The late medieval verse epistle: The changing faces and fortunes of a poetic genre during the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries

371 Pages·1990·11.215 MB·English

by  Yvonne LeBlanc

INFORMATION TO USERS
The most advanced technology has been used to photograph and
reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the
text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and
dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any
type of computer printer.
The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the
copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality
illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins,
and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction.
In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete
manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if
unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate
the deletion.
Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by
sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and
continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each
original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in
reduced form at the back of the book.
Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced
xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white
photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations
appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly
to order.
UMI
University Microfilms International
A Bell & Howell Information Company
300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA
313' 761-4700 800/521-0600

Order Number 0025127
The late medieval verse epistle: The changing faces and fortunes
of a poetic genre during the fifteenth and early sixteenth
centuries
LeBlanc, Yvonne, Ph.D.
New York University, 1990
Copyright ©1090 by LeBlanc, Yvonne. All rights reserved.
U M I
300 N.ZeebRd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48106

The Late Medieval Verse Epistle: The Changing
Faces and Fortunes of a Poetic Genre
During the Fifteenth and Early
Sixteenth Centuries
A dissertation in the Department of French and
Italian/ submitted to the faculty of the Graduate
School of Arts and Science in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy at New York University
Submitted by:
Yvonne LeBlanc
February 1990
Approved
Nancy F, Regalado, Ph.D
Professor of French
Research Adviser
Copyright by Yvonne LeBlanc, February 1990
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ........................................... 1
Chapter
I. DEFINING THE G E N R E .............................. II
II. GENERIC EXPLORATION, DIVERSITY AND
STRUCTURE: THE EARLY STAGES OF THE
FRENCH VERSE EPISTLE ........................... 69
III. THE RHETORIOUEURS AND GENERIC CONFORMITY . . . 138
IV. MAROT AND THE FAMILIAR E P I S T L E ................. 187
V. THE EARLY SIXTEENTH-CENTURY LOVE EPISTLE
AND THE ELEGIE MAROTIQUE....................... 257
The Classical and Courtly Origins of
the Love E p i s t l e .................................259
The Early Sixteenth-Century LoveE pistle . . 265
The Elecrie marotique............................315
CONCLUSION...................... 344
BIBLIOGRAPHY 350
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to express my deep appreciation to my
sponsor, Professor Nancy F. Regalado, who, many years ago,
introduced me to the poets of fifteenth-century France and
who has, during the whole of this project, been a constant
source of inspiration, guidance and encouragement. In
addition, I owe a special debt of gratitude to Professors
Jindrich Zezula and Evelyn B. Vitz for their generous
assistance and many contributions to this study.
I would also like to thank my friend and
colleague, Judy Diner, whose expertise in conducting
research at the Bibliotheque Nationale proved invaluable,
and Odette Materne who not only aided my work in Paris,
but imparted to me her love of fifteenth-century art and
architecture.
Finally, I am particularly indebted to my sister
Jacqueline for her assistance in bringing this study to
fruition and for her unflagging support throughout my
years of graduate study.
"Par grans chemlns et par petitz sentiers ....11
Jean Picart, Bailiff of Etelan
INTRODUCTION
The verse epistle as a poetic form appeared with
relatively high frequency in the repertories of
fifteenth- and early sixteenth-century writers. Yet as a
distinct farm, it has received little critical attention
from modern scholars. Most readers of this period are
acquainted with individual epistolary texts by particular
writers, such as Jean Lemaire's Epitre de l'Amant Vert or
Clement Marot's Epitre de Frippelippes, but little
attempt has been made to examine these texts as
interrelated and forming part of a varied but cohesive
group. This lack of scholarly interest is due, in part,
to the unique difficulties the genre presents to those
who try to categorize it. Whereas it is easy to
define— its name designating what it is, a letter
composed in verse— its parameters are quite difficult to
set. For example, should all direct-address, monologic
poems be considered epistles? Moreover, the verse
1