The Cid, an Epic Hero!

Jaime Blanco!

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! An Epic hero I am certain that posses the emblematic characteristics of a

hero is nothing less than the spanish version of the medieval radiant knight that is

immortalised in poems and and songs forevermore. This acute resemblance has

the name of Mio Cid. Its known to be contained in the oldest Castilian epic poem,

The Poem of the Cid. This poem is a long treasured imprint of the Medieval Era

and its splendour in regard to ideals and folklores of the epoch.!

Mio Cid faced a tragic fate when falsely accused for stealth he is force to be

expatriated, a brutal dishonour for his beloved ideals as a Hero. But then again, as

an epic hero, alone, he overcomes the perilous situation by regaining his honour in

various quests, battles and confrontations. !

During that time the Moors were consider popular rivals and enemies of the

Spanish kingdom, so after he is expatriated, he arrange an army and began

earning lands and sending gifts to the king as good omens for next land

occupations. With his strategic intelligence he found a way to reagin his honor.!

Later in the story, when the battle agains the moors ends in victory, the King ,as a

symbol of redemption and gratitude, offers the Cid to marry his daughter to some

noble men. His actions highlighted the importance of the figure of the king as the

maximum authority that people ought to have respect and reverend.!

Although the Cid comes from a relatively humble origin, he elevate his status with

his bravery and courage.This is a small twist from the original idea that epic heroes

come from nobel ascendance.Still Cid, strived socially, escalated and shone in glory

without any inherited blood that could have raise more than his morals.!
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He embodies the virtues of the times.The Cid, is a prudent honourable man that

has both the determination and the equity to manage his troops with intelligence

and benevolence. An actual testimony of this high moral standard is present after

the noble man abused their future wives, the daughters of the Cid.An event of

complete degradation to man but instead of killing the nobles for such an

aberration,which is the most logical thing, he arrange the dishonour by asking his

king for a duel with the nobel men.And after he and his men won gallantly the

contend The Cid even let the noble man live and face the dishonour the rest of their

lives.!

The Cid died around eastern, a symbolic religious date.Lets denote that at that time

the Christianity was practiced with fervour among the people, so the mourning of

his dead can be view as equally devoted. He died in combat; but as an honourable

hero,he wanted to win the ultimate battle, even if he was in the afterlife. He ordered

his men to disguise his dead body standing in his horse at the leading spot on the

battle. The next day their opponent appalled as they watched his armour and ran

away. The fact that he actually won a battle after being dead ratify his greatness. !

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The Cid frame the righteous gentleman-ship.Unlike Beowulf, a narcissistic knight

with inhuman strength that has the daring to face danger without any mercy or

whatsoever.The Cid manage the battle with such respect and dignity for the sake

of the combat itself that the figures of these two heroes themselves are opposed

and contrasted, which is an interesting fact due to the similar time , circumstances

and standards the medieval period had. The Cid for an instance, he seeks with

fervour the acceptance of the king, while being a caring husband and father.

Chivalry was at its fines with his dues. Beowulf on the other hand was a wild

savage without any martial status, that gotten himself drunk and didnt have much
adulation to the royalty . Seeking fame are challenges to full fill his personal drive

for attention.!

Certainly both left a mark of heroism on their respective civilisation, their legacy is

worth to remember. They epitomise the essence of the medieval period with, if not

realistically, ideally to the elements that conformed it. Heroism was about the

extension of human virtues at its greatest. The more extenuating the virtue lingered

in the stanza, the higher the performance quality was. These two heroes surpassed

temptation and faced the challenges with their respective expertise.They both face

treason from their own men. Beowulf was left alone when he faced the mighty

dragon, the Cid was betrayed by the nobel men that were suppose marry his

daughters. But after all they still continue with their duty.Outstanding their

characters even more.Even in the very end they won and were granted eternal

salvation.!

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One observation I personally have about both heroes, is that both inherently

showed the whole idea of culturalization of ideals. The Anglo Saxons for example,

descendants of nordic warriors had a more raw and rudimentary perception of the

lifestyle.Therefore they embodied their heroes with the same qualities. Beowulf has

a massive identity, filled with boldly representation of thought process and a daring

sense of self. Which makes sense with the idea that the vikings were adventurous

warriors that survived with amazing strength unspeakable hardships. The blood

was the metal that was moulded in the form of Beowulf.The Spaniards on the other

hand, have a more sophisticated hero. The culture of the medieval Iberia was

based on tactical positioning and on less brutal and more developed strategical

battles. This happen because the influence of the roman empires expert in the

culture by the proximity Spain has with the mediterranean.The Location was the

clay that was use to sculpt Mio Cid.!

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I consider Mio Cid as a very adequate figure of a hero, because he is portrayed

without any supernatural force, a mortal with the strength of any man, and a

intellect like any men. What makes him a hero is what all these ethical mindset that

rise him above the rest. His gallantly that doesn't need nothing more than a

righteous path to follow, a warm heart to protect and a great king to obey.!

When people have someone to look up in times of darkness when all scientific and

spiritual development stagnate, I believe that a hero that comes from the same

origins and has the same capacities really helps in a society. The proliferation of

values is always welcomed, and what better way to do that, but in a beautiful chant,

crafted by the most creative and sensible minds of the villages. The heroes are cast

upon the very people, the commoners, that share their personal fantasies and

aspirations and melt them into an allegorical silhouette that is bounded to preserve

them until the end of time, immortalised in quests for deed and honour, these

people hand their own history in the most beautiful way it can be told, in the way of

a story.!

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References !

of the !

Historical Figure :!

I read the poem in my

spanish class a couple

of years ago.