“Mio Cid Ruy Díaz odredes lo que dixo”: The voice of the narrator, the voice of the characters

The narrator of Cantar de mio Cid may be defined as extradiegetic, heterodiegetic, omniscient, simultaneous and intrusive, yet it is not mechanical in the application of traditional artifices. The absence of a specific point of view involves the absence of an exclusive focus on the protagonist and the inclusion of supporting actors, initiating a series of parallelisms and intersections. Paralipsis is often employed for theatrical purposes and to play with audience expectations, while cases of paralepsis are also present. The frequent use of a comic register is closely tied to the partiality of the third-person narrative which is always on the protagonist’s side. The aforementioned voice appears repeatedly. It carries out an ideological function, through comments and judgments, guides the audience indicating changes in focalization or marking specific turning points in the story, and has a phatic and conative function to involves the audience, and also a testimonial function. The control over narration does not however include introspection: the dramatis personae, including the hero, are characterized by the way they act and by what they say. As a consequence, there is a skillful use of distance, with a predilection for mimesis at crucial points of the story. In the Cantar «las almas se desnudan hablando» (Damaso Alonso): the predispositions and traits of the characters, ««l’indole e la volontà» which motivate their actions (Cesare Segre), the relationships they create, the system which sustains them, are primarily defined through their voice.