06 Dec El Cid, Rodrigo Diaz, is the national hero of Spain? Rodrigo in som

Engl 2332

World Literature

Dr Shepard

Essay 12

500 word minimum

Double spaced

14 point font, not 12

Title of the essay should be a complete sentence,

And an argument, for ex. ‘Oedipus treated his mother very warmly’

Your information at top left corner:

Tom Jones

ENGL 2332

Jan 2, 2011

Dr Shepard

Rodrigo Diaz, El Cid

El Cid, Rodrigo Diaz, is the national hero of Spain.

Rodrigo in some ways stands apart from other historic figures and leaders because of a style all his own. What are some of the actions taken by Rodrigo over the course of his dramatic career that distinguish him?

What did Rodrigo experience that we see as unexpected, and his decisions in certain situations, unique, unusual, and defining? — That is, we read this, and can conclude, ‘that’s El Cid. Only El Cid would handle it this way’ ?

And did Rodrigo’s choices, his way, show him to be wiser than others, or not? Explain.

,

2

El Cid, The Legend,

from a Spanish poem, written in 12th century AD, author unknown

Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (c. 1043 – 10 July 1099) was a ‘Spanish’ knight and warlord in medieval Spain and came to be known by the Moors as El Cid, and by the Christians as El Campeador. He was born in Vivar del Cid, a village near the city of Burgos.

The title, or nick name ‘El Cid’ is an indicator of respect, from the Arabic – al Sayyid or ‘The Lord,’ as in Lord (or master) of the House or the Village.

At a time when Spain and France and environs were divided into a number of small kingdoms, El Cid fought for Spanish ‘kings’ and then, when that didn’t work out, fought in service to Muslim rulers. He liked being a general and leading an army, and as such, he hungered for action more than he did for one side or another side.

When he was exiled by one Spanish king, he fought for a Muslim king, in Zaragoza, during a time when Muslim expansion into Europe reached nearly into the British Isles.

Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar became well known for his service in the armies of both Christian and Muslim rulers. After his death, El Cid became Spain's celebrated national hero and the protagonist of the most significant medieval Spanish epic poem, El Cantar de mio Cid , [1] which presents him as the ideal medieval knight: strong, valiant, loyal, just, and pious.

To understand the story of Cid it is necessary to look at his country, back even before he was born.

At that earlier time, as the year one thousand starting the new millennium, what we know today as Spain was no more than a collection of different kingdoms. In most cases they were in competition with each other.

In the year 711 AD, Muslim warriors from northern Africa defeated other armies and gradually became the dominant presence in all of Spain.

For many years the politics, culture and religion in Spain was shaped by Islamic thinking. Very gradually a centuries a succession of Christian kings waged battles, as the character of Spain evolved. Christians tried to recover the land lost to the Muslim Arabs. It was a process called ‘the re-conquest’ but this went on until the 15th century, and the time that Columbus gained funding to mount an expedition to the ‘new world.’

It is in this tumultuous period that the now legendary figure of El Cid was born.

Carlos Del Solo (scholar 1): When Rodrigo was born there were many Muslim kingdoms or taifas and also a few Christian kingdoms, such as Castile, Len, Galacia .. and the Catalan counties. These were difficult times as there was a power struggle with everybody fighting everybody else.

The Muslim taifas had weakened and were no longer warlike or spent money on their own defenses. And they asked some of the Christian kingdoms for protection for which they paid taxes. And these Christian kingdoms defended them from other taifas [Muslim kingdoms] or from other Christian kingdoms.

EL CID FILM NARRATOR: He was a simple man, who became Spain's greatest hero. He rose above religious hatreds..and called upon all Spaniards, whether Christian or Moor… to face a common enemy who threatened to destroy their land of Spain. This enemy was gathering his forces… across the Mediterranean Sea on the north shores of Africa. He was the African emir, Ben Yusuf.

It is a simple village in northern Spain, south of Castille, and it has been through some kind of battle. Smoke rises and some of the crude buildings are on fire.

There has been a battle here. Although the battle is over.

An aging priest crouches in the rubble of his burned church before a wooden statue of Jesus that is about to topple over. He is broken hearted, and praying.

Priest: Heavenly Father, we are lost and in darkness. Once again they destroy our towns… take our people in bondage. Please help us, Father. Send us someone… who will take us to the light.

Rodrigo rides up. He is a well dressed man, obviously of the King’s court – some king, anyway. Behind him are perhaps a dozen more men on their horses. All have swords. And they are dusty and some of them are bloody and breathing hard. They have been in a fight.

Rodrigo climbs down and approaches the man.

Rodrigo: (gently) Father. Here. Come.

He tries to pull the priest from the smoldering heap.

Priest: The Cross. The Cross.

Rodrigo goes into the mess and climbs and pulls down the wooden figure, which is nearly half the size he is.

It is not heavy. Rodrigo carries it under his arm. He walks from the wreckage and the old priest follows him.

Rodrigo: We couldn't save your village…but we captured their leaders.

The priest’s attention perks up. He looks toward the men on horses. He sees that there are two soldiers whose hands are tied against wooden beams behind their heads. They are not Spanish. They look to be Arab. Muslim warriors – and of a high rank.

Priest: Who are you?

Rodrigo: Rodrigo Diaz of Vivar.

Priest: Vivar? You're a long way from home. (he looks Rodrigo over) Sir, you are not dressed for battle.

Rodrigo: (bemused) This was to have been my wedding day, Father.

Priest: How is it you came here, my son?

Rodrigo: I thought this would be the shortest road to my bride.

One of Rodrigo’s men approaches him on his horse. Rodrigo looks up.

Fanez: We are ready, my lord. Do we hang them now?

Rodrigo looks at his man.

He looks back at the Muslim leaders, their hands bound against wooden posts on their shoulders. They are defenseless.

There has been a brief battle and he and his men have prevailed. The emirs (leaders) have been captured. Several of their men have fought bravely, but been killed. A few others seemed to have ridden off.

A battle finished, Rodrigo is in no mood to execute anybody. It does not seem right. And it is his wedding day.

Rodrigo: No, Fanez. They come to Vivar with us.

And so Rodrigo and his men ride back to Castille. The prisoners are tied by rope to the horses, and they walk behind in their impressive uniforms.

Vivar

When they come down the king’s road near to Rodrigo’s village, townsfolk see the approach and noisily they come, wielding rakes and hoes and crude farm tools, as if as substitutes for weapons.

The prisoners are seen, and the passions fly. The folk do not know the details of this matter, but they see their local hero, Rodrigo, and they see prisoners, and that is enough. The prisoners are Muslims. Moors, as they are often called locally.

One villager throws a rock at one of the emirs.

Rodrigo: (angrily) No! Stop! Fernando, put down those stones!

Rodrigo’s father, Don Diego, pushes through the crowd to greet his son. He is a noble. Not of great prominence, as some men, but noble in this village.

Diego: Welcome home, my son.

Rodrigo climbs off his horse and embraces his father.

Rodrigo: Here are some Moorish prisoners for you.

Diego looks on, without any enthusiasm. He will fight when necessary. But he is not much for the taking of prisoners. When prisoners are taken this business is known to the people of the prisoners, and so the conflict enters its next stage. Diego is old and prefers to simplify when possible. Fight, then be done.

Diego: We didn't expect such wedding guests. Are you holding them for tribute?

Rodrigo: They're your prisoners, sir.

Diego: They're yours. You captured them. You must decide what is to be done with them.

Fanez: (from his horse, in rage) Hang them! Now!

The villagers hear this cry, and they join in. Lusting for blood, although they know nothing of what happened.

One of the bound prisoners, Al Kadir of Valencia, speaks up.

Al Kadir: We are emir… kings. There will be a great ransom for you if you let us live.

Rodrigo feels provoked, and walks over to the prisoners. He does not like the sound of the mob. They are his own people, but he does not like to see them this way. But he has not forgotten the burned village.

Such skirmishes are continuous in Spain these days. It is the way of life. Christians kill Muslims. Muslims kill Christians. Christians kill each other. The fighting goes on.

Rodrigo: (to Al Kadir) You were ready enough to kill. It would seem you're less ready to die.

The other emir speaks up. He is Al Mu-atamin, the emir of Zaragoza, to the south, and east of Castille. He is not of Rodrigo’s territory, not of Rodrigo’s concern. Zaragoza is a great, if small, kingdom of Spain. And there are a number of them.

The village he burned was in response to an attack. The attacks go back and forth. Rodrigo’s men just happened to appear at the right moment.

Al Mu-atamin: I am ready, my Lord Rodrigo. I have no great desire to live to see what is coming for all of us.

Rodrigo could have ignored the man, but that would not be his way.

Rodrigo chooses sides only when it is necessary for him to do so. He does not carry his loyalties with him – not like the mob from his own village.

Rodrigo: What is coming for all of us?

Al Mu-atamin: Wars, death and destruction. Blood and fire more terrible than has ever been seen by living man.

Rodrigo puzzles over this. It is another emir this man is talking about, he understands.

One worse than these, presumably, worse than the Christian warriors. New fighters and new armies emerge in Spain from year to year.

It has been said that the Moors (Muslims) have gotten soft in recent years which explains their decline in power over the country. It is said by others that Muslims have grown accustomed to the land and to the people and to the comforts and as such have integrated into local ways.

New leaders with new armies arrive from distant lands, to pick up the slack. New leaders who see the small kingdoms as grown weak, vulnerable, and lacking authority. Some of these new leaders are ruthless and cruel.

There is a commotion in the distance, and through the dust cloud it becomes clear that a party of the King approach on horseback. On a tall post the royal banner flaps in the breeze.

The arrival of Count Ordonez

At the head it is Count Ordonez. Ordonez is a member of court, and loyal to the King, Ferdinand. He takes some pleasure in flaunting his position, whenever the situation permits.

Ordonez climbs down from his horse and approaches.

Ordonez: Don Diego, I will take your prisoners back to the King at Burgos.

Diego: They are not my prisoners. They are my son's.

Ordonez: (smiling) Oh, forgive me, Don Rodrigo. Then it will be your prisoners we will hang in the palace square at Burgos. We will hang their bodies high as an example to other Moors!

Some of the crowd call out in support.

Rodrigo is disgusted and offended by Ordonez showy efforts to project his power in front of an audience and by his determination to kill men captured from a conflict that he knew nothing about.

Rodrigo also knows that Ordonez is a hypocrite. He himself has alliances with Muslim emirs in the region, including the Emir at Granada. Ordonez engages with the Muslims when it suits his needs, and denounces Muslims if the occasion, like this one, will play to a village mob.

Rodrigo: Don Ordonez, these prisoners will not go to Burgos.

Ordonez: The King will be just as pleased if you hang them here.

Rodrigo: We've been killing them for years. What has it brought us? Peace?

Al Mu-atamin: Hang me, and my sons will not rest while a single Christian remains alive in Vivar.

Ordonez: (turns to the crowd) What other way is there to treat the Moors?

Voice: Hang them now!

Rodrigo: (steps over to Ordonez) Do you want these people to live in fear the rest of their lives?

Then Rodrigo turns and goes to one of the villagers, an old neighbor from his youth.

Rodrigo: Antonio, do you want to see your church burned too? Your villages destroyed?

Ordonez: Don Diego, tell your son that it is treason to refuse to turn over prisoners to an officer of the King.

Diego: Rodrigo knows what he must do.

Rodrigo approaches the emirs, whose hands are still bound up to planks of wood.

Rodrigo: Do you solemnly pledge never again to attack King Ferdinand's country?

Al Mu-atamin: I do.

Rodrigo takes his knife and cuts the ropes from the wood. The wood fall free and the emir lowers his arms in relief.

Diego looks on without reaction. Ordonez is in shock.

Al Mu-atamin is emotionally overcome. A moment ago there was little to prevent him from being killed right in this road, helplessly, with his hands bound over his head. A humiliating way to die. The crowd was against him. The King’s officer was against him.

And yet this man, Rodrigo, thought differently. So he would live.

Al Mu-atamin: Among our people, we have a word for a warrior with the vision to be just and the courage to be merciful. We call such a man, "El Cid." I, Moutamin, Emir of Zaragossa pledge eternal friendship to the Cid of Vivar and allegiance to his sovereign lord, King Ferdinand of Castile. May Allah strike the eyes from my head and the flesh from my bones if I break this pledge. In the name of Allah.

Rodrigo goes over to Al Kadir. Kadir looks at him.

Al Kadir: In the name of Allah.

Rodrigo cuts the ropes and frees Kadir.

Ordonez gets back on his horse. He is fuming. He has an army behind him, but he lacks the resolve to challenge Rodrigo in his own village in front of his own people.

Ordonez: In the name of Ferdinand, King of Castile, Leon and Asturias, I charge you with treason. Within seven days, you will appear before the King at Burgos to answer these charges.

Rodrigo never turns back around to acknowledge what Ordonez is saying, although he hears every word. Then he steps away from the Muslim leaders, who are stretching their arms and rubbing their aching wrists.

The priest from the village that Rodrigo helped, the old man who did not want to abandon the cross, approaches him.

Priest: You did take the shortest road, my son. Not to your bride, but to your destiny. God sent you to us, my son. God has sent you.

Rodrigo just looks at him. He knows he has brought trouble on himself.

It was an interesting thing for the priest to say. A few hours before he was in his own village, witness to a battle between two small armies. He was pained and he was even angry. Although he was a man of God, he would have wished for the suffering of those Moors who burned his church.

But then Rodrigo appeared and was able to see beyond simple revenge.

And suddenly the priest felt that Rodrigo had the wiser vision. And he felt ashamed of himself for his anger. Rodrigo!

On this day Rodrigo was supposed to be married.

Another man on his wedding day, had he ridden upon a battle going on in a small village, would have pretended not to see, wanting no part of the fracas whatsoever. Ridden off with his men. To his wedding.

But that was not Rodrigo.

At Castile, his bride was waiting

Meanwhile in Castile, at the Castle of the King, the bride with her ladies is waiting.

She is Ximena, the beautiful daughter of Count Gormaz, who is a personal attendant to the King, one of the most prestigious positions in court.

Ximena has been waiting for hours it seems, knowing that her fiancé has a long way to come and that there could be a wide variance in the time of his arrival.

Neither Ximena nor her maids know a thing about what has happened to Rodrigo this day.

She waits in her chambers, which is a series of large and comfortably appointed rooms.

At every sound Ximena thinks, now he is here. Only to be mistaken. How much can a bride do on her wedding day, when the groom is late?

Ximena: He should have been here by now. Why is he so late?

Maid: He is not late, my lady. He was to be here at sundown. It's barely noon.

Ximena: You don't really understand how love keeps time. Later means sooner; sundown means noon. Still, a man on a horse can move only so fast no matter how much the man is in love.

Maid: Yes, my lady.

Ximena: All night long I kept thinking: "Oh, the Moors have ambushed him!" "Oh, yes, he's been attacked by a madman." "Oh, he's fallen ill." They say all women in love…are tormented that way. Because they don't dare believe that such happiness…can really be theirs. (to her maid) Help me, please.

There is a sound at the door.

Then two maids enter and behind them comes Princess Urraca.

Princess Urraca, who is seems to enjoy the situation

Princess Urraca is the second daughter of the King, King Ferdinand the Great.

She is promised a part of the realm when power transfers upon her father’s death.

And she is looking forward to her rightful share of this power.

She is feared.

She can be very kind and caring.

And she can be less kind. Cruel in fact.

Ximena is nothing to her.

Ximena sees the princess enter her chamber, and she bows, surprised. Why has she come?

Ximena’s position of status in the kingdom depends upon her father’s role as a ‘defender’ of the king. That is all.

Urraca: (a little smile) The gown is… very beautiful.

Ximena: (bows) Your Highness is… very gracious. It is not often we are so honored.

Urraca: No. It is not an ordinary day. (she waits for a reaction)

Urraca looks at Ximena. She looks away, smiles again, and picks up a fruit from the bowl and nibbles.

Urraca: Then you have not heard? There has been news… Oh, yes.

And she turns and moves away. Ximena tries to maintain her dignity, but it is clear that the princess has shown up because of her.

Ximena: News of… of Rodrigo, Your Highness?

Urraca: Of Rodrigo. (changes the subject) The gown is so beautiful.

So Urraca is going to play it cruel this day. On the day of Ximena’s wedding.

Ximena: (trying not to sound distressed) Your Highness. Your Highness. Can you tell me what has happened to Rodrigo?

Urraca in fact wanted this. Wanted to make Ximena, who thought of herself as so pretty, to beg for information.

Urraca: Yes, I can tell you. (she smiles big) You knew that Rodrigo was on his way here?

Ximena: (on his wedding day? ) Yes.

Urraca: That there was a battle? You knew that there was a battle with the Moors?

Ximena looks back at her blankly. She knew nothing of a battle.

Just then Ximena’s father bursts into the room. Count Gormaz. The Defender of the King.

He usually is effusive in his praise of any sight of the princess, who he would be surprised to see in his daughter’s room. But he gives a slight bow only.

Gormaz arrives and can’t control his indignation

The princess picks this moment to take her leave. She simply glides out of the room.

There seems to be a great tension now with the presence of the Count. So the other maids and attendants in the room disappear.

The Count goes to his daughter.

Gormaz: Chimene. (Ximena)

Ximena: My father, tell me. Rodrigo's been hurt.

Gormaz: No, Rodrigo's alive and well. You love him so much.

Ximena: Two names. My father… and Rodrigo.

Gormaz: Chimene… you are my only child. I have no wife. You alone can carry my blood. I should have had a son.

Ximena: But Rodrigo will be your son.

Gormaz: (angry) No. You're young. You can learn to love again.

She is confused. Something has happened. Her father no longer likes Rodrigo. Some kind of court politics.

Ximena: Could I learn to love another father?

Gormaz: It is not the same. There are others.

She can’t believe this – that on her wedding day people are coming to her with crumbs of information about her groom and it is negative. Her own father – turned against Rodrigo? She can’t accept it.

She bolts from the room. She does not know where she is going but she wants answers.

Down the corridor and into one of the great entrance halls of the castle.

She sees Ordonez.

She knows that Ordonez has always cared for her, although this is not something that was spoken of.

Ordonez, who has feelings for Ximena

Ximena: Don Garcia Ordonez, tell me what has happened. You have always been a good friend.

Ordonez: I would be more to you, Chimene… if you would let me.

Ximena: You know that can never be.

Ordonez wanted to marry her. It would have been a very useful marriage, politically, because her father’s position, next to the King would have helped Ordonez’s own status.

But Rodrigo was judged to be a young man of greater promise than Ordonez. King Ferdinand saw something in Rodrigo. He was both unusually able as a soldier and also possessed talents as a diplomat.

There was no way that Ordonez, who came from a more prestigious family, could surpass Rodrigo, in the eyes of the King.