Verso de arte mayor facts for kids
Verso de arte mayor (which means 'verse of higher art' in Spanish) is a special type of poetry line that became popular in Spanish poetry starting in the 1300s. These lines are usually quite long, having nine or more syllables. Sometimes, the term 'verso de arte mayor' also refers to a line called 'pie de arte mayor'. This kind of line is made of two halves, called hemistiches. Each half has a strong beat at the start and end, with two softer, unstressed beats in between.
Originally, this verse was different from the shorter 'verso de arte menor' (meaning 'verse of lower art'). It was a long line with anywhere from eight to 16 syllables. Over time, it mostly settled into a regular 12-syllable line. This 12-syllable version had four strong beats and a clear pause in the middle, known as a caesura.
When it was Popular
The verso de arte mayor really grew and became important in the 1400s. A famous example is the long poem “Laberinto de Fortuna” (written in 1444) by Juan de Mena. This poem was an epic, meaning it was a long story, and it also taught lessons through its allegories (stories with hidden meanings).
Juan de Mena's Octavas
The poem “Laberinto de Fortuna” was made up of special groups of lines called couplets. These were known as the “Octavas de Juan de Mena.” Each of these octavas had eight lines, and every single one of those lines was a verso de arte mayor.
What Happened Next
In the 1500s, the verso de arte mayor started to be used less often. Poets began to prefer a different kind of line called the hendecasyllable, which came from Italian poetry.
Learn More
- You can find more information in these books:
* Julio Saavedra Molina: El verso de arte mayor. Santiago de Chile 1946. * Martin J. Duffell: Modern metrical theory and the verso de arte mayor. London, 1999. ISBN: 0-904188-41-8 * Stephen Cushman, Clare Cavanagh, Jahan Ramazani, Paul Rouzer (ed.). "The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics: Fourth Edition." Princeton, 2012.
In Spanish: Verso de arte mayor para niños
