Ruiz, Juan

Ruiz, Juan (hwän rēth`), 1283?–1350?, Spanish poet, musician, and archpriest of Hita. Ruiz suffered 13 years in prison, during which time he revised his masterpiece, El Libro de buen amor (c.1330, tr. The Book of Good Love, 1933). This is a miscellany in verse of fables; autobiographic adventures in the picaresque style; and adaptations of medieval, classical, and Arab stories and apologues—all forming a vivid and unified satirical panorama of medieval society. He is considered the Spanish Chaucer.

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Ruiz, Juan

(born c. 1283, Alcalá, Spain—died c. 1350) Spanish poet and cleric. Educated at Toledo, Ruiz was serving as a village archpriest when he finished his masterpiece, The Book of Good Love (1330, expanded 1343). Perhaps the most important long poem in medieval Spanish literature, it contains 12 narrative poems, each describing a different love affair. Its title refers to the distinction the author makes between the (good) love of God and carnal love. Drawing on material from an impressive range of literary and other sources, it presents a vigorous, high-spirited, satirical glimpse of medieval life.

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Ruiz, Juan 

(nicknamed Archpriest of Hita). Born 1283 in Alcalá de Henares(?); died circa 1350. Spanish poet.

Ruiz wrote the narrative poem Book of Sweet Love (1343), which showed him to be a forerunner of Renaissance literature in Spain. The work is written in the form of an autobiographical story about amorous adventures, illustrated by fables, parables, and allegories. A conflict between asceticism and sensuality underlies the entire work. Ruiz depicted Spanish society soberly and satirically and created brilliant character types.

WORKS

Libro de buen amor [vols.] 1–2. Madrid [1963].
In Russian translation:
From “Kniga o dobroi liubvi.” In Ten’ derev’ev: Stikhi zarubezhnykh poetovvper. I. Erenburga. Moscow, 1969.

REFERENCES

Smirnov, A. Srednevekovaia literatura Ispanii. Leningrad, 1969.
Gariano, C. El mundo poético de Juan Ruiz. Madrid [1968]. (Bibliography on pp. 241–58.) A. L.