Eustache Deschamps and L'Art de Dictier (1392):…

Eustache Deschamps and L'Art de Dictier (1392): A Foundational Work in French Poetic Theory

At age 46 in 1392, Eustache Deschamps completed L'Art de dictier et de faire ballades et chants royaux, one of the first critical treatises on French poetry, setting rules of versification that shaped medieval and early Renaissance French literature.

A prolific poet, Deschamps authored as many as 1,175 ballades, along with numerous rondeaux, often dealing with contemporary politics and war. He is sometimes credited with inventing the ballade form, although this remains debated.

Deschamps’ Poetic Style and Satirical Themes

• Political Satire and War Poetry

  • His works are deeply satirical, frequently attacking:
    • The English, whom he viewed as plunderers of France.
    • Wealthy oppressors of the poor.
    • Corrupt officials and clergy.
  • His outspoken criticism may have cost him his position as Bailli of Senlis, demonstrating the danger of his sharp wit in political circles.

• Antifeminist Themes: Le Miroir de Mariage

  • His one long poem, Le Miroir de Mariage (12,103 lines), is a satirical attack on women and marriage.
  • The poem influenced Geoffrey Chaucer, who borrowed themes from Deschamps’ work in his own poetry, particularly in The Canterbury Tales.

His Praise of Geoffrey Chaucer

• Despite his anti-English sentiment, Deschamps admired Geoffrey Chaucer.
• He composed Ballade No. 285 (probably written after 1380) in Chaucer’s honor, praising him as a:
  • Philosopher
  • Translator
  • Ethicist
  • Poet
• This ballade is one of the earliest recorded acknowledgments of Chaucer by a contemporary poet.

Legacy and Influence

• L'Art de dictier established formal structures for French verse, reinforcing the ballade and chant royal as dominant forms.
• His satirical and political poetry influenced later French poets of the late medieval and Renaissance periods.
• His recognition of Chaucer highlights early cross-cultural literary exchange between France and England.

Eustache Deschamps' 1392 treatise helped define French poetic traditions, while his ballades and satirical works captured the political and social turbulence of 14th-century France.