Rencontres orientales dans le genre narratif français médiéval

Abstrakt

For the medieval West, the East was a source of fascination, but also a land largely unknown. Oriental treasures and ways of life held great allure, while at the same time, accounts of cruel customs provoked horror in the audience. The romances and chansons de geste of the 11th and 12th centuries explored the imaginative possibilities offered by this other world. The aim of this article is to examine how medieval French literature and language reflect and perpetuate the fear associated with contact between East and West. The first part focuses on the representation of the city of Babylon. The second explores the more positive aspects of the East, viewed as a land of wealth and luxury. The third part addresses the fear of otherness and the lack of understanding. Through the literary and linguistic signs preserved in medieval narrative genres, the East is transformed into a space of otherness, allowing a complete change of scene through language.