Roman d'Alexandre

Le Roman d' Alexandre ( Alexander novel) is one of the French epic poems of the 12th century and belongs to the genus of the Ancient Novels in ( romans d' Antiquité ).

Its different and formally very diverse versions describe the exploits of the conqueror Alexander the Great ( 356-323 BC). The material is taken from the Latin originals, which in turn draw from various Greek sources, which contained, in addition facts, many say - and fairy- like elements from the beginning. The Latin versions were the novel- Alexander - Life of Julius Valerius Polemius (ca. 338 AD) and the more like chronicle Historia Alexandri Magni de preliis of Leo of Naples ( 10th century).

The oldest known French version, is of which only a fragment of 105 octosyllabic verses in 15 einreimigen stanzas ( laisses ) in the style of contemporary chanson de geste, originated in frankoprovenzalischem dialect probably already against 1120. It was, according to the priest Lamprecht, who transferred to 1120/30 to the Middle high German, from an (otherwise unknown ) author named Alberich of Bisinzo ( Vorauer Alexander ) or Elberîch of Bisenzun ( Strasbourg Alexander) written, which is usually called in today's literature stories AK de Pisançon because Bisinzo or Bisenzun is understood as Pisançon in the Dauphiné.

A second, also only fragmentary version (785 Zehnsilbler in 76 laisses ), was probably written shortly after the middle of the 12th century by an unknown author.

The most widespread and longest with nearly 16,000 Zwölfsilblern first version of which dates from Alexandre de Bernay or de Paris and apparently arose around 1180. You portrays, now rather in the style of courtly romance, the entire life of Alexander. It consists of four very unequal length parts or " branches " ( = branches ), where Alexandre indicating that he had the incomplete works of two other ( today unspecified known ) authors incorporated, namely a certain Eustache ( as an industry II) and a Lambert le Tort ( as an industry III). Starting at about 1190 was the Roman Fort translators and editors who anhängten or internals additional episodes. In the second half of the 13th century it has been rewritten in a prose version, which survives in numerous manuscripts from the 14th and 15th centuries as well as in some early printing, which testifies to the long-running success of the work.

Alexander Alexandre's novel is the first major work of French literature that uses the pairs rhyming Zwölfsilbler as meter, which is therefore called in France " vers Alexandrian " ( Alexandrian ).

The figure of Alexander enjoyed in antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages a great reputation. He was considered a type of thirsting always looking for new conquests and experience high-minded commander and ruler, but also as an embodiment of human hubris.