Raoul de Cambrai - Text

Text

Raoul de Cambrai has come down to us in 3 manuscripts of varying quality. The most complete version dates from the 13th century, but certain sections are missing. The extant poem comprises roughly 8,542 decasyllable verses (depending on the edition and corrections made for missing material; here, the Kibler edition is referenced), of which the first 5,373 are grouped into rhymed laisses, while the remaining verses are grouped into assonanced laisses. While the section with assonance would typically be considered the older of the two sections, it appears from the romantic elements of this section that the assonance section is in fact of a later date, perhaps written by a poet desiring an archaic tone.

The existing 13th century (composed c. 1200 ) epic appears to have been composed in three different stages: an early 12th century assonanced section concerning the hero Raoul; a late 12th century reworking into rhymes of the original section, plus the addition of a section concerning Roaul's nephew Gautier; finally, an early 13th century addition (inspired by romances) in assonance of the story of Bernier. There is however mention (laisses 120-121) that the poem is based on a version by a noble trouvère of Laon called Bertholais, who professed to have witnessed the events he described.

Raoul de Cambrai presents, like the other provincial geste of Garin le Loherain, a picture of the devastation caused by the private wars of the feudal chiefs. A parallel narrative, obviously inspired by popular poetry, is preserved in the chronicle of Waulsort (ed. Achery, Spicilegium, ii. p. 100 seq.), and probably corresponds with the earlier recension.