The Roman de la Rose

This allegorical poem of about 20,000 octosyllabes, written in the language of oïl, consists of two distinct sections: the first written by Guillaume de Lorris between 1229 and 1236, and the second by Jean de Meung between 1269 and 1278. The first is shorter and ideologically derived from the courtly tradition, while the second and much longer part continues and develops the story but includes many digressions on science and theology, offering a radical critique of courtly conventions. In this way, the second part turns an exemplary courtly romance into an encyclopaedic summa of medieval knowledge, distinctively secular and naturalistic in orientation. The protagonists of the story are the Amant and the Rose, which symbolizes the beloved woman. Numerous allegorical personifications revolve around these two characters, some helping Amant to conquer the Rose, and others strongly opposing him. In spite of the substantial differences between the two parts, the Roman enjoyed extraordinary success, as attested by the wide circulation of manuscripts and numerous imitations. The text also had a considerable influence on Dante’s work. Although the Fiore and Detto d’Amore, in actual fact two rewritings of the Rose, bear the most obvious mark of adherence to the model, the Roman was a definite point of reference, albeit implicitly polemical, also for the Commedia. Dante’s theocentric vision contrasts with Jean’s anthropocentrism, and the precise formal structure the Commedia easily surpasses the frequently messy narrative of the Roman, but there are many similarities between Dante’s description of Matelda and the earthly paradise and Guillaume’s description of Oiseuse and the Garden of Pleasure. Moreover, Dante’s description of hell may well have drawn on the description of the kingdoms in the afterlife presented by Jean in a lengthy excursus.