SOURCE: Pope, Mildred K. “Four Chansons de geste: A Study in Old French Epic Versification.” Modern Language Review 9, no. 1 (January 1914): 41-52.

In the following excerpt, Pope argues that Garin le Loherain represents a formal and stylistic break with the chanson de geste tradition, which includes the Chanson de Willelme and Chanson de Roland.

Garin Le Lorrain1.

With Garin le Lorrain the chronicle stage is all but reached. [chanson de geste] The strophe structure is virtually destroyed, the language often prosaic, the repetitions without trace of emotional appeal.

Repetitions.

The repetitions of a kind are by no means infrequent—few, if any, of the numberless encounters can be set before us without recourse to the formulae ‘La veïssiez,’ or ‘Qui veïst (oïst).’

La veïssiez tant paveillons verser, Tant chevaliers morir et craventer Tant Sarrasins et huchier et crier.(2) 

Qui done veïst Huon de Cambresis...