« Si saip moult bien au jeu d’eschet jueir » (Huon de Bordeaux, 7721)

Horváthy, Sára (2024) « Si saip moult bien au jeu d’eschet jueir » (Huon de Bordeaux, 7721). ACTA ANTIQUA ACADEMIAE SCIENTIARUM HUNGARICAE, 64 (3-4). pp. 381-399. ISSN 0044-5975

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Abstract

In the Middle Ages, Western society was fascinated by chess and at the same time, convicted it. All over Europe, archaeological excavations have uncovered both luxurious and very simple pieces. In many churches, mosaics or stained-glass windows depict figures playing this pagan game. Medieval literature is also a source for studying the history of chess and its establishment in the feudal society. This study aims to present the lexical, literary and cultural integration of this Oriental game in French medieval society, by studying a corpus of medieval narratives (30 romances and chansons de geste), examining the terms used in the texts, questioning the courtliness of the chess player and of his game, and analysing passages in which chess is not just a stylistic device but actually plays an important role in the narrative progression of the story.

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