background on Don Juan Manuel
trilingual (spanish,latin,arabic)
author; governor of New Castille
nephew of King Alfonso X the Wise
admired Arabic culture
engaged in defensive christian territory
background on Medieval literature
imaginative
little concern for versimilitude
Genre of El Conde Lucanor
apologue
moral tale
frame tale
Didactic purpose
context in which tales are told
Count troubled by mocking praise for his insignificant feats in falcon hunting
Intended audience
Noblemen (educated/ admonish the wayward)
purpose of the book
teach morality
tone
serious, some humor
characters
fictional; all Moorish except Count and Patronio
structure of the tales in El Conde Lucanor
Main character also had moral dilemma; strives for self improvement; plot mirrors Count's dilemma
context within tale
Al-Haquem mocked for insignificant feat; improves unfinished mosque for real purpose and gains praise
plot summary
Tales help Count with his similar problem
