Students of Spanish literature have long been familiar with this eight-hundred-year-old epic detailing the legendary exploits of the soldier-advent...
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reviews
Nov 05, 2011
Walt
rated it: 
This book would have benefited from a greater analysis of the historical characters, rather than some cursory observations about the historiography. King Alfonso is generally remembered as a conniving treacherous lord and the Cid was something of a rogue warrior often at odds with this kingdom. Some of this is evident in the story as the banished Cid (no clear reason why "good Alfonso" banished him) wonders across Spain raiding and fighting Christians and Muslims, Spaniards and Catal
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Jul 31, 2011
With much "praise God!" and "so the lord willed," El Cid describes the story of "My Cid," who goes by many noble names, and his conquest of Moorish territory in Spain. Eventually he secures himself a kingdom and marries his daughter so two men who dishonor them. The third part of the tale is devoted to him getting his vengeance for his daughters. While the poem does tell a good story, I feel that it lacks any emotion outside of rage and piety. It is a work that has
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Nov 26, 2010
Andrew
rated it: 
This jolly romp through Moorish Spain has a lot in common with the modern Hollywood blockbuster: a roguish and indestructible hero, a respectful attitude towards different cultures, and an alternating of bloody action with moments of boisterous camaraderie and farce. Spain’s national epic, it’s the kind of tale that kept Dark Ages audiences rapt, like England’s Beowulf, sparking imaginations by the firelight. Thanks to Simpson’s jovial and well-paced translation, its vigour still resonates.
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May 01, 2011
Matthew
rated it: 
It's weird that I just picked up Gerusalemme liberata at the very same time as The Poem of the Cid, because one of the characters in the former book is supposed to have fought beside El Cid Ruy Díaz de Vivar in real life. The only thing that led me to read the two beside each other is that I've been trying to read as many classic epics as possible recently. Of course they were written about 450 years apart, and I vastly prefer the later book. I barely have anything to say about this book beca
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Dec 08, 2010
Lizabef.
rated it: 
Very very good. Although I planned on not reading it, I decided to for my class. Best choice
Nov 15, 2009
Brian
rated it:
Rereading this good prose translation for my class's project on epic heroes from around the world.
May 01, 2011
Brent
rated it:
The Cid is wonderful. If I were to sumerise it in one line it would be: "You will know a Christian man by the way he treats a woman."
If you keep this idea in your mind when you read it the narrative will not be as disjointed as some people make it out to be.
If you keep this idea in your mind when you read it the narrative will not be as disjointed as some people make it out to be.
Feb 10, 2012
Melanie
rated it:
10 Stars. Absolutely love that our modern plastic is secured with a 3 digit "CID" number found on back of the card.
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