Study day: Bringing chanson de geste to life, the lifeblood of medieval literature

The chanson de geste is an inherently lively narrative material. The very name interrogates the neophyte who will undoubtedly see in it a song accompanied by gesticulations. So we can read in medieval epic the fulfillment of a narrative imbued with voice. The great epic genre has left its mark on French literature through its narrative form as much as its oratorical qualities, like a textual lung. The breath of narrative quickly became a source of inspiration, as the French material, at the crossroads of European influences, became part of a creative and innovative dynamic, renewing itself throughout the Middle Ages. Its narrative and stylistic power were able to permeate an entire literary field, and although the genre declined definitively during the Renaissance, it retained the hallmarks of remarkable composition.

From a relatively broad perspective, the aim of this study day is to question the chanson de geste genre and its possibilities. In the light of the abundance of French literature, the epic genre sets new standards. The physiological metaphor seems to us an interesting approach in that it underpins several axes of study: musicality and bodily performance, movement and reception, and the production of texts. At a time when the chanson de geste can still be rediscovered - editions and translations have been proliferating for several decades - and meet enthusiastic new readers, the French might well have an epic head!