Froissart, Jean (b. 1337; d. after 1404). Though best known in the modern period for his chronicles, Froissart is also the author of a significant poetic corpus, including lyric compositions in the formes fixes, pastourelles, narrative dits, and a chivalric romance of more than 30, 000 lines, the Meliador. Aside from the latter, Froissart's poetry participates in the tradition inspired by the Roman de la Rose; he was particularly influenced by his older contemporary, Guillaume de Machaut. Like Machaut, Froissart prepared anthology manuscripts of his poetic works (excluding Meliador), with dits arranged in chronological order and lyric compositions arranged by verse form.
Little is known of Froissart's life beyond his literary contributions. He was a native of Valenciennes. As a writer he enjoyed the patronage of the high aristocracy, including, among others, Philippa of Hainaut, queen of England, with whom he was associated from 1361 until her death in 1369; Wenceslas of Brabant, whose own compositions appear as lyric insertions in Meliador; Gui, comte de Blois, who appointed Froissart court chaplain; and Gaston Phébus, comte de Foix and vicomte de Béarn, whom Froissart entertained during the winter of 1388-9 with an oral reading of Meliador. By 1373, he had taken holy orders and been granted a benefice at Estinnes-au-Mont, which he held for the next ten years. It was also at about this time that he turned from the composition of lyric poetry and dits in order to devote himself to Meliador and to his chronicles. In the 1380s, due to his growing ties with Gui de Blois, Froissart received canonries in Chimay and Lille.
Froissart frequently hints at a love affair with a lady named Marguerite. This name is encoded into the Espinette amoureuse, and in several other pieces Froissart declares his love for the daisy (marguerite), even inventing a myth to explain its origins. It has not been possible, however, to identify a historical woman of that name who might have played an important role in Froissart's life, and the motif may be a purely literary one. It is none the less an important thread running through Froissart's poetic corpus, with allusions to the daisy or to the name ‘Marguerite’ appearing, in various forms, in many of his works.
Froissart composed in the standard lyric formes fixes of the 14th c. No music has survived for his compositions, although it is possible that they were sometimes set to the melodies of other songs. His work is typical of late medieval lyric in the tradition of Machaut: love poetry, often incorporating mythological figures and allusions to allegorical personifications. Like Machaut, Froissart included lyric insertions in his narrative dits.
His three major dits are the Espinette amoureuse (c.1369), Prison amoureuse (1372-3), and Joli Buisson de Jonece (1373); he also composed numerous shorter pieces. Like those of Machaut, Froissart's dits feature a first-person amorous protagonist, closely identified with the author, who is portrayed as inept in love but successful in the composition of lyric and narrative poetry, both in the service of the lady and for aristocratic patrons. The most distinctive feature of Froissart's dits is his incorporation of pseudo-Ovidian myths, adapted to fit the context in which they are placed. These may be either an alteration of known myths or entirely new stories, involving characters with pseudo-Greek names.
The verse romance Meliador (1388) features a five-year quest competition, jointly proclaimed by King Arthur and the king of Scotland, whose purpose is to select a husband for the Scottish princess. The resulting text, in which the adventures of several knights are interlaced, provides the occasion for a thorough review of chivalric values, both amorous and military. In the Meliador, as in the chronicles, Froissart expresses his belief in these values as the underpinnings of an aristocratic society.
Froissart worked on his magnum opus, the Chroniques, from approximately 1360 to 1400. He began with an adaptation of the chronicle of Jean le Bel, which covered the period 1326-56, and then continued with an account of contemporary events, focusing on the political intrigue and military exploits of the Hundred Years War. Froissart's sympathies lay entirely with the nobility; he had little patience with the claims of the bourgeoisie. His Chroniques provide invaluable evidence for social mores and political attitudes of the time; he is particularly noted for his vivid descriptions of pageantry and ceremony, and for his lively vignettes of court life.
[Sylvia Huot]
Bibliography
- P. Dembowski, Jean Froissart and his Meliador (1983)
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