Les douzains d’Hélinand dans les mystères du xv^e siècle

Helinand’s stanza is still in use in c.15 French Mystery plays, but only as a simple tool. This paper aims to explain the reasons of this mutation. It explores the traditional uses and the new roles of the metric form on stage. Helinand’s stanza reveals the art of rewriting mystery plays, underlines the collaborations and the competitions between famous playwrights, and sheds a new light on the process of creating Medieval drama.