The philologist Pedro Cátedra enters the RAE with a song of love for the book as an object with its own life | Culture

For book lovers, these are more than objects, they also reflect the life and personality of their owner. To the point that for bibliophiles, the copies in their libraries can become animated beings. This ode to the book has focused the entrance speech on the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) of Pedro Cátedra García (Gabia Grande, Granada, 70 years old), one of the great Spanish philologists, book historian, literary critic, who since this Sunday occupies chair A of the institution, the position that was vacant since the death of the philologist also Manuel Seco Reymundo in December 2016.

Professor Cátedra García, emeritus professor at the University of Salamanca, was elected academic of the RAE on June 8, 2023so he has not exhausted the two years he had to read his speech, which he titled biography of a book, Full of literary and scholarly quotes and references. The Cátedra was then endorsed by academics Francisco Rico (died last April 27), Inés Fernández-Ordóñez and Juan Gilin charge of the welcome speech today on behalf of the corporation. Cátedra, at the beginning of his intervention, had a special memory for Rico: “He was and is my teacher.” In fact, Cátedra obtained a degree in Hispanic Philology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 1976, where he received his doctorate in 1981 under the supervision of Rico. It was the beginning of his research work.

He has also been a visiting professor and researcher at universities in Europe and America, such as La Sapienza in Rome, the Sorbonne in Paris, Cologne, London, Oxford, Berkeley, Columbia and Pennsylvania. For his research work he has received, among other awards, the Alexander von Humboldt, in Germany (1999), and in Spain, the María de Maeztu Award from the University of Salamanca for scientific excellence (2008). Other projects directed by him have been awarded the National Publishing Award, in the category of best printed book (1991), and the National Publishing Award, category of best technical and scholarly book (1991), awarded by the project the 15th Century Spanish Library.

In addition, he has directed research centers, such as the Seminar of Medieval and Renaissance Studies, the Institute of Book and Reading History or the University Institute of Medieval and Renaissance Studies and Digital Humanities (2013-2024), all in Salamanca.

As is customary in new academics, Cátedra has glossed the figure of his predecessor, Seco Reymundo“one of the greatest lexicographers of the Spanish language of the 20th century”, of whom he recalled some of his works, such as Dictionary of doubts and difficulties of the Spanish language (1961) and the Current Spanish Dictionary (1999), along with Olimpia Andrés and Gabino Ramos. After the admission of the Chair, of the 46 academic positions, 43 are filled. The writer Javier Cercas is awaiting his entrance speech.

A student of authors and figures such as the Marquis of Santillana, Cervantes or Celestina, and of the history of books until the 18th century, Cátedra has used a lesser-known title, The twelve labors of Herculeswhich Enrique de Villena—to whom he dedicated his thesis—composed in Catalan in 1417 (it was printed in 1514) and which he himself translated into Spanish months later, to explain the reasons and feelings that may lead to considering the book as a living being. that speaks to us through its text. The now academic has reviewed the life of this work, its different reprints and avatars, until the 20th century. “It is one of the most reincarnated texts of 15th century Hispanic literature.” In The twelve labors of Herculesits author explained the famous myth of the Greek hero and detailed its applications to the world in which he had lived.

Cátedra, aware that we are experiencing “a generalized crisis regarding the function of any humanistic discipline and that of its professionals”, has highlighted that “behind each private library there is much more than an orderly or disorderly accumulation of books” because it is also “ a history and intellectual anatomy of its owner.” “I cannot see my books except as an autobiography of linked chapters and experiences.” This said by who In his bibliography there are 267 works.of which a quarter are books.

Among these titles are: Love and pedagogy in the Middle Ages (1989), of which he is especially proud; Sermon, society and literature in the Middle Ages (1994), Invention, dissemination and reception of popular printed literature (2002), Libraries and women’s readings: 16th century (2004), Liturgy, poetry and theater in the Middle Ages (2005) and Textual heritage and digital humanities (2020).

In this idea of ​​the book as an object with a soul, Cátedra has referred to several examples in literature that have created “humanizations or embodiments” of a copy or an entire library. To continue, in the life of the book not only its reader is fundamental, but also, as was especially the case in its beginnings, the contribution of amanuensis, printers and editors. And what happens then to who wrote it? Quoting Borges, he has pointed out: “From the moment the author finishes the book, he is letting it go.”