EL CID COMPEADOR

GREETINGS TO ONE AND ALL!EL CID COMPEADORCrisel SaloJames ParadaWinnie JulianJudy Anne NangitoyEtymologyThe origins of the Roman name Hispania, from which the modern name Espaa was derived, are uncertain and are possibly unknown due to inadequate evidence. Down the centuries there have been a number of accounts and hypotheses:The Renaissance scholar Antonio de Nebrija proposed that the word Hispania evolved from the Iberian word Hispalis, meaning "city of the western world".Jess Luis Cunchillos argues that the root of the term span is the Phoenecian word spy, meaning "to forge metals". Therefore i-spn-ya would mean "the land where metals are forged".[9] It may be a derivation of the Phoenician I-Shpania, meaning "island of rabbits", "land of rabbits" or "edge", a reference to Spain's location at the end of the Mediterranean; Roman coins struck in the region from the reign of Hadrian show a female figure with a coney at her feet,[10] and Strabo called it the "land of the rabbits".SPAINofficially the Kingdom of Spain (Spanish: Reino de Espaa),[a][b] is a sovereign state located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar; to the north and northeast by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean. Along with France and Morocco, it is one of only three countries to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. Spain's 1,214 km (754 mi) border with Portugal is the longest uninterrupted border within the European Union.MAP LOCATION

SCENIC SPOTS

CelticcastroinA Guarda,Galicia.

Roman Theatre,Mrida

Toledo, capital of theVisigothic Kingdom.

Basilica of San Isidoro,Len.Spanish LiteratureThe history of Spain has been marked by all types of events, wars, conquests, marriages, deaths... and literature has played an important part in it. From the epic tale of the"Cantar del Mio Cid"to the surrealism present in some ofCela's works; from the amazing adventures ofDon Quixoteto the many books recounting the horrors of the Spanish Civil War,Spanish literaturehas had it's own way of influencing history. Literature is a very important subject in all Spanish schools, and this site is a guide to the evolution ofSpanish literatureacross the centuries.Genre: Epic Tale

AuthorshipThis epic, El Cid is the life story of a Castilian soldier, Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar. His life is told in different media and this style of being an epic is one of the means that made the dissemination of his story possible. Many wrote his own version of his tale and some wrote it even in different forms. Most of them wrote it in poems. After some time, people made it in films and made computer games with a background story of El Cid. In short, the author of his story cant be counted because they are so many but we may say that the real author of the story is of course, the one who experience the incidents, El Cid. Every man is the author of his own life, of his own adventure.CHARACTERSRodrigo Dias de Bivar, El Cid Campeador the protagonist of the work. A Castilian soldier who fights for his wealth and honor that was taken once from him.Count Garcia Ordonez El Cids only enemy. In the veins of him and his relatives and descendants flows the blood of a wrongdoer that made El Cid suffer and lose his wealth and honor.King Alfonso king of Castile. The conqueror on that time. He is who El Cid served for. El Cid gave three demands to him.Infantes de Carreon relatives of Count Garcia Ordonez;they are the ones who tortured El Cids daughters.The nephew of El Cid the tortured ones. But, because of El Cid their honor is regained from the Infantes.Jews of Burgos the two men tricked by El Cid.

SETTING The epic took place in Spain somewhere in Castile. This is where El Cid serves as a knight to King Alfonso. Some parts of the story, especially El Cids exile, happened in the land near the small Moorish state of Aragon. This is where he recovers his power by having a Christian-Moorish army that made him able to conquer the city of Valencia. Most incidents happened in Spain where the real life of the real man, El Cid, occurred.Brief SummaryThe hero of El Cid is a Castilian soldier, Rodrigo Dias de Bivar, who is known by the Arabic title of Sidi or El Cid. The poem begins with the exile of the Cid as a result of intrigues and slander by means of which an enemy, Count Garcia Ordoez, turns the king against him. He leaves his wife and two daughters in a monastery. To raise money he tricks two Jews of Burgos by selling them a chest which he claims to be full of gold and jewels but which in reality is filled with sand.

The Cid appeals to King Alfonso for justice. The king summons a court at Toledo and the cid appears before it. He demands the return of his two famous swords which the Infantes have taken. The request is granted. He demands the restoration of his daughters dowries. This is also granted. The third demand is the right to defend his honor by fighting the two Infantes in a single combat. While the court debates this request, two messengers arrive from the King of Aragon and the king of Navarre requesting the hands of his daughters in marriage. The Cids two nephews, who are present, challenge the Infantes de Carreon in single combat. The story ends with the defeat of the Infantes and the complete restoration of the Cids wealth and honor.

THEME: The story is about how someone must fight for his honor. We must fight for our own rights. And why is that? Because the life you are having is yours and you are responsible of it. Thats the only one that the epic wants to emphasize. And of course, never give up for yourself not only in protecting it but also enhancing, raising and developing it.ANALYSISThe poem shows the life of the El Cid, and his unstoppable attitude towards defending his honor. And we may use his story as a guideline to our lives so our own rights will be protected and our own privileges are secluded.The point is, because the epic poem is wrote based on the real and actual events from history, we may understand the epic more if we know something about Rodrigo Dias de Bivar, the El Cid, his life and all the things with relevance to him. And of course, some things that are not stated in the poem may make you wonder about some occurrences in it such as what is the reason why El Cid is exiled. We all know that the intrigues and slander the jealous nobles say against El Cid is the cause of his banishment. But theres one more that increases the possibility of his exile. And it is his unauthorized expedition in the battle of Cabra.