Abstract
Starting from the observation that Maistre Alain Chartier’s clerical authority was based partly on classical erudition and partly on biblical wisdom, this article concentrates on the exploration of the second” voice” by identifying ways in which biblical discourse is reinvested in le Quadrilogue invectif (1422). Chartier creates for himself a persona of prophet and preacher for both patriotic and polemical ends. Biblical intertextuality also resonates to varying degrees through the voices of the characters involved in the debate : France, the People, the Knight, and the Clergy. The Bible and the examples within it help Chartier and his characters understand the difficulties of the present (and potentially to overcome them) at a critical time in the Hundred Years’ War. In short, this Biblical intertextuality heightens Chartier’s oratorical eloquence, strengthening his persuasive authority and his status as a committed writer.
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