1911 Articles

Notes on Renoart

Evers , H. M.

The portion of Aliscans generally known as Renoart is considered by most critics as a complete poem which, after existing independently for a certain time, was incorporated into Aliscans. Some speak of a lost Renoart cycle. The extant poems concerning Renoart do, in fact, form a cycle, consisting of the Renoart portion of Aliscans, Loquifer, Moniage Renoart, Maillefer and Renier. The question of the relationship of these five poems of the Renoart cycle to each other has been investigated by J. Runeberg whose study shows that the last four are merely continuations of the Renoart of Aliscans, and derive all their material from it or from later sources. Aliscans, therefor is the only poem of the cycle that can throw any light on the past history of the Renoart legend. The story of the battle of Larchamp, and with it the story of Renoart, exists in five main versions.