Tirant lo Blanch
**Overview of Tirant lo Blanch**
Tirant lo Blanch, or "Tirant the White," is a significant work of medieval chivalric romance penned by Joanot Martorell and completed by Martí Joan de Galba in 1490. Originating from Valencia, Spain, this novel chronicles the adventures of its titular knight, Tirant, who embarks on heroic quests across France and England before aiding the besieged Byzantine Empire against Ottoman forces. Unlike typical chivalric romances that idealize knights and their exploits, Tirant lo Blanch presents a more humanized and humorous perspective on the life of a knight, showcasing not only heroic deeds but also moments of boredom and folly.
The narrative is notable for its earthy realism and emotional depth, as Tirant navigates the complexities of his role with sarcasm and vulnerability. Martorell, a knight himself, infused the story with elements drawn from real-life events, albeit with some creative embellishments. The novel is recognized for influencing later literature, particularly the works of Miguel de Cervantes, who explicitly referenced Tirant lo Blanch in his renowned novel Don Quixote. Though it may not be widely known in the global literary landscape, Tirant lo Blanch holds a cherished place in Valencian literature and is esteemed for its contributions to the development of the Western novel.
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Tirant lo Blanch
Tirant lo Blanch, or “Tirant the White,” is a work of medieval literature mainly written by Joanot Martorell and completed by Martí Joan de Galba after Martorell’s death. It was published in 1490 in the Spanish region of Valencia. Many literary historians consider it to be one of the most important works to emerge from Valencia, as well as a valuable contemporary portrayal of the lives of medieval knights. Although it is not generally well known in world literary canon, Tirant lo Blanch holds the distinction of inspiring Miguel de Cervantes, particularly in his masterpiece Don Quixote, and helping to usher the Western novel into its modernized form.
Overview
Tirant lo Blanch is a work of heroic, or chivalric, romance that involves the glorious and exciting deeds of a journeying knight. That knight, known as Tirant the White (“Tirant lo Blanch”), originates from what is in modern times northwest France. He quests throughout France and England, competes against other knights, and embarks on several adventures. His deeds attract the attention of the leaders of the Byzantine Empire, at that time besieged by Ottoman Turkish forces and in danger of collapsing. Tirant agrees to join them and takes command of Byzantine armies, championing their cause and driving the Turks away from the imperial capital of Constantinople. Tirant’s fame and heroism spread during subsequent battles in which he beats back further Turkish incursions and wins glory for the Byzantines throughout the Mediterranean.
Modern academics generally categorize the style of Tirant lo Blanch as heroic romance, or chivalric romance, a popular genre of its era, although it takes several striking departures from other works in that category. Typical works of heroic romance feature high-minded knights who savor simple pleasures of life and treat women with thoughtful, almost worshipful, admiration. Tirant is much different, as he goes through his quests with greater zest and stronger, more sensual emotions. Whereas typical works often glorified knights and sanitized the details of their lives, this work takes an earthier—and likely far more honest—perspective, fairly addressing the good and bad aspects of the knights and their tasks, including episodes of boredom, embarrassment, and disappointment.
In addition, Tirant lo Blanch employs more humor than most works of its era and genre. Tirant himself is capable of biting sarcasm, and, being far from an idealized hero, has many gaffes that can bring amusement to readers. Another interesting point about the work is that Joanot Martorell, himself a knight, borrowed heavily from true stories and real occurrences in the writing of this work. However, many of the real-life details may have been subjected to creative liberties to better fit the story and provide a more satisfying conclusion to the tale.
Tirant lo Blanch was posthumously completed by Martorell’s associate Martí Joan de Galba. Its original publication in 1490 was in the Catalan language of Valencia. Over time, it was translated into many other languages and became influential in several countries. One of its greatest fans was Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes, who took great inspiration from the work. This was particularly evident in his novel Don Quixote, published in 1605 and 1615. Cervantes made no attempt to hide his admiration; in fact, the characters in Don Quixote mention Tirant lo Blanch by name and praise his tale. On a more subtle level, Cervantes’ knights carry on the Tirant tradition of being boisterous, sensuous, and amusingly imperfect.
Bibliography
Aylward, Edward T. The Influence of Tirant lo Blanch on the Quijote. Princeton University, 2009.
Aylward, Edward T. “Tirant lo Blanch and the Artistic Intent of Joanot Martorell.” Hispanófila, 83, Jan. 1985, pp. 23–32.
Aylward, Edward T. Tirant lo Blanch: A Program for Military and Social Reform in Fifteenth-Century Christendom. The University of North Carolina Press, 1985.
Martorell, Joanot and Martí Joan de Galba. Tirant lo Blanc: The Complete Translation. Peter Land, 1993.
Pierson, Peter. The History of Spain, 2nd Ed. Greenwood, 2019.
Tirant lo Blanc. Penguin Random House, www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/108588/tirant-lo-blanc-by-joanot-martorell/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2022.
Vaeth, Joseph Anthony. Tirant lo Blanch: A Study of Its Authorship, Principal Sources, and Historical Setting. HardPress, 2013.
Wacks, David A. “Fiction, History, and the Struggle for the Mediterranean in Tirant lo Blanch.” University of Oregon, 11 Apr. 2015, davidwacks.uoregon.edu/tag/tirant-lo-blanc/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2022.