Genre
Castillian Epic Poem
Setting and Context
Castillia, Spain, and the regions of southern Spain threatened by the Moors in the 1100s
Narrator and Point of View
The point of view is that of El Cid, who is also the hero of the text.
Tone and Mood
Valliant and honorable; encouraging and inspirational; threatening.
Protagonist and Antagonist
El Cid is the Protagonist, the Infantes the Angatonists.
Major Conflict
The major conflict comes between the Spanish regions and the Moors who are trying to take them. El Cid defends Valencia from attack by King Yusuf ibn Tashfin of the Almoravids.
Climax
El Cid's daughters marry the sons of the Kings of Navarra and Aragon respectively, bringing great honor to their father and also ultimately beginning the unification of the regions of Spain.
Foreshadowing
The King pardons El Cid on behalf of his nephews who were actually working against him. He then gives his permission for El Cid's daughters to marry his nephews. El Cid feels that something bad is going to happen as a result of this and his feeling foreshadows the public shaming of the Infantes as cowards and their revenge on his daughters.
Understatement
No specific examples.
Allusions
Throughout the text El Cid alludes to the New Testament, in particular recounting the story of the birth of Jesus Christ in his incantation.
Imagery
The imagery is predominantly based around scenes of war which give the reader a sense of the danger inherent in the country at the time.
Paradox
The Infantes tell the king that El Cid is stealing from him and working against him when in fact it is they who are doing this.
Parallelism
There is a parallel between the cowardice shown when the Infantes run away from the lion in the court and when they subsequently run away from battle.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The Court is used to encompass all of the individual people living there and also those working for the king.
Personification
No specific examples
