El Cantar de Mio Cid
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Reading and Writing Workshop: El Cantar de Mio Cid and Epic Poetry
Overview:
This workshop explores El Cantar de Mio Cid, one of the most significant works of Spanish medieval literature, while connecting it to broader motifs and themes found across global epic poetry traditions. Each session includes reading, discussion, and writing activities.

Session 1: The Hero’s Exile and Quest for Honor
Primary Reading:

• El Cantar de Mio Cid (The Exile)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23941

Comparative Text:

• The Odyssey by Homer (Odysseus’ exile and return)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1727

Motif:

• Exile as a rite of passage and quest for honor.

Writing Prompt:
Compare how exile shapes the identity of both El Cid and Odysseus. How do both heroes reclaim their honor and homeland?

Session 2: Loyalty and Vassalage
Primary Reading:

• El Cantar de Mio Cid (Service to King Alfonso)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23941

Comparative Text:

• Beowulf (Beowulf’s loyalty to Hrothgar)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16328

Motif:

• The warrior’s loyalty to his lord.

Writing Prompt:
How is loyalty rewarded or tested in both El Cantar de Mio Cid and Beowulf? Reflect on the cultural values of fealty.

Session 3: The Hero as a Just Warrior
Primary Reading:

• El Cantar de Mio Cid (The battles and Conquest of Valencia)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23941

Comparative Text:

• The Song of Roland (Roland’s bravery in battle)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/391

Motif:

• The hero’s righteousness and valor in battle.

Writing Prompt:
Discuss how both El Cid and Roland embody the medieval ideal of the warrior who fights for a just cause.

Session 4: Divine Favor and Fate
Primary Reading:

• El Cantar de Mio Cid (The dreams and divine signs)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23941

Comparative Text:

• The Aeneid by Virgil (Aeneas guided by the gods)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/228

Motif:

• Divine intervention and fate.

Writing Prompt:
Analyze how the divine or supernatural influences the hero’s journey in both El Cantar de Mio Cid and The Aeneid. Is fate predetermined?

Session 5: Family and Honor
Primary Reading:

• El Cantar de Mio Cid (The dishonor of El Cid’s daughters)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23941

Comparative Text:

• The Mahabharata (Draupadi’s humiliation and the defense of family honor)
  https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm

Motif:

• The hero’s duty to defend family honor.

Writing Prompt:
How does defending family honor drive the actions of the characters in both epics?

Session 6: Triumph and Legacy
Primary Reading:

• El Cantar de Mio Cid (The final restitution and El Cid’s legacy)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23941

Comparative Text:

• The Epic of Gilgamesh (The search for immortality and legacy)
  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11000

Motif:

• The pursuit of lasting legacy.

Writing Prompt:
Reflect on how El Cid and Gilgamesh confront mortality and the desire to leave an enduring legacy. How is this theme universal across cultures?

Session 7: Culminating Project
​Activity:

• Write your own short epic poem (minimum 200 lines) that incorporates at least three motifs from this workshop: exile, loyalty, divine favor, family honor, just battle, or legacy.

Peer Review:

• Students will share excerpts and provide feedback using questions grounded in the epic tradition.