Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

French

Supervisor

Longtin, Mario

Abstract

Late-medieval mystery plays present an exceptionally rich versification. This dissertation aims to shed light on the features of these texts, which I consider to be “dramatic poems”. Scholars have long recognized that the playwrights of this period used many complex strophic forms in their works: this was noted by Henri Chatelain in his Recherches sur le vers français au quinzième siècle (1908). However, studies on the versification of medieval theatre have often been limited to mere lists and catalogues of forms, sometimes accompanied by cursory remarks. Certainly, such an approach provides a glimpse of the technical virtuosity of these poets; but it does little to deepen our understanding of the historical context, or the ways in which this versification functioned on stage.

This thesis posits that the poetic forms used by medieval fatistes carry a specific meaning connected to the cultural milieu in which they developed. The first section, entitled “Elements of History and Society”, aims to situate these metrical forms in their original context. I will seek to demonstrate that the versification of medieval theatre did not spring up from nothing; rather, it was the result of a network of cultural influences. The second section, entitled “Form and Function on Stage”, consists of an analysis of several poetic forms taken from my corpus: particular attention is devoted to the role of ‘fixed form’ lyrics. It will be shown that the value of these poems extends far beyond mere artifice. Indeed, the metrical forms contribute substantially to the meaning and the coherence of these plays – in short, to their theatricality.

Summary for Lay Audience

The late Middle Ages saw the rise of the mystery play – a theatrical genre which usually had a religious topic. Scholars have long recognized that the authors of these plays used many complex poetic forms in their works: this was noted by Henri Chatelain in his seminal work Recherches sur le vers français au quinzième siècle (1908). However, studies on the versification of medieval theatre have often been limited to mere lists and catalogues of forms, sometimes accompanied by cursory remarks. Certainly, such an approach provides a glimpse of the technical virtuosity of these poets; but it does little to deepen our understanding of the historical context, or the ways in which this versification functioned on stage.

The first part of this thesis, entitled “Elements of History and Society”, aims to situate the relevant poetic forms in their original context. I will seek to demonstrate that the versification of medieval theatre did not spring up from nothing; rather, it was the result of a network of cultural influences. The second section, entitled “Form and Function on Stage”, consists of an analysis of several poetic forms taken from my corpus. Particular attention will be devoted to those poems which scholars call ‘fixed form’ lyrics: rondeaux, ballades and virelais. It will be shown that the value of these poems extends far beyond mere artifice. Indeed, the metrical forms contribute substantially to the meaning and the coherence of these plays – in short, to their theatricality.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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