The Short Lyric Poems of Jean Froissart

Fixed Forms and the Expression of the Courtly Ideal

Kristen Mossler Figg

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN: 9780429589430
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Collections
• Index: Literature

Originally published in 1994, The Short Lyric Poems of Jean Froissart is a meticulous reading of the important but generally neglected short lyric poems of Jean Froissart. The book situates Froissart within the cultural and literary context of fourteenth-century Europe and examines a representative number of his lyric forms (pastourelles, chansons royales, ballades, virelais, and rondeaux) demonstrating their richness of theme and poetic virtuosity. The book provides a readable and reliable English translation, making it possible for English scholars unfamiliar with the original Middle French forms to understand and appreciate the influence Froissart had on Chaucer and other authors of the age. The book focuses on themes, techniques, meters, and rhythms that Froissart employed in his poetry, on how his poetry fits poetic tradition, and on the place of Froissart in literary history.

Appendix A:
Poems and Translations

The poems I have chosen for the appendix provide, in combination with those poems discussed in each chapter, a representative overview of Froissart’s short lyric works. I have selected some poems in each genre that are typical of the most conventional styles and subjects, as well as several that offer a fresh topic, an experimental tone, or an interesting interplay with other treatments of the same idea. In some cases, such as Chanson Royale I, I have already commented briefly on the poem’s significance within my discussion of the genre and am including the text and translation for further reference. In other cases, I have provided notes to direct the reader towards significant features or possible difficulties of interpretation, with the overall intention of making the corpus of Froissart’s lyric work more accessible for future research and study.

Chanson Royale 1

Tant sont d’amours li recort gratieus,

Et tant en est la poissance excellente,

Et tant en sont li douls biens plentiveus,

Et tant en est li ordenance gente,

Que coers humains penser ne le poroit, 5

Car s’uns amans ja jour ne possessoit

Dou don d’otroi de dame entirement,

Se dispense il son tamps si noblement

Que pour tous biens amoureus concevoir

Prendre ne puet, ne eslire autrement, 10

Vie qui puist le bien amer valoir.

[Remembrances of love are so pleasing,

And its power is so excellent,

And its sweet virtues are so abundant,

And its manner of conduct is so noble,

That the human heart could not imagine it,

For even if a lover never possessed his lady’s

Permission to court her with confidence,

Yet he would spend his time so nobly

That for bringing forth all the goods of love

He could not assume, or otherwise hope to choose,

A life that can measure up to loving well.]

Et che appert par les vrais amoureus,

Aux quels Amours ses nobles biens presente,

Car de priier cascuns se tient songneus,

Quant Dous Regars par Plaisance en eulz ente 15

Les vrais pensers qu’uns amans avoir doit.

Or a Amours ordonné de son droit

Refus en dame, et on voit clerement

Que par detri recoevre amans souvent

Sens, temps, avis, parler, force et sçavoir 20

De ses secrés monstrer plus sagement,

Car par le coer apperent li voloir.

[And this is evident among those truly in love,

Those to whom Love presents his noble goods,

For each lover remains diligent in his pursuit,

Since, through Pleasure, Sweet Glances place in him

The true thoughts that a lover must have.

Now it is right that Love has ordained

Refusal in the lady, and it can be clearly seen

That through delay the lover often reestablishes

The good sense, timing, prudence, discourse,

strength, and wisdom

To show his secrets with wiser discretion,

For feelings are made manifest by the heart.]

S’est li amans sages et euwireus

Qui corps et coer, sens, penser et entente

Met en amer et se tient curieus 25

De obe ïr a si trés noble atente

Comme a Amours ou tous biens on conçoit.

Car quant uns vrais amans sa dame voit

Et il voelt priier trés sentanment,

Plaisance si habondamment l’esprent 30

Et vraie amour a sur lui tel pooir

Que, quant il voelt parler de sentement,

Bouce ne poet ne parolle mouvoir.

[Thus the lover is wise and fortunate

Who puts body and heart, intelligence, thought and intention

Into loving and remains eager

To be obedient to such a noble hope

As Love, in which all good things are perceived.

For when a true lover sees his lady

And wishes to beseech her with deep feeling,

Pleasure sets him on fire so forcefully

And true love has such power over him

That, when he wishes to express his feelings,

He cannot move his mouth or bring forth words.]

En cel estat vit amans cremeteus,

En soing d’avoir merci, qui li est lente, 35

Mais tous jours sert de dous regars p...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Title Page
• Original Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Series Editors’ Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• I. Introduction
• II. Lays and Chansons Royales: Creating Meaning Through Form
• III. Pastourelles: The Art of Multiple Perspectives
• IV. Ballades, Virelays, and Rondeaux: Rhetorical and Thematic Variations
• V. Conclusion
• Appendix A: Poems and Translations
• Appendix B: Dates, Locations, and Subjects of Pastourelles
• Bibliography
• Index of Poems