L’exemplum et l’histoire contemporaine La France et l’Italie dans le Livre de l’Espérance

This article examines how in two key passages of the Livre de l’Espérance Chartier-author uses first Foy and then Esperance in order to present contemporary French history as including Italy. In addition, the link between France and Italy in Esperance’s speech also functions to place France in a wider (more European) context. In these connections are studied Alain Chartier’s intertextual uses of Dante, as well as of Christine de Pizan, and Jean Froissart.