Sobre una traducción inglesa de una pieza temprana de la lírica española

Abstract

In a decided attempt to increase his family’s effective control on those of the Canaries yet unconquered, the young and self-confident Guillén Peraza led an expedition to La Palma in 1447 which ended tragically. The primitive but wise islanders based their defense on the roughness of La Palma and on their perfect knowledge of their homeland. The invaders, on the contrary, found themselves in a disadvantageous position because of their uneasiness and lack of experience in a rough and unknown soil and so they were defeated and had to retreat to their ships. Many men died and, among them, the brave Peraza. His loss was sung by an anonymous poet in the famous Endechas, a splendid and moving dirge which is a major work in 15th century Spanish poetry. Later, in 1764, George Glas published his English translation of this funeral elegy, which is studied in this paper.