La paix au détriment de la vérité La leçon des arcanes procéduraux du Roman de Renart

The narrative unity of much of the Roman de Renart centers on the trial of the main character after his rape of the she-wolf. Although the pursuit of truth is supposed to be the aim of a judicial procedure whose legality and proceedings are overseen by Noble the Lion King, ultimately it seems that the purpose of royal justice is less the establishment of a judicial truth than the restoration of the harmony necessary for universal peace.