Chapter IV
Reading edition
CHAPTER IV
THE OLD FRENCH EPIC
(Chansons de Geste)
Lateness of the extant versions287
Competition of Epic and Romance in the twelfth century288
Widespread influence of the Chansons de geste—a contrast to the Sagas289
Narrative style290
No obscurities of diction291
The "heroic age" imperfectly represented but not ignored292 293
Roland—heroic idealism—France and Christendom293
William of Orange—Aliscans296
Rainouart—exaggeration of heroism296
Another class of stories in the Chansons de geste, more like the Sagas297
Raoul de Cambrai298
Barbarism of style299
Garin le Loherain—style clarified300
Problems of character—Fromont301
The story of the death of Begon unlike contemporary work of the Romantic School302 304
The lament for Begon307
Raoul and Garin contrasted with Roland308
Comedy in French Epic—"humours" in Garin in the Coronemenz Looïs, etc.310 311
Romantic additions to heroic cycles—la Prise d'Orange313
Huon de Bordeaux—the original story grave and tragic converted to Romance314 314