Van den vos Reynaerde inaugurates the written reception of the Roman de Renart in the Dutch-speaking area. It is one of the peaks of Dutch literature of which there was no longer a French translation available. [It] was composed around 1250, in Flanders. The text reproduced here is that of the Comburg manuscript (early 15th century) [Württembergische Landesbibliothek, Cod.poet. et phil.fol.22]. The author says his name is Willem. He expresses his concern to tell in the common language “the life of Reynaert” as it was written in French, without omitting anything. Which he doesn't really do, since he takes as his subject matter a single branch of the Novel, The Plaid . He initially follows this source, but maintains the course beyond the trial at the end of which Reynaert is condemned to hanging, while the French story stalls, the death sentence which strikes Renart being quickly commuted to an expiatory pilgrimage. The work is abundantly documented, which allows it to address an audience of researchers, and at the same time, its writing is sufficiently clear and simple to allow student or simply curious readers to follow the subject. As the complex points are treated in footnotes, the uninformed reader will easily leave them aside, without this affecting the follow-up of their reading. - [Publisher]

Language: French

ISBN: 978-2-37747-480-6; DOI: 10.4000/books.ugaeditions.35489