«Reflections of the long thirteenth century: Curiosity, the politics of knowledge, and imperial power in the Libro de Alexandre»
Autor Gerli, E. Michael
Título Reflections of the long thirteenth century: Curiosity, the politics of knowledge, and imperial power in the Libro de Alexandre
Otros autores M. Gerli - R. D. Giles
Título revista/libro The Routledge Hispanic Studies Companion to Medieval Iberia. Unity in Diversity
Ciudad London - New York
Editorial Routledge
Año 2021
Colección Routledge Companions to Hispanic and Latin American Studies
Resumen
De acuerdo con el autor, «Far more than a tale of the exploits, deeds of arms, conquests and feats of courage performed by the valiant, noble king Alexander, and much more than a rhetorical dialectic between poetic forms, there is a critique of knowledge, curiosity, and learning in it that aligns with a distinctive moral, ethical and political vision that was being debated precisely at the moment of its composition. The Alexandre poet's assertion that his "mester es sen pecado" [craft is impeccable] is not just an allusion to perfect scansion and regular rhyme, but a declaration that his book is worthy, righteous, and pure» (p. 391). A partir de esta constatación, el autor pretende rastrear el trasfondo de esta relación explorando la incómoda asociación entre conocimiento, poder, curiosidad y ambición política en el Libro, a la vez que resalta la conexión de largo alcance de la obra con el entorno intelectual de lo que los historiadores ahora llaman humanismo escolástico y el largo siglo XIII: «When placed within a greater European context, it is evident that the Libro refects an anxiety about knowledge, inquiry, and power, plus an awareness of the larger polemic that was being waged in the Schools before, during, and after the time of its composition. In this way, the Libro de Alexandre brings to its Castilian vernacular audience a scholarly ethical and political problematic that points to its links with the wider cosmopolitan world of the universities, European statecraft, and the affairs of the royal court. Although anchored in the historical moment that coincides with the rise of Castilian imperial ambitions, the very politics of empire and the role played by knowledge and power in relation to it refect the tension that structured the on-going debate in European learned circles regarding the newly emergent Aristotelian science, the strength of human reason, divine revelation, and the exercise of imperial sovereignty.» (p. 393)
