Enrolling through poetry : Pierre de Ronsard in the Discourses on the Miseries of this time (1560-1563)

Abstract

In times of crisis, logic would suggest that the poet abandon all other concerns to devote himself solely to the needs of his community. He must carry the voice of an entire people and align his speech with the expectations of the society of his time. The true role of the poet is always to inquire into the problems of his era, participating in and contributing to their resolution. He should only shirk this noble mission that the people expect of him. It was to this human commitment that Pierre de Ronsard devoted himself in 1562 when the tensions of the religious wars shook France. On that occasion, he wrote the Discourses on the Miseries of This Time in order to fully contribute to the proper functioning of his country. The purpose of his commitment was to justify his stance as a poet, but above all to show his contemporaries the way to follow. Thus, we propose to study the mechanisms through which the poet expresses himself in the discourses. This premise leads to examining the tools through which Ronsard's argumentation is based. The study also focuses on linguistic means such as persuasion, discursive strategies, and the poet's stance in relation to his time.