Catalan and Spanish and mastery of their applications in the academic and professional fields.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams with the aim of attaining the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Innovate in the methods and processes of this area of knowledge in response to the needs and wishes of society.
  • Recognise the most significant periods, traditions, tendences, authors and works in Catalan and Spanish literature in their historical and social contexts.
  • Students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (normally within their study area) to issue judgments that include reflection on important issues of social, scientific or ethical.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Use the methodology and concepts of literary analysis taking into account the sources and the historical and social context.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply the tools and know consult the documentary sources.
  2. Apply the tools and know consult the specific documentary sources.
  3. Comment on literary texts, using the instruments acquired, with regard to the historical, social and cultural context.
  4. Commenting on literary texts, applying the acquired tools and taking into account the historical and sociocultural context.
  5. Critically interpret literary works take into account the relationships between different areas of literature and its relationships with human, artistic and social areas.
  6. Critically interpret literary works, taking into account the relationships between the different areas within literature and their relationship to humanistic, artistic and social areas.
  7. Critically interpreting literary works taking into account the relationships between the different areas of literature and its relationships with human, artistic and social areas.
  8. Demonstrate a basic level, knowledge of medieval Catalan language, and draft versions of modern medieval Catalan texts.
  9. Demonstrate basic level, knowledge of Catalan medieval, and modern Catalan to write versions of medieval texts.
  10. Describe and interpret the Western cultural tradition, from the classical period to the late Middle Ages, and recognise features of the Western tradition in a medieval text.
  11. Develop critical texts about the trends, authors and works of poetry and prose of the most significant medieval Catalan literature.
  12. Discern the sex/gender factor in the configuration of the literary canon.
  13. Explain the context of medieval Catalan literature and relate works to their historical and cultural context.
  14. Expose knowledge about the history, art and other cultural movements.
  15. Gain a greater capacity for reading, interpreting and critically analysing literary and linguistic texts.
  16. Identify, at an advanced level, themes and motifs of the classical and medieval European tradition in any of its literary and artistic manifestations.
  17. Identify principal and secondary ideas and express them using correct language.
  18. Identify relationships between literature and history, art and other cultural movements.
  19. Identify the main and secondary ideas and express them with linguistic correctness.
  20. Identify the relationships between literature and history, art and other cultural movements.
  21. Identify themes and motifs of the classical and medieval European tradition in any of its literary and artistic manifestations.
  22. Identifying the main and secondary ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
  23. Identifying the relationships of literature with history, art or other cultural movements.
  24. Interpret the Western cultural tradition, from the classical period to the end of the Middle Ages, and recognize a medieval text detail the features of Western tradition.
  25. Interpret the Western cultural tradition, from the classical period to the late Middle Ages, and pinpoint features of the Western tradition in a medieval text.
  26. Maintain an attitude of respect for the opinions, values, behaviors and practices of others.
  27. Make appropriate use of the knowledge acquired in order to collect data and handle documentary sources in the study of Catalan language and literature.
  28. Master oral and written expression in Catalan.
  29. Plan, organise and carry out work in a team.
  30. Produce advanced-level critical texts on the main trends, the most significant authors and the most representative works in Catalan literature.
  31. Produce critical texts on the main trends and the most significant authors and works of poetry and prose in Catalan literature.
  32. Produce normatively correct written and oral texts.
  33. Produce work in accordance with academic ethics.
  34. Produce written and oral texts with correction rules.
  35. Produce written work and oral presentations that are effective and framed in the appropriate register.
  36. Properly apply the knowledge gained to data collection and management of documentary sources application to the study of Catalan language and literature.
  37. Recognise, at an advanced level, themes and motifs of the European tradition in a medieval Catalan text.
  38. Recognise the context of advanced medieval Catalan literature and relate works to their historical and cultural context.
  39. Respect the opinions, values, behaviour and customs of others.
  40. Strengthen the capacity of reading, interpretation and critical analysis of literary texts and language.
  41. Use IT tools and be able to consult specific documentary sources.
  42. Use technological resources (digital and audiovisual) to acquire knowledge and apply it in language and literature.
  43. Work independently in the synchronic and diachronic study of Catalan language and literature.
  44. Write complex original essays, showing mastery of the relevant literature, on medieval authors and works.
  45. Write original and complex trials, fluent in the relevant literature on authors and works of medieval period.
  46. Write text commentaries from a critical standpoint.

Content

1. Literary culture in the reigns of Peter III and his sons John I and Martin I (1337-1410). Friars and scholars in the Crown of Aragon. Royal patronage and translations. Historiography at the court of Peter III. Antoni Canals and other university-trained friars (Francesc Eiximenis, Vicent Ferrer, Anselm Turmeda).

2. Bernat Metge (1350-1413). Education and Latin background. The Llibre de Fortuna i Prudència (1381). Close reading of Metge's Lo somni (1399): date and political context; literary sources; structure and themes; meaning and intention.

3. The age of the Trastamara dinasty (1412-79). Overview of 15th-century poetry: Jordi de Sant Jordi and Ausiàs March.

4. Overview of chivalric and sentimental prose: Joanot Martorell's Tirant lo Blanc, Joan Roís de Corella's mythological works, Jaume Roig's Espill, and Isabel de Villena's Vita Christi.

5. Close reading of Curial e Güelfa (1440s): date and cultural context; the author's culture; literary sources: troubadour tradition and chronicles, 15th-century chivalry, classical and Italian culture; interpretation.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 20 0.8 27, 3, 10, 12, 13, 20, 21, 6, 39, 15
Seminars (reading and debating) 20 0.8 27, 3, 10, 12, 33, 13, 17, 20, 21, 6, 39, 15
Type: Supervised      
Flipped class 3 0.12 4, 3, 28, 16, 21, 5, 7, 6, 25, 24, 26, 39, 29, 32, 34, 37
Oral presentation of a textual commentary 3 0.12 27, 41, 3, 10, 12, 28, 31, 33, 13, 17, 20, 21, 6, 39, 15, 32, 46, 42
Type: Autonomous      
Research (bibliography), study and use of the Campus Virtual 20 0.8 27, 41, 3, 10, 12, 13, 20, 21, 6, 15, 42
Students' own reading of selected texts 50 2 3, 10, 13, 21, 6, 15

Lectures will provide students with the historical context of some of the major works of medieval Catalan literature (1399-1490). Classroom seminars are aimed at improving reading skills through the analysis of both the language and the literary contents of medium-sized texts. The students' oral presentations of one of such texts are meant to promote debate in the classroom. Essays will be guided and chosen to foster in-depth comprehension of a major Catalan work and its relationship with the classical tradition.

The calendar will be available on the first day of class. Students will find all information on the Virtual Campus: the description of the activities, teaching materials, and any necessary information for the proper follow-up of the subject.

In case of a change of teaching modality for health reasons, teachers will make readjustments in the schedule and methodologies.

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Activities 15% 10 0.4 27, 36, 1, 2, 41, 4, 3, 9, 8, 28, 33, 20, 23, 18, 21, 5, 7, 6, 26, 39, 29, 15, 40, 32, 46, 43, 42
Essay writing 25% 20 0.8 27, 36, 1, 41, 2, 4, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 28, 30, 11, 31, 33, 13, 14, 35, 16, 23, 18, 20, 21, 5, 7, 6, 25, 24, 15, 40, 32, 34, 37, 38, 45, 44, 43, 42
Final exam 40% 2 0.08 27, 36, 4, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 28, 30, 11, 31, 33, 13, 16, 22, 19, 17, 23, 18, 20, 21, 5, 7, 6, 25, 24, 40, 15, 32, 34, 37, 38, 46
Mid-course test 20% 2 0.08 4, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 28, 30, 11, 31, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 20, 18, 21, 5, 7, 6, 25, 24, 40, 15, 32, 34, 37, 38, 45, 44, 46

Students will be assessed by means of (a) written exams, (b) individual essay, and (c) activities on translation and commentary. The final qualification will result from the following proportion: (a) 40% + 20%, (b) 25%, (c) 15%. All course assignments must be submitted in due time. Activities submitted after the deadline will result in a 0 mark for such item.

Students will receive (via Moddle) prior notice of the date and all relevant information concerning their right to review any assessment item with their teacher.

Submission of an essay and the written exam are required for assessment. The minimum mark to pass is 5. Failure to submit either of the two exercises will result in Not assessable.

Previous evaluation of the final exam and the writing essay, and a final mark between 3.5 and 4.9, are required to opt for reassessment. Reassessment may include a written exam and/or submitting again an essay which had not reached the pass mark. Students who pass the reassessment will obtain a 5.0 mark.

Any impropriety (such as plagiarism) that may be conducive to substantially alter the assessment of any item will result in a 0 mark for any such item, irrespectively of other disciplinary measures. Were such improper practices to take place repeatedly, the final mark for the subject concerned will be 0.

 

Non continuous assessment  

The student opting for non continuous assessment will be assessed by means of a written essay (20%), a written exam (50%), a written literary commentary (20%) and an oral presentation (10%).

Submission of an essay and the written exam are required for assessment. The minimum mark to pass is 5. Failure to submit either of the two exercises will result in Not assessable.

The same reassessment method as in continuous assessment will be applied. 


Bibliography

1. Basic bibliography

(a) Literary History

Badia, Lola (dir.), Història de la literatura catalana. Literatura medieval. Vol.I: Dels orígens al segle XIV. Vol. II: Segles XIV i XV. Vol. III: Segle XV (Barcelona: Enciclopèdia Catalana / Barcino / Ajuntament de Barcelona, 2013-2015).

Riquer, Martí de, Història de la literatura catalana: part antiga, 3 vols. (Barcelona: Ariel, 1964); també en 4 vols. (Barcelona: Planeta, 1984). 

(b) General works

Badia, Lola, De Bernat Metge a Joan Roís de Corella. Estudis sobre la cultura literària de la tardor medieval catalana (Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 1988).

Badia, Lola, Tradició i modernitat als segles XIV i XV. Estudis de cultura literària i lectures d'Ausiàs March (València / Barcelona: Institut Interuniversitari de Filologia Valenciana / Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, 1993).

Cabré, Lluís, Alejandro Coroleu, Albert Lloret, Montserrat Ferrer i Josep Pujol, The Classical Tradition in Medieval Catalan, 1300-1500: Translation, Imitation, and Literacy (Woodbridge: Tamesis, 2018).

2. Required readings

Metge, Bernat, Lo somni, dins Obra completa, ed. Lola Badia (Barcelona: Barcino, 2024). 

Curial e Güelfa, ed. Lola Badia i Jaume Torró (Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 2011), amb introducció i comentaris.

3. Additional bibliography 

In addition to the corresponding chapters in the basic bibliography, this section offers a selection of editions and studies on the authors and works studied.

A més dels capítols corresponents de les històries de la literatura i els estudis de conjunt, podeuconsultar els següents estudis i edicions sobre els autors tractats al curs.

(a) Prosistes universitaris 

Canals, Antoni, Scipió e Aníbal. De providència. De arra de ànima, ed. de Martí de Riquer (Barcelona: Barcino, 1935).

Eiximenis, Francesc, Llibres, mestres i sermons, ed. David Guixeras i Xavier Renedo, estudis introductoris de Xavier Renedo (Barcelona: Barcino, 2005).

Eiximenis, Francesc, Lo Crestià (selecció), ed. d'Albert Hauf (Barcelona: Eds. 62 / "la Caixa",  1983).

Ferrer, Sant Vicent, Sermons, versió a cura de Xavier Renedo i Lluís Cabré (Barcelona: Teide, 1993).

Martínez Romero, Tomàs, Aproximació als sermons de sant Vicent Ferrer (Paiporta: Denes, 2002).

Metge, Bernat, i Anselm Turmeda, Obres menors, ed. de Marçal Olivar (Barcelona: Barcino, 1927).

Mira, Joan F., Sant Vicent Ferrer: Vida i llegenda d'un predicador (Alzira: Bromera, 2002).

Sadurní, Martí, i Xavier Renedo (eds.), Francesc Eiximenis: Vida, obra i transmissió (Girona: Universitat de Girona, 2021).

Turmeda, Anselm, Disputa de l'ase, versió d'Albert Mestres i Marta Marfany (Barcelona: Barcino, 2013).

(b) Bernat Metge

Cabré, Lluís, Alejandro Coroleu i Jill Kraye (eds.), Fourteenth-Century Classicism: Petrarch and Bernat Metge (Londres / Torí: The Warburg Institute / Nino Aragno Editore, 2012).

Cingolani, Stefano M., El somni d'una cultura: "Lo somni" de Bernat Metge (Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 2002).

Metge, Bernat, Llibre de Fortuna i Prudència, ed. crítica de Lluís Cabré (Barcelona: Barcino, 2010).

Riquer, Martí de, Obras de Bernat Metge (Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona, 1959).

(c) Poesia del segle XV

Febrer, Andreu, Poesies, ed. Martí de Riquer (Barcelona: Barcino, 1951).

Jordi de sant Jordi, Poesies, ed. Aniello Fratta (Barcelona: Barcino, 2005).

March, Ausiàs, Poesies, ed. de Pere Bohigas, revisada per Amadeu-J. Soberanas i Noemí Espinàs (Barcelona: Barcino, 2005; 1a ed. en 5 vols. 1952-1959).

March, Ausiàs, Per haver d'amor vida. Antologia comentada, ed. de Francesc J. Gómez i Josep Pujol (Barcelona: Barcino, 2018; 1a ed. 2018).

Riquer, Martí de, i Lola Badia (ed.), Les poesies de Jordi de sant Jordi, cavaller valencià del segle XV (València: Tres i Quatre, 1984).

(d) Narrativa del segle XV

Martorell, Joanot, Tirant lo Blanc, edició, introducció i notes de Josep Pujol (Barcelona: Barcino, 2021).

Roig, Jaume, Espill, ed. d'Antònia Carré (Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 2006).

Roís de Corella, Joan, "Tragèdia de Caldesa" i altres proses, ed. de Marina Gustà, pròleg de Francisco Rico (Barcelona: Eds. 62 / "la Caixa", 1980).

Roís de Corella, Joan, Rims i proses, ed. Tomàs Martínez (Barcelona: Edicions 62, 1994), "El Garbell".

Villena, Isabel de, Vita Christi, ed. Albert Hauf (Barcelona: Eds. 62 / "La Caixa", 1995).

4. Anthology of medieval Catalan texts 

Web de Literatura Catalana Medieval (Campus Virtual) (texts, maps, pictures and music). Additional resources in the course folder in the Campus Virtual.

5. Links

For the study of medieval literature and culture, see <www.narpan.net>.

All the medieval Catalan poetry has been compiled in the Repertorio Informatizzato dell’Antica Letteratura Catalana (RIALC): <www.rialc.unina.it>


Software

There is no specific software for this subject.


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed