Euskal Memoria Digitala

Collins, A.

Law, culture and regionalism in early medieval Spain.

Frayssenge, Jacques.

Congrès National des Sociétés Savantes (110o., 1985. Montpellier)

110e Congrés national des sociétés savantes.

Fernández Martínez, J.

Fano Ardanaz, H.

Ojembarrena San Martín, L.

Recursos minerales en España.

Gorsse, Pierre de.

Les Ecrivains contemporains.

Aulestia Txakartegi, Gorka.

THE NEW 
PRINCE TON 
EN CYCLO PED IA 
OF POETRY 
AND POETICS 
ALEX PREMINGER 
AND T. V. F. BROGAN 
CO-EDITORS 
t t FRANKJ. WARNKE, 0. B. HARDISON,JR., 
AND EARL MINER 
ASSOCIATE EDITORS 
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS 
1993 
A(lL 
\ \~ 
Copyright© 1993 by Princeton University Press 
Published by Princeton University Press 
41 William Street, Princeton New Jersey 08540 
In the United Kingdom: 
Princeton University Press, Chichester, West Sussex 
All Rights Reserved 
Preparation of this volume was made possible in part by generous grants from 
the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent federal agency 
dedicated to furthering the values of humane scholarship and culture in 
America, and by grants from other major foundations and private donors who 
wish to remain anonymous. Without their support this book would not have 
been possible. Publication has been aided by a grant from the Lacy Lockert 
Fund of Princeton University Press . 
Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data 
The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics 
Alex Preminger and T. V. F. Brogan, co-editors; 
FrankJ. Warnke , O. B. Hardison, Jr., and 
Earl Miner, associate editors 
p. cm . 
Includes bibliographical references 
ISBN: 0-691-03271-8 (hardback edition) 
ISBN: 0-691-02123-6 (paperback edition) 
1. Poetry-Dictionaries. 2. Poetics-Dictionaries. 
3. Poetry-History and Criticism. 
I. Preminger, Alex . II . Brogan, T.V. F. (Terry V. F.) 
PN102 l.P75 808. l '03-dc20 92-41887 
Princeton University Press books are printed on acid-free paper and meet the 
guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production 
Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. 
Composed in ITC New Baskerville and custom fonts 
Designed and produced by Leximetrics, Inc., South Bend, Indiana 
Printed in the United States of America 
5791086 
BARZELLETIA 
pleat Gentleman (1622) or Henry Reynold 's My-
thomystes ( 1633?) arouse more than antiquarian 
interest. 
In Italy there is some rapprochement between 
contemporary practice and theory. From the let-
ters and some poetic passages of Marino (see 
MARINISM) one can derive a few traits of a primi-
tive theory of poetry. Its puq>0se is hardly to in-
struct at all : it tries to please, to play upon the 
senses, to be an end in itself. The goal of the good 
poet is to astonish or dazzle his readers by the 
brilliance and opulence of his descriptions and 
turns of phrase . The only important treatise is 
Emanuele Tesauro's Cannochiale aristotelico ( 1654) . 
which is more a handbook of rhet. than a p. It can 
be seen as representing the old rhetorical trad., 
yet its emphasis on wit and the conceit (q .v. ) is 
relatively novel. Of similar interest is Matteo Pelle-
grini 's Delle acutezze (1639) . 
In Spain the situation is generally the same as 
elsewhere: liberals and conservatives manipulate 
the same counters. There is some novelty and 
interes t in Gracian 's treatise Agudeza y arte de in-
genio (1642 , 1648). which can be set in the same 
trad. as Tesauro's. Essentially it is an elaborate and 
not always consistent classification of kinds of wit 
( ingenio). With great patience and perseverance it 
attempts to categorize and exemplify the "ingen-
ious" effects achieved by poets since antiquity, 
with special pride of place for such contemporar-
ies as the Argensolas and G6ngora. In the main, 
however, its theory is traditional: there is a sort of 
poetic substance on which the poet attaches his 
"ornament" (q.v.). and the "ornament" is a local 
achievement which is almost seen as independent 
of the total poem. Graci an 's work is mostly a com-
mented anthology of "ingenious" poems and pas-
sages. 
It could not be gainsaid that there are points of 
particular interest in b. p., such as the <level. of 
some important concepts (taste, wit, t)le je ne sais 
quoi) and a new compenetration of p . and rhet. 
(e .g. Tesauro and Gracian, and the somewhat ex-
aggerated influence of Ramus). But we must con-
clude that it was unsuccessful in elaborating an 
original theory of poetry, that it fai ls to account for 
the poetic practice of the age, and that its main 
importance is to transmit the canons of neoclassi-
cal crit. from the Ren. to the full flowering of the 
age of neoclassicism. 
See also CLASSICISM; CONCEIT; GONGORISM; JE 
NE SAIS QUOI; MARI NISM; METAPHYSICAL POETRY; 
NEOCLASSICAL POETICS; PRECIOSITE; QUERELLE 
DES ANCIENS ET DES MOD ERNES ; RENAISSAN CE PO-
ETICS; RULES; TASTE; WIT . 
M. Menendez y Pelayo, Historia de las ideas esteti-
cas en Espaiia, 9 v. (1883-91); J. E. Spingarn, A 
Hist. of Lit. Crit. in the R.en. (1899). Crit. Essays of 
the 17th C., 3 v. (1909); B. Croce, Estetica (1902; 
best Eng. ed. 1922). "I trattatisti ita liani del Con-
cettismo e Baltasar Gracian," Problemi di estetica 
(1909) ; H. Gillot, La Querelle des anciens et des 
modernes en France (1914); R. Bray, La Formation u., 
la doctrine classique en France (1931); G. Marzot; 
L'Ingegnoeilgenio delseicento (1944) ; H . T. Sweden; 
berg, The Theary of the Epic in England, 1650-1800 
(1944) ; Curtius, eh. 15 and excursuses 22 and 23; 
R. Tuve, Elizabethan and Metaphysical Imagery 
(1947); E. B. 0. Borgerhoff, The Freedom of Fr. 
Classicism (1950); A. Vilanova, "Preceptistas de )05 
siglos XVI y xvu," Historia general de Las literaturas 
hisptinicas, ed. G. Diaz-Plaja, v. 3 (1953); M. Ray-
mond, B. et R.en. poetique (1955); W. S. Howell, 
Logic and Rhet. in England, 1500-1700 (1956); A. 
J. Smith, "An Examination of Some Claims fof 
Ramism," RES7 (1956); Wimsatt and Brooks; S. L. 
Bethell, "The Nature of Metaphysical Wit," Discus-
sions of John Donne, ed. F. Kerrnode ( 1962); B. 
Hathaway, The Age of Crit.: The Late Ren. in Italy 
( 1962); R. Wellek, "The Concept of B." and "Post-
script 1962," Concepts ofCrit. (1963) ;]. V. Mirollo, 
The Poet of the Marvelous ( 1963); R. L. Colie. Para-
doxia epidemica (1966); M. W. Croll, Style, Rhet, and 
Rhythm: Essays, ed.]. M. Patrick et al. (l 966); W. 
T. Elwert, La poesia lirica italiana del seicento 
(1967) ; B. Hathaway, Marvels and Commonplam 
(1968) ; L. Fischer, Gebundene Rede (1968); K. K. 
Ruthven, The Conceit (1969); G. Conte, La Meta-
fara barocca (l 972); F. Hallym, Formes metaphoriques 
dans la poesie lyrique de ['age b. en France ( 1975) ; D. 
L. Rubin, The Knot of Artifice (1981) . L.NE. 
BARZELLETTA. See FROTTOLA AND BAR-
ZELLETTA. 
BASQUE POETRY. There is a widespread idea 
that the B. Jang. has no lit .. but the facts prove 
otherwise. In the last 25 years, a number of histo-
ries have been devoted to the subject; one of them, 
when completed, will comprise seven volumes. 
B. oral lit. is extremely ancient and, moreover, 
very original. Within it two separate genres may be 
noted: the pastorates, a remnant of what must have 
been the old drama, and bertsolarism, B. trouba-
dour poetry, an improvised form sung before an 
audience. Written lit., which began considerably 
later, was essentially religious until the 20th c .; 
praise of the B. Jang. is another main theme. 
These texts were composed in four dialects spo-
ken in the B. areas of France and Spain. 
Linguae vasconum primitiae, the earliest book of 
B. p ., was written in 1545 by the priest B. 
Detxepare. Consisting of 16 poems on religious 
and amorous themes, together with praise of the 
B. Jang .. it reveals the influence of the Counterre-
formation. Notable is its realistic diction, esp. in 
the dialogues between lovers. The dominant met-
rical form is the medieval cuaderna via (q .v. ). 
although the work was written in the Ren. 
Oihenart (1592-1667) , the first B. poet from 
the laity, was the outstanding poet of the 17th c. 
His Atsotitzak eta Neurititzak (Proverbs arxl Re-
frains , 1657) includes love poems as well as prov-
erbs and refrains . The 18th c. produced nosignifi-
- [ 126] -
BATHOS 
cant figure in written poetry, although oral poetry 
continued to be vigorous , esp . in the northern B. 
provinces. 
The legendary poet and bertsolari P. Topel, 
•[txahun" ( 1786-1862), flourish ed in the prov-
ince ofZuberoa. One of the most original popular 
poets in B. lit. , he _wrote poems _laden ~th highly 
emotional romantic emphases, m add1t1on to vio-
lent personal satires . In the Sp. provinces of the B. 
country, the loss of th e second Carlist War (1872-
76) and the consequent loss of the old liberties 
were a cause of distress. This distress, however, 
served as a stimulus to the literary revival of the 
earlier 20th c., a revival anticipated in the work of 
F. Arrese y Beitia ( 1841-1906). 
The earlier 20th c. saw the creation of the Acad-
emy of the B. Lang. (1918) , the Lorejaiak (Floral 
Games) and poetry competitions, and the 
txapelketak or champion.ship competitions for trou-
badours. N. Ormaetxea, "Orixe" (1888-1961), J 
M. Aguirre, "Liza rdi" (1896-1933) , and E. 
Urkiaga, •Lauaxeta" (1905-37) we re the leading 
poets of the time . Orixe wrote lyrical-mystical 
poems as well as an epic Euskaldunak (The 
Basques); Lizardi is considered by some to be the 
greatest B. lyric poet; Lauaxeta, the most modern 
of the group, shows in his work the influence of Fr. 
symbolism. 
The B. lit. Ren. was cut short by the Sp . Civil 
War ( 1936-39). Lauaxeta was shot by Franco's 
troops, and other B. write rs were imprisoned or 
forced into exile . For ten years after the war, 
publication in the B. lang. was prohibited in the 
Sp. area of the B. country. Among exile publica-
tions may be mentioned Urrundik (From Far Away, 
1945) and Gudarien Eginak (The Deeds of Basque 
Soldiers, 194 7), both by T. Monzon (1904-81) . 
S. Mitxelena (1918-65), in Arantzazu (You on 
the Thorn, 1949) and other works , proved to be 
the best interpreter of the anguish of the post-Civil 
War years. Other significant poets were N . Etxaniz 
(1899-1982) and]. I. Goikoetxea, "Gaztelu" (1908-
83) , who introduced modem elements into B. po-
etry. X. Diharce, "Iratzeder" (b. l 920) is a n out-
standing religious poet. 
After l 950, in the B. country as elsewhere in the 
West, a total brea k from tradition manifested it-
self. E. T. A., the B. independence movement, 
appeared, and, in addition, existentialist, Marxist, 
and Freudian ideas began to make themselves felt. 
The "rupturist" poets , chief among them J Mi-
rande (1925-72) and G. Aresti (1933--75), broke 
conspicuously with the past. Mirande-antidemo-
cratic, anti-Marxist, anti-Semitic , hostile to B. 
moderate nationalism-advocated violence and 
paganism. Against God and Church, he caused 
sensation by treating such themes as agnosticism, 
pederasty, Lesbianism, and masturbation. Aresti 
Carried on in the southern B. area the revolution 
that Mirande had initiated in the northern area. 
From the 1960s on, a variety of tendencies be-
tame apparent in the work of J A. Arce , 
"Harzabal" (b . 1939, "spatial poetry"), M. Lasa (b. 
1938),J Azurmendi (b. 1941) , and L. M. Muxika 
(b. 1939). B. Gandiaga (b. 1928) moved from 
religious to nationalistic themes, and J. M. 
Lekuona (b. 1927) exhibited surrealistic tech-
niques, while X. Lete (b. 1944) denounced social 
and political injustice. 
After the death of Franco, aesthetic rather than 
social elements reasse rted themselves, particu-
larly in the work of Jose Irazu, "B. Atxaga" (b . 
1951) and J Sarrionaindia (b. 1958) . Three sig-
nificant women poets-A. U rretavizcaja (b. 1947), 
A. Lasa (b. 1948), and T. Irastorza (b. 1961)-
have addressed the mselves to feminist themes. 
ANTHOLOGIES : E. Zabala, Euskal Alfabetatzeko 
Literatura ( 1979) ; K. Etxenagusia et al., Euskal 
ldazleak Bizkaieraz ( 1980) ; K. Etxenagusia, lparral-
deko Euskal ldazleak (1981) ; S. Onaindia, Gaurko 
Olerkarien Euskal Lan A ukeratuak (1981); J. Amen-
abar, Euskal Poesia Kultoaren Bilduma. I: 1880-
1963 and II: .1963-1982 (1983) . 
HISTORY AND CRITICISM: P. Lafitte, Le Basque et 
la litterature d 'expression basque en Labourd, Basse-
Navarre et Soule (1941) ; L. Michelena, Historia de 
la literatura vasca ( 1960) ; L. Villasante, Historia de 
la literatura vasca ( 196 l); J Torrealday, Euskal 
ldazleak Gaur. Historia Social de la Lengua y Litera-
tura Vascas (I 977); X. Amuriza, Bertsolaritza, 2 v. 
(I 981) . G.A. 
BATHOS (Gr. •depth"). An evaluative term, usu-
ally equivalent to the purely descriptive term "an-
ticlimax" (q.v.). (l) Though Longinus made b. a 
synonym of hypsos (the sublime) in On the Sublime 
2.1, Pope, who can hardly be supposed ignorant 
of Longinus' meaning, took a new departure and 
made it an antonym in his parody of Longinus ' 
treatise, Peri Bathous: or, Martinus Scriblerus His 
Treatise of the Art of Sinking in Poetry ( 1727). The 
most common meaning of the word ever since has 
been that of Pope, namely, an attempt at elevated 
expression which misfires and so has the (uninten-
tional) effect of sudden transport from the sub-
lime to the ridiculous. In the 18th c., what was 
intended was an expression of pathos (q.v.) in its 
wide Aristotelian sense, i.e . passion, the emotions; 
later, of pathos in its more modern, narrower sense 
of the sad or pitiable . The semantic shift is obvi-
ously accountable in no small measure to the ac-
cidental similarity of the two Gr. words pathos and 
b. Pope illustrates b . with "Ye Gods! annihilate 
both Space and Time, I And make two Lovers 
happy." Elizabeth Barrett Browning ardently re-
calls "Our Euripides, the human- I With his 
droppings of warm tears" ("Wine of Cyprus" 89-
90); and Tennyson misfires with "He suddenly 
dropt dead of heart-disease" (" Sea Dreams" 64). 
B. is thus very often the stuff of parody (q.v.) . (2) 
Also common, though less so, is the use of the 
word for a deliberately contrived effect of pathos 
manqui or any kind of deliberate anticlimax, 
whether ironic, gay, or serious. This usage is now 
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Law, culture and regionalism in early medieval Spain.

110e Congrés national des sociétés savantes.

Recursos minerales en España.

Les Ecrivains contemporains.

The New Princeton encyclopedia of poetry and poetics.

Recursos minerales en España.

Villes plurilingues et politiques linguistiques.

Estado Mayor General del Ejército Español.

Estado Mayor General del Ejército Español.

Estado Mayor General del Ejército Español.

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