La Chanson d'Esclarmonde : un texte hybride. Étude et analyse de différents épisodes merveilleux dans l’une des Suites de Huon de Bordeaux

Details

Supervisors

Cavagna, Mattia

Faculty

Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres

Degree label

Master [120] en langues et lettres françaises et romanes, orientation générale, à finalité approfondie

Abstract

enThis dissertation aims to prove that the Chanson d’Esclarmonde is a hybrid work. This understudied text is part of a sophisticated cycle about the 13th century “chanson de geste” Huon de Bordeaux. The former was written during the last years of the literary genre “chanson de geste” and diverges from traditional songs in several ways, one of them being the abundant presence of fabulous elements. A thorough analysis of the latter is presented in the first part of the dissertation. This analysis shows that these fabulous chapters come from the religious sphere as well as the Breton fabulous, or the ancient one. This blend of contrasting elements gives the text a heterogeneous feature. The probable causes of this hybridity will be examined in the second half of the study. In particular, two will be at the centre of the analysis: the influence from older works and the context of writing. The rather recent concept of “chanson d’aventures” as introduced by William Kibler, which is similar to the Chanson d’Esclarmonde, will be discussed in the final part of this dissertation.