French Eloquence in Verse: Poetry and Communication the Fifteenth Sixteenth Centuries

Between the 15th and 16th centuries, French poets redefined themselves as orators, valuing eloquence, utility, and contemporary engagement. This book examines this interplay between poetry and communication through eight case studies, from Chastelain to Ronsard, integrating rhetoric, philology, and communication studies. The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries saw a significant rhetorical shift that has long influenced French literature. In this period, poets began to describe themselves as orators. Their verse was addressed to various audiences, both real or fictional. It was judged on its eloquence, public utility, and ability to engage with contemporary concerns and events. This book endeavours to shed light on this unique moment of interplay between poetry and communication, through an interdisciplinary framework that draws on approaches from rhetoric, philology, and communication studies. Through eight case studies, this book explores a little-known history of French literature, from George Chastelain to Ronsard, including poets such as Guillaume Cretin, Jean Lemaire de Belges, Octovien de Saint-Gelais, Jean Molinet, Jean Bouchet, Nicaise Ladam and François Habert.