The Epic of the Cid is a poem recounting the tales of the historical Cid, Rodrigo Dìaz de Vivar, a hero to the Spanish people. The poem was written by an unknown, Spanish author in the 1200s, during the Reconquista, to immortalize the story of the great hero of Spain. The Reconquista lasted almost 780 years and was a series of wars between Christians lords and Muslims moors. The Reconquista sought to cleanse the Iberian peninsula of all things non-christian. The poem shows the significance of loyalty and honor during twelfth century Spain, and how the relationship between those qualities affected a person’s social standing. The poem was intended for the noble Spanish class and was meant to be performed, instead of read, so people could see
…show more content…
Both male and female honor was a hot topic during feudal times and was often acquired through marriage. Marriages were considering political alliances that could lead to wealth and higher social standing. In The Epic of the Cid, honor was a huge theme. Cid himself fought to earn his honor back by plundering lands and giving money to all his soldiers and to King Alfonso. Cid also fought for both his daughters’ honors. His daughters had happened to be beaten and left for dead by their original husbands after they were humiliated by the Cid’s men. The humiliation left them feeling as if their honor was no longer intact and so they believed hurting Cid’s daughters would make them feel worthy again. After this, Cid fought hard to secure his daughters another marriage alliance since that is what their honor is based upon. Cid regained their honor by finding them husbands who were of high nobility in Carriòn and asked of those men to upkeep his daughters’ honor, “You are now my sons, for I give my daughters to you. With them you take away my very heart’s blood. Let it be known throughout Galicia, Castile, and Leòn, with what riches I send forth my two sons-in-law. Take care of my daughter for they are now your wives. Take good care of them, and I will be eternally grateful.” The Cid is grateful their honor will be preserved because it is the thing keeping them
Both male and female honor was a hot topic during feudal times and was often acquired through marriage. Marriages were considering political alliances that could lead to wealth and higher social standing. In The Epic of the Cid, honor was a huge theme. Cid himself fought to earn his honor back by plundering lands and giving money to all his soldiers and to King Alfonso. Cid also fought for both his daughters’ honors. His daughters had happened to be beaten and left for dead by their original husbands after they were humiliated by the Cid’s men. The humiliation left them feeling as if their honor was no longer intact and so they believed hurting Cid’s daughters would make them feel worthy again. After this, Cid fought hard to secure his daughters another marriage alliance since that is what their honor is based upon. Cid regained their honor by finding them husbands who were of high nobility in Carriòn and asked of those men to upkeep his daughters’ honor, “You are now my sons, for I give my daughters to you. With them you take away my very heart’s blood. Let it be known throughout Galicia, Castile, and Leòn, with what riches I send forth my two sons-in-law. Take care of my daughter for they are now your wives. Take good care of them, and I will be eternally grateful.” The Cid is grateful their honor will be preserved because it is the thing keeping them