Jean Renart

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Jean Renart, alo known as Jean Renaut, was a Norman trouvère or troubadour from the end of the XIIth century and the first half of the XIIth century. His poems contain realistic description of medieval daily life. His characters considered to have significant psychological depth. And said to be the most capable master of the "realistic romance" in Old French literature^[1].

Jean Renart is probably the author of the second version of the "Le Chevalier au Cygne" or Knight of the Swan. He is probably the author of the two metrical romances "L'Escoufle" or "the kite" and "Le Roman de la Rose ou Guillaume de Dole". Also from him are "Lai d’Ignaures", "Lai de l’Ombre" and "Lai de l’Anneau". He was a pioneer in incorporating song into his poems, and this was much imitated after.

Ignaures is a brave and handsome Breton knight, the favoured lover of twelve ladies who all live with their husbands in Ariel Castle. He sang delightfully and the ladies called him "Charming Lousingol". But the husbands get together to take revenge on the object of such multiple love: they mutilate him and serve his remains up during a banquet to the twelve lovers. Those discover the plot and let themselves die of hunger. The "Lai d’Ignaures" was published by Louis Monmerqué and Francisque Michel in Paris, 1832, in-8°.

The "Lai de l’Ombre et de l’Anneau" is less dramatic. It concerns a lady who will not mary a knight. And he, through amusing artifice finally wins her over. Impressing her by saying he will show her that which he loves most after his loved one, taking her to a well, and showing her her own reflexion. She is then so impressed she finally gives him her ring and all her love.

There are twelve manuscripts of this poem in the Bibliothèque nationale.