The epic fragment in mid sixteenth-century French poetry
<p>This study aims to produce a positive assessment of the <em>Franciade</em>, by viewing Ronsard's epic venture in the context of works by Ronsard himself and by poets such as Baïf and Belleau. The com- positions considered extract single episodes from an epic whole, and are...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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1981
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| _version_ | 1826316470481584128 |
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| author | Braybrook, J Braybrook, J. |
| author_facet | Braybrook, J Braybrook, J. |
| author_sort | Braybrook, J |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | <p>This study aims to produce a positive assessment of the <em>Franciade</em>, by viewing Ronsard's epic venture in the context of works by Ronsard himself and by poets such as Baïf and Belleau. The com- positions considered extract single episodes from an epic whole, and are united by their structural and rhetorical techniques, forming a group dominated by the <em>Franciade</em>.</p> <p>The first chapter examines the question of genre raised by the fragments, and reviews classical models utilized by the French poets, placing particular emphasis upon the Alexandrians. It re- veals how the sixteenth-century poets long to produce a full-scale epic .</p> <p>Chapter 2 groups the fragments according to theme, highlighting Argonautic poems, notably Ronsard's <em>Hymne de Calais, et de Zetes</em>, <em>Hymne de Pollux et de Castor</em>, and <em>Hylas</em>.</p> <p>Chapter 3 examines the structure of the fragments in terms of contraction and expansion. Some poets circumscribe their material with a prelude and conclusion; others extend its temporal and spatial perspectives, by such means as retrospection, prophecy, and descriptions of ornate objects.</p> <p>The rhetoric of the fragments is seen in Chapter 4 to reflect the expansive urge: simile, circumlocution, and preterition all widen the poetic vistas.</p> <p>Chapter 5 studies Ronsard's approach to the problem of inven- ting an original framework for his epic, how he tries to lend it coherence by structural and rhetorical means. Yet the techniques Ronsard practised in the fragments finally prevail: the <em>Franciade</em> breaks up into a series of vivid miniatures: Ronsard repeatedly returns to material made familiar by classical epics.</p> <p>The conclusion emphasizes that the 'accidental' fragmentation of the <em>Franciade</em> should be viewed alongside the voluntary frag- mentation of the sixteenth-century heroic miniatures. The <em>Franciade</em> should, especially, be considered in conjunction with other Ron- sardian productions, such as the Argonautic hymns. Together with these, it forms an intricate fretwork of epic motifs.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T21:25:15Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oxford-uuid:42e3978f-f23f-481f-a428-4589ac052bb4 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-09T03:45:41Z |
| publishDate | 1981 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:42e3978f-f23f-481f-a428-4589ac052bb42024-12-07T17:33:42ZThe epic fragment in mid sixteenth-century French poetryThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:42e3978f-f23f-481f-a428-4589ac052bb4History and criticismEpic poetry, FrenchCriticism and interpretation16th centuryFrench poetryEnglishPolonsky Theses Digitisation Project1981Braybrook, JBraybrook, J.<p>This study aims to produce a positive assessment of the <em>Franciade</em>, by viewing Ronsard's epic venture in the context of works by Ronsard himself and by poets such as Baïf and Belleau. The com- positions considered extract single episodes from an epic whole, and are united by their structural and rhetorical techniques, forming a group dominated by the <em>Franciade</em>.</p> <p>The first chapter examines the question of genre raised by the fragments, and reviews classical models utilized by the French poets, placing particular emphasis upon the Alexandrians. It re- veals how the sixteenth-century poets long to produce a full-scale epic .</p> <p>Chapter 2 groups the fragments according to theme, highlighting Argonautic poems, notably Ronsard's <em>Hymne de Calais, et de Zetes</em>, <em>Hymne de Pollux et de Castor</em>, and <em>Hylas</em>.</p> <p>Chapter 3 examines the structure of the fragments in terms of contraction and expansion. Some poets circumscribe their material with a prelude and conclusion; others extend its temporal and spatial perspectives, by such means as retrospection, prophecy, and descriptions of ornate objects.</p> <p>The rhetoric of the fragments is seen in Chapter 4 to reflect the expansive urge: simile, circumlocution, and preterition all widen the poetic vistas.</p> <p>Chapter 5 studies Ronsard's approach to the problem of inven- ting an original framework for his epic, how he tries to lend it coherence by structural and rhetorical means. Yet the techniques Ronsard practised in the fragments finally prevail: the <em>Franciade</em> breaks up into a series of vivid miniatures: Ronsard repeatedly returns to material made familiar by classical epics.</p> <p>The conclusion emphasizes that the 'accidental' fragmentation of the <em>Franciade</em> should be viewed alongside the voluntary frag- mentation of the sixteenth-century heroic miniatures. The <em>Franciade</em> should, especially, be considered in conjunction with other Ron- sardian productions, such as the Argonautic hymns. Together with these, it forms an intricate fretwork of epic motifs.</p> |
| spellingShingle | History and criticism Epic poetry, French Criticism and interpretation 16th century French poetry Braybrook, J Braybrook, J. The epic fragment in mid sixteenth-century French poetry |
| title | The epic fragment in mid sixteenth-century French poetry |
| title_full | The epic fragment in mid sixteenth-century French poetry |
| title_fullStr | The epic fragment in mid sixteenth-century French poetry |
| title_full_unstemmed | The epic fragment in mid sixteenth-century French poetry |
| title_short | The epic fragment in mid sixteenth-century French poetry |
| title_sort | epic fragment in mid sixteenth century french poetry |
| topic | History and criticism Epic poetry, French Criticism and interpretation 16th century French poetry |
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