Typology and Old Testament Prophets in Guillaume Le Clerc’s Fergus

Abstract

The late thirteenth-century verse romance Fergus by Guillaume Le Clerc has received a wide range of critical review. Some consider it a true epigonal text replete with incongruous and comical elements and written in the style of Chretien de Troyes, though never living up to his standards. Others are more appreciative of Guillaume’s work, judging it to be a well-written, coherent, and innovative reworking of old themes in new and, at times, unexpected ways. Still others recognize in Fergus a clever parody. Most recently, it has been suggested that Fergus contains an important typological element that reveals the poet’s intent and overarching message. This article proposes a new typological construction and examines if this construction informs an overarching message for Guillaume’s text.