The term ''la seconde rhétorique'' (French for "second rhetoric") came into use in the fifteenth century as a description of secular, vernacular verse in France. The term embodied these three characteristics in opposition to (i) ''la première rhétorique'', that is,
prose
Prose is a form of written or spoken language that follows the natural flow of speech, uses a language's ordinary grammatical structures, or follows the conventions of formal academic writing. It differs from most traditional poetry, where the ...
; (ii) to writing in
medieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Literary Latin used in Roman Catholic Western Europe during the Middle Ages. In this region it served as the primary written language, though local languages were also written to varying degrees. Latin functione ...
; and (iii) to the writings of the
clergy
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
(''clercs''). The earliest vernacular treatise on poetry in France was the prologue written by
Guillaume de Machaut for publication of his complete works (1370s), but the earliest that is one of the traditional ''Arts de seconde rhétorique'' is ''L'art de dictier'' by
Eustache Deschamps
Eustache Deschamps (13461406 or 1407) was a French poet, byname Morel, in French "Nightshade".
Life and career
Deschamps was born in Vertus. He received lessons in versification from Guillaume de Machaut and later studied law at Orleans Univers ...
(1392). Several examples of ''Arts de la seconde rhétorique'' followed:
*''Des rimes'' by
Jacques Legrand (1405)
*''Les règles de la seconde rhétorique'' (1411–32)
*''Le doctrinal de la seconde rhétorique'' by
Baudet Harenc (1432)
*''Traité de l'art de rhétorique'' (1450?)
*''L'art de rhétorique'' by
Jean Molinet
Jean Molinet (1435 – 23 August 1507) was a French poet, chronicler, and composer. He is best remembered for his prose translation of ''Roman de la rose''.
Born in Desvres, which is now part of France, he studied in Paris. He entered the s ...
(1493)
*''Traité de rhétorique'' (1495–1500)
*''L'art et science de rhétorique vulgaire'' (1524–25)
Most of the surviving treatises of the "second rhetoric" are found in single manuscripts, although there is evidence of borrowing between them and of common models. Some may have been drawn up for the use of judges at poetry competitions, ''
puys d'amour'', while others are clearly designed for the use of noble patrons.
Edition
*
E. Langlois, ed.: ''Recueil d'arts de seconde rhétorique'' (Paris, 1902)
full text
Sources
*Ardis T. B. Butterfield. "Arts de seconde rhétorique". ''Medieval France: An Encyclopedia''. William W. Kibler and Grover A. Zinn, eds. Psychology Press, 1995.
*Marijke Spies, H. Duits, A. van Strien. ''Rhetoric, Rhetoricians, and Poets: Studies in Renaissance Poetry and Poetics''. Amsterdam University Press, 1999.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arts de seconde rhetorique
French poetry