The Roman de Renart, a twelfth- and thirteenth-century collection of short narratives featuring the tricks and exploits of Renart the fox, has a substantial legacy in modern culture, with its titular hero having become part of the canon of children’s literature in French. The material’s co-option into the institution of patrimony is signaled by its inclusion on the French educational curriculum at various levels from CP (six years old) up to 5th (twelve years old). Similarly, a 2003 CD recording of seventeen Renart tales narrated by the actor Jean Rochefort advertises itself as “recommandé par toute la presse pédagogique” |recommended by educational publishers], with one reviewer describing the Renart as “cet incontournable oeuvre destinée a la jeunesse” [that essential work written for children]. Yet this privileged position within the sphere of educational literature sits rather awkwardly for any medievalist familiar with the original narratives. The medieval Renart is a transgressive, dangerous beast of a text, which revels in the immorality of its anti-hero. It portrays a world where superior intelligence allows characters to manipulate and exploit others, and where good intentions seldom go unpunished. A number of the narratives (known individually as branches) revolve around the rape by Renart of the wolf Hersent, wife of his uncle, recurring antagonist and favourite victim Ysengrin. One branch narrates the event itself, whilst others stage trial scenes in which Ysengrin, the king (a lion named Noble) and others attempt to bring Renart to justice. The incorporation of the Roman de Renart into the heart of the French cultural establishment can therefore feel a little like one more of the fox’s tricks. - [Author]

Language: english

DOI: 10.1515/9783110639032-020