The gesture or chanson de geste indicates an account towards ifié (a long poem) in decasyllable S or, more tardily, in Alexandrin S, assonances gathered in Laisse S (long Strophe S of size variable) reporting epopee S legendary heroic putting in scene the warlike exploits kings or of knights, going back to the former centuries. The Gesture , of the Latin gesta , is here to include/understand like “accomplished brilliant deed”.

This type of account appears at the dawn of the French Littérature, towards the end of the 11th century (they are sung between 1050 and 1150). The last were produced during the 15th century. The chansons de geste are characteristic of the medieval Littérature and take the continuation of the great epopees of Antiquity. They are written in Former French. They differ from another great medieval literary kind: the lyric Poetry, whose language this time is the Occitan.

Often anonymous, its author is a Trouvère, which intended it to be sung and accompanied musicalement, in front of a large, popular or noble audience.

Account epic

A song in the Handwritten S preserved (90) account of: 1000 with: 20000 towards. These worms are grouped in units of length variable which bear the name of “Laisse”. They are not rimées but simply assonancées, as it is about a literature of oral nature, the repetition of the last accentuated vocalic sound was enough to poetic reference mark to the ear. There in the composition of the songs of the processes is also which are used to refresh the memory of the listeners if the recitation was prolonged days of continuation. In fact generally passages summarize what is already known as or many additions with each Proper name of an epithet characterizing the character, such as for example, Charlemagne with the flowered beard, Olivier the wise one, Roland the valiant knight, Guillaume with the short nose, etc

The act epic par excellence is the warlike act. The account of the combat in its various stages is almost immutable: the meeting of the weak Christian forces with pagan multitudes; attacks with the Lance and the sword; the extraordinary Exploit S of the main characters; the more or less fast description of alarming equipment. One notices also a certain number of constant processes stylistics: use of the present, alternation of the dialog with the account, Emphase and others.

The chansons de geste combine, generally, the broad topics epic: Heroism, Honor, Friendship, Treason, Revenge, Exaltation of the feudal bonds. The Chanson of Roland is the best example.

Subjects

Written in Language of oil by the first poets, the Trouvere S, they sing the martial value of the knights, heroes of the era of Charles Martel and Charlemagne, and their battles against the Moor S. With these historical legends are added a strong key of Merveilleux: Giant S, magic and Monstre S appear among the enemies with the Sarrasin S. With time, the aspects historical and military weakened in favor of the marvellous aspects.

The topics of the chansons de geste became notorious as a Matière of France, which is opposed to the Matière of Brittany, treating King Arthur and of his knight S, and the Matière of Rome which mixes the Greek Mythologie with the tales of Alexandre Large the, of Jules César, and other figures of the Antiquité presented like examples of Chevalerie.

When medieval manners softened and turned to more subtlety, one preferred with the chanson de geste the courteous accounts which are inspired but insist by it more on the relations between the knight and his lady.

The hero epic

In the chansons de geste only the feudal class is put in scene. The hero epic is a knight endowed with a force superhuman, able to endure all kinds of physical sufferings or morals. Specimen by its fidelity with its lord, it is elected for its perfection and always represents a community whose existence is concerned. With Charlemagne, for example, it is the “dulce France” and the Christian world which fight and suffer to overcome at the end. The divine forces are almost always added to help it. The Mort is the moment more moving by the account and conceals a lesson dictated by the religious and feudal vision of the company: the suffering and death are noble when they are undergone for God and the suzerain. Thus the public, that it is chivalrous or popular, is called with the great collective and religious emotions.

The other characters have definite roles: friend confidant, traitor, enemy, loose, etc They are in the account to more underline the heroism and the virtues of the principal hero.

Principal gestures

It remains less than one hundred chansons de geste. The Trouvère S of the S grouped the chansons de geste in three great series called of the Cycles or the Gestures. Each Cycle includes/understands poems epic which proceed around the exploits of the same hero or members of his family. One distinguishes the Cycle from king (Charlemagne) , the Cycle of William of Orange and the Cycle of Doon of Mainz , also called cycle of the revolted barons .

The cycle of Charlemagne or Cycles of the King

• the Song of Roland, 11th century
• the Pilgrimage of Charlemagne, 12th century
• Huon of Bordeaux, 12th century
• Berthe with the Large Feet, 13th century
• the Song of Aiquin, v.1190-1200

The cycle of Guillaume de Gellone

• the Crowning of Louis, 1137 approximately
• Aliscans, 12th century
• Girard of Vienna, 13th century
• Aimeri de Narbonne, 13th century
• Cartage of Nimes
• Moniage of Guillaume

The cycle of Doon of Mainz or Cycle of the revolted barons

• Girart of Roussillon, 12th century
• Raoul de Cambrai, 12th century
• Renaud de Montauban, 12th century

The cycle of the Crusade

• the Song of Antioche
• the Song of weak Jerusalem
• the

Others gestures

• Gesture of Lorraine the.

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