El Cid | Essays and Criticism

  • Political and Economic Aims of Medieval Institutions

    In the following essay, Looper analyzes the ''propagandistic element of epic literature,'' explaining how the Cantar de mio Cid was used as a means of promoting the political and economic aims of medieval institutions long after the death of the historical Cid.

  • The Moor in the Text: Metaphor, Emblem, and Silence

    In the following excerpt, Burshatin examines the status of Moors as portrayed in the epic and the metaphoric and symbolic roles filled by Moorish characters in the work.

  • Legitimation and the Hero's Exemplary Function in the Cantar de mio Cid and the Chanson de Roland

    In the following excerpt, Duggan traces the action in this epic work and discusses differences between it and other Romance epics, concluding that the heroes of such epics, though they possess less than ideal lineage, attain nobility and legitimacy through their actions.

  • The Cid and His Spain

    In the following excerpt, Menéndez Pidal examines the similarities and differences between the historic Cid and the title character of the epic. He also comments on the historical and literary contributions of both figures.