Structure in Cortes’s Letters

The structure of Cortes’s letters to Charles V seems to fall into three categories: things he sees, things he does, and things he asks. Although all three of these categories are often in action at any given time, the emphasis on one or the other at any particular time give some insight into the mind of Cortes. The broad outline of all the second third and fifth letters (the first and the fourth ones I will treat separately) looks like this: introduction, relation of actions/ spoils (things or people), and finally a heartfelt plea to the Crown for help, redress, or to simply hear his side of the story. This is not to simplify the documents, again all three themes interplay with each other and each relies on the integrity of the whole text. As an example of my template I would draw your attention to the second letter. Its initial pages are colored by the descriptions of beautiful cities, aquaducts, markets and natural wonders. However, by the end of the letter Cortes has switched gears to his dealings with Montezuma. His description of the beauty of Tenochtitlan takes a back seat to his political machinations. In the Third letter there is a similar pattern though with little if any description of things. Martial valor and a keen mind take precedence here. Cortes focuses on his accomplishments and the action of the battle, but again at the end of the letter he begins to delve into political intrigue.

The fourth letter seems to me to be the most like an epistle. What do I mean by this? There is little narration and more direct communication with the audience, the Crown. The titles Cortes honors his king with are more elaborate here and more often cited. Legalistic issues with ruling and defending his role in New Spain take on more of a prominent role as opposed to the glories of the Third Letter. Perhaps this is simply reflective of his desire to help maintain the status quo and his overtures to Rome, which were not present earlier would argue for this.

Although the fifth letter fits better in the first category I have withheld its discussion to the end because it seems an amalgamation of the two forms discussed above. Yes there is more of a direct conversation, especially at the end and a somewhat increased pattern of references to the Church, but he also laps into description of terrain and villages. He even goes so far as to write about “beautiful virgins” (363). Perhaps he was lonely?