1 Pollution and Perception in Gonzalo de Berceo’s Milagros de Nuestra Seitora “caecten ua paso’ Ga). Alliough megem dors tran! ring us that ihe verb an pecopatd form of sence "olappen (upon) whic dees fom te Lats caer, Yo alin tus conta Brea’ werd cies surely teling- Asan allegory of the Vii, his mato sth pace of eden, fn ab such thre fs lways an ged Call deed, the fact feria in Underes the ene abeporial iroductin, whic, Michal Gel tas ‘own, plat a Historia Univers del Howie (tna um eempla de ods yredencén dene de un marco characte Bc y eo CBec9 Yen: 28-48 tp. 45-4)! What cocere me here ot o uch te En Berea esublsesteween sit and Ydempion — whic is sraghforward cough athe aye conection eae ee cloical ai lee ‘ord. Butts eaigial mode ving eaching spade, be psi aes rege in te sade of me yess vemoves i Yop and ees, exclaims Ped todos cua [CTs eds ate lazer asd / Qui alle merase sei been ‘ard & of. tn isp ous acento, and the to Sdcormtion tat it rent no be worl rte’ oly ak areseing mem fy they we ee wo te fergaten, Ther sof couse a bus loge ls Jina pou dsplayng such optimist in he Vrs edeptve owes ‘As Gert sugges, he vane sage are 1 ianoence anda recon of ‘ame Been 1947 4-3). Told a8 th thi reso forgeting, sd the rear igcence fe played ou in eeseoaoal em For Miin this alewrcal gue sin makes its presence fl ony trough verbal echo (ace opi sth long of a, Herc 1987: 42) or hough an 23 ‘of asoiton. ‘Ses et rads Bee, oul de Pri (14) sod "he comparion tings othe cae alan Adm an Eve | Teta nt ccd ty Ral Dominga (950, ah nee million esis suis aie ili fet dens es endl esto, Son Aimee al et coco ‘detan ma maaan se Jesh, ‘tomar al dan vals ria, 15) As testo imagine a istry that didnot happen, Berceo vets aay os the seal forbid plucked fom he Tie of Knowledge. Coeseque, ‘think of them ony nec asthe objec fist ches and ereted Uses spared by the fis and woes tha ity Mars tcuous ‘edema pes. But sa and corupton ae inescapably tee. However ‘ach he cleat weer my wish woke saa bay and prot deputy of ‘hsalegral sted spe hs pote wer cant be purged of compton: in pr, been or impossible vepreset redemption witout i Pt. ‘ect he Vg (lke te cles wth whom een salted), moves ‘Seasrly between a world of spinal peeclon aoe wold of human fil, Hens anaher cooneeton betwee ie slegrcalinmoducion dts tn folio: nth ery af eprenating the proces of eermp- ton, Bereo is dea eluethly back tthe Yer sn be sues fp Toe, exept inthe most peel er pd aare ands eth ~ we “amor look on these sts Se rady-mid, sable and umallojed eeors. During psod of eform ad social huge, the Hier btweee sn and ‘eve were siting. inte Garden of Eden. esting the frien fi ‘rough neg fs, whichn rr rodued shane fe apd ui (idinerelomer atest deemine te diference betwen Het ed ‘wrong tis word fee can eo retin to enocee. Red ins igh {he doctial messager oxempied by tase miles aspire deeper mea lng Ast hope to sw inte ané wegen capes, representing ts Mtr sara iter, share can never eforotr te eve Hei nari min ap hat Davy fe very aos concerns ove te re (Se esau boundries fn, understood aot js as an abst aegey. tutes sway of srotring soll latnstps in some very pei contex "nto pean sana of thie ntaducion, Beco express ese sect in the es ht sil xy mikes: ‘hero en exo ores un ‘acl sot ls sos ital alguns ec (54). And ike ‘tough te move codowe Barco wih an suthocaiv varia point Bing {Bin 202 a8), scent only temporary iti only fr" a Eticeo climbs up i he Knowloge tat be wl af eave w lin ‘Som agin Te acs stied he arate pepe ‘xt bors {td “st prada momen of may nu po view tai gy ‘onsted types tess dar oe aves Call). Overt ‘ror lace Tel fly oh her nd ow king back upon a ep ‘iy momen files, hl opine to rete ta bimsel ad is fe ows In nee he ee aeknoledes te precroos=s puto living aan test and schoes an earer lng. “au alle morse‘28 The esra® De caecta: WTELLECTUALS AD DEOLOGIES sec been’ (128. Yet he passage a and ot of the meadow and up ‘Sd down ee iso the cli’, mest a gobo he mover {ono between wars of pty and polton If th movers wih SRS of perspective defies is owledge, alo bangs wh he ar of | “empon~ js confessor fue entminaton the any aan {nd ceamsanes of ei, which hey assoouly compe air exp {Ne repartazeso “Toe porn exper an experince fom ferent vane poi was oe, sbove a y marc Ia tli ee ls, cle! wre Bok ‘cede boundries sprang he etal fom te unatrl, a e nes {Re lsinson was oot alae clare Tht lemma fad sey been ‘oownlgedby Agustin, whe ideas othe marvelous ade mracuoae (ovo capes tt are ascie fut ot ientel) wee reclaborted by ‘Acnsnthe ec centy. Ta Spe of he Ailes, th eolgint ‘ehasze bow fr mankind mae ring ease pote ef ‘pa. On th oe bad, ere we mas al of dvse cen 3 ae tat as Angie oberes in De Trin i), ‘wen ings hap en ina cious in of Her of everawing sceson asng DY ar and bee ck te hey ae called natal: wes. te sonnet len, thy ae ta by 2 una cangeatess, the hy ae clled ‘irc (quoted fom Hooton 1949), Now th metas of lowing ever {besten tk stl come tack o hem my commis on Berea i Ak of be fomisting sarin Moreover, Agus and expecially Agaias th tes te ica o ays singing betwen mel rodoced in ‘heel course of Nate ane maces prope, which we he ea f God ‘ety arering in he word node el mankind the conten ‘in ofiine Th. Perce simp, butts hey ey. Pat Sly, mils eo not vay werk Beth boogie ace often i ery ‘pb hon, hat ere ila ways of bwin wast othe mae lets ely of Divine Creo: in some ances cat lend a soplisteated ‘eologial undead of he reasons beweon ran and od, of he oc f tree, and svat: in tes, to an ingens, eet esi Gos goodness ain tl, como, fl gnomes ‘As we shale vad he cad of is lage, oe Beco, er so acy cet moat rosin wines th Jove, Ard the ors tht Bed 2 0s mas comap of emi War (97-332: fr be he es pine Ai ter Hn (19 9021) fr Boa en ‘eas cis 5 arn an of ree, Wid {En ant hanya (96) wo rs ace mpm wy ce et ‘neta wee ci wrens Cpe: Mok Ty ‘ow bee edie and rin eo Spish by Avene a Paina Carers dea a (Mies St, wo oie t ns coe Beas sped oar POLLUTION AND PERCEPTION I RERCEO'S MILAGEOS » tall of he Jon, ula ty of rere, ae fndunenal methodol ‘tl probes which thogh arly set in thc, appliale © ‘Set and every mice colslon Tee miracles se commonpars ‘Sime tr wit ery og era tons How o we, ees, ug be orc pci (Seco' tet elf) wa he wnsisosa (eget? [Hisagutionofelince To overempbarz te Ines praipmsto eat ove se Angin’ iver never eases oor tamara eae {aoe and ts abot historeal spe cons oan ola proces ‘ftraaon comer lbogh asrcig meas especing peat une abd ephass, we cnn simply of eeepc ore bab al Conenion prove araiefamowere dat lends ses of sabiiy ‘tron to he scl ad region estat bl he ere sh Bok ‘ckooedpng this ier aloe Seka pepe. “Blanca foci ‘Tis tae oun in owe han wea Latin collectons anda oumeous ver ‘ucla veo eres he story of cerdaus mk who, whl cess Inga ver on ono dally uags for sex, slips ard drowns. Te ies ntoneved a inate of nt the devise prevented fo cagsng tin oft Rll ony y the miraculous itesson ofthe Vin Mary, 1 ‘ho the sak ad psi] devon, The Virgin ineredes wih Cus he Telogel nts reccomend though compassion, andthe monks ‘ool nota oie dy allwing Aim confers, be bled aed lead ‘elomed bet bse, fe ‘reo’ apa of ital elas some ois sc ideological wade- nai, Hecate no dot on th erstencs of he mer eatgories of igh and Strong st his psy plays fasion for ter pif ent ee ‘he valey andes ta gover al exitence can rust oc overap Ta ‘ial hve screw they appear be wil depend upon perspec snd ‘rstance the overreing view open soll © God Tp ac eet Inga ect enti the very Sst move Beco mas, Wheres tho ata tmonk lea ature wr ing aii aed inunced by the Devi > Rr gute om nein 2-29 ea weed bon ie Sms heart tae Doug rato Sree (USES Moye eet Scene mere mete ‘a Grit 4) MC: a9 en we Ssty ie anes ert ery etn ve arena eae nto sens ane eral Ss ‘Sabsemagpestaesnst soi er Dan 630° THEWasTeR De cuanscl: NTRLLECTUALS AND EOLOGIS ‘ero tks this eady-made singe and ensforn hie nt some who [efi persed sso dovou oerdoe que dolla’ that his bot enass mi the des of the scsi (7. Having extablised the monk's ‘ta, moran admiuatve vues, Beteo sets he Devo work 1+ He hus opens up a dul perspecive oo te man created bythe dseepancy tween be ssp fhe monk's teen ad our ole of is a Thee sete of Cal pervodes at only the act's performance of his 5 ts try aie Zor seen that Been ha fastened on 1 Be Symbol poeta! of te sactsars postion. Is only when he bas beet then ob of proeling he phyla of he mocasery ad garg SS emacs and ents ht te Devil corps him. As gargs reid ‘il ae om the vey eges of seed upace Moreover, Beco specifies he Sessa dates with ugigue ea dsening him a “leer” (3B). @ "etree or paran® As ier charged with opening and lasing ie eos te nasty is aon she perfect yal of he nial Py Jelly on these of he mossy hes good ano he outside i co rt Morally (este is sving gat) on isd ei comop, sno the ‘sige hei god. Hie min arative ation et ptt w A fo over & ‘Grestldth bohal ad moa That he dle coeiag aver bale ao he ered pl, bt Beco epost Himinaliy of he momen 0 ‘te qeeions tout the aiton ad ration fn ‘Tete questions etl pobems of prepin, and in his repr the ve location eters 2m symbobe spac. When the monks scover the owas sein, hy hes, confounded By Goa ad shane (2 ots sere no a pods SEiel maureen lo abs jog tuwy gods mayor! pone, sad nl rsp tal eae (5) Sinica, Rersenreractes te marative ti pit He paces the ‘moment of Jscovery earr ta she Las, before te debate btwec the “igi andthe dei, so tat cca before we Know ha ie a as, fr ‘bermomet st es See saved from Hel Yer te mon’ shame odes = 4 tytn et ssw ct ake post and end ue ‘teen roms a clo eel ate ce hee va eth (ts tat rs evel de Vig, Bors ree leucton w ovae Sees toa pth ed FR olen eso min 1 we Gara Tara one he er gy mr ronan ea eee ies ecu lal ‘Seton eaten gn hand) ee Be eee SPs ‘eG ee(190, yom enc be POLLUTION AND PERCEPTION IN BERCEOS MILAGROS 3 sick preumpion of uit dat Bova collective ant over hmas val ‘estilo polation Given thatthe sudence dos not yt Bow te a ‘ome, the monks and he audience te aligned lo ther presumpons and ‘Shame: and pnd ot only wih ea xs, bu ao ~ at ast fa 8 he surpon of pit conemed wih he devi “The loa sl een the eis and the Vin (86-4) she eter of the law spin the vse of eompason. The ee thos exes te way St Pl repeated conus thelaw he OL Teste) with race ihe New Te Teed Moree coresponds th oad pal gous of medieval cx ‘ebers in wh a Gi dea Conc usin ropes tanto estar imo mori Bases por el see tad, leben despreccipindose ‘datos docile (199260) Ine, ase nvocat, Mars stpemely ‘hair th cin ance ® Sweeping sige th dels” past o he Sane May cots wih he cl tat suando ind de cae, de piso Tien, del psa que Rao yor dé pene’ (Bho) Ta paid of ‘fom, snd in'a text rand (by sme) as en expression of he cranes of ‘Sopms its woth dveling onthe may Bee epesets season Berweeo lew ad companion i ero rin th al oncision (eg Ackerman 1985-84) tat Mary lds Mumaity to an ineesingly rhe chuck. Lleol he sonpestion tat Marys fom Goi sympeomase of noe prelrsues ta emsged inte cours lo. ne cod hal ‘ol te twelth cory. Pope Alexander, accu by Pe ela sine thon ees, datngised wo fa stuegies for combating deviance: the tte ope forum (Char cous) an the tal orm ceafescna nance Inthe proce, he dation of in elf was cle into question, finan snul fi, which forth moat part take place in pea! eter a ere was commited wily, by asides, soa and 30 oth, eyed heavy upon the ality Yo og inet Sine this was the ‘Gia to intern from of confess, caton lwyes, who were een root recourse lo Chueh cou, set abet lowering andar of poo ond ‘Biateds video th sends me or ntrey—to te conseraon| ‘St some who feared comin by mere rumear. This ny, however, even The ear Lat verso, gives precedence toe ial frum, Tee ae no gees ton ene (hog he ons’ shame may ipl rc), she {pest of teat fondest Ahogh the ates lade by he sim {Sti fin nd devotion, we also lear tht Mary ad gen bescrcan et ecrt"erc” (23) bough Bereo aks this del crc from Hs {lure ae leo cba 225), he ade signin der that he + oe Bed epitin st Man’ vey pve, ramos nitions. sce We hens (tS 0d ac eC (982 pe) seas + Onin is, ble and pesos ee Brg (9625-8 and ee (7163