Background
Bodel was born probably in the late twelfth century in Arras, where he also spent the greater part of his life.
(Book by Jehan Bodel)
Book by Jehan Bodel
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Bodel was born probably in the late twelfth century in Arras, where he also spent the greater part of his life.
He seems to have gained considerable renown and popularity as a trouvere (minstrel) in his day and was about to join the Fourth Crusade (1202 - 1204) when an attack of leprosy cut short his career. He died in 1209 or 1210. These details of his life are all drawn from his own Les Congés, a touching poem of farewell to the world. Besides four Pastorals, his only other extant works are Le Jeu de Saint Nicolas, the earliest known French miracle play, in which he displays a remarkably fine technique for dramatic representation, delineation of character, and naturalism of detail; and La Chanson des Saisnes (Saxons), a chanson de geste (epic poem) with overtones of the Carolingian roman d'aventure, which was just then beginning to gain popular favor. The language of his poetry is rich in images, and he is extremely versatile in his rhyming.
Bodel was the first person of record to classify the legendary themes and literary cycles known to medieval literature into the "Three Matters"; the "Matter of Rome", or retellings of stories from classical antiquity; the "Matter of Britain", concerning King Arthur; and the "Matter of France", concerning Charlemagne and his paladins.
( This work has been selected by scholars as being cultur...)
(Book by Jehan Bodel)
