French Literature

A website from a past exhibit which showcased examples of the vast array of lavishly illustrated nonreligious manuscripts that were produced between 500-1500 A.D.

Modern English translations of ''Blandin de Cornoalha and Guilhot de Miramar''; Ramon Vidal de Besalú, ''The Chastising of the Jealous Man Castía Gilos''; Arnaut de Carcassès, ''Tale of the Parrot'' (''Novas del Papagai''); and ''Trobador Poets: Selections from the Poems of Eight Trobadors.''

Links to resources on Old French language and literature.

French lyric poetry through the 14th century.

Links relating to French lyric poetry, excluding troubadour and provençal poetry, through the fourteenth century. Subjects include works of Adam de la Halle, Alain Chartier, Blondel de Nesle, Colin Muset, Conon de Béthune, Eustache Deschamps, Jean Froissart, Gace Brulé, Gautier de Coinci, Gonthier de Soignies, Guillaume d'Amiens, Guillaume de Machaut, Hélinand of Froidmont, Jean Moniot de Paris, Othon de Grandson, Rutebeuf, and Thibaut de Champagne.

A searchable bibliography of texts -- from private letters, wills, and household accounts to literary works, philosophical treatises, chronicles, court proceedings, church records, and a host of other documents -- that were written in the Middle Ages and are now available in printed or online editions and translations. The aim is to provide annotated entries that include information on the genre, contents, archival reference and original language of the text, as well as whether the publication includes a translation, introduction, appendices, glossary, and index. Where appropriate, the bibliography also includes hyperlinks to sources that are online.

Over 6000 poems, from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

The University of Chicago celebrates the acquisition of a manuscript of Le Roman de la Rose (The Romance of the Rose) and its reunion with Le Jeu des échecs moralisé (The Moralized Game of Chess), a manuscript that has been in the Library’s collection since 1931. Each of these two popular medieval texts -- one a courtly romance, the other a treatise on medieval society that uses the game of chess as its framework -- was written and decorated in France, ca. 1365.

This Web site provides background information about the texts and the Chicago manuscripts; and access to the complete manuscripts.

This is a frame tale said to be one of the treasures of French literature. Many of the stories are said to be thinly-veiled accounts of events at the French court.

Offers more than 100 transcriptions from manuscript witnesses covering Books I, II and III of the Chronicles, a powerful collation tool and a search engine. With essays and notes on the history, politics and personalities of the period, plus links to several manuscript facsimiles viewable alongside some of the texts, this resource also includes a new translation into modern English of selected chapters from the first three Books of the Chronicles.

Anonymous Old French epic, dating perhaps as early as the middle 11th century.

This page contains nearly 100 links to Old Provençal or Occitan troubadour culture, language and songs. It is designed to give patrons access to most of the corpus of troubadour poetry.