4

According to a hypothesis put forward by J.P. Martin, the conclusion of Girbert de Mez, for its last 3,000 verses, could be the work of a “mediocre continuator.” On a stylistic level, the conclusion diverges from the beginning with its focus on war (featuring an increase in the number of general battle scenes) and fewer descriptive motifs. We note, moreover, a shift in the spatial framework (the end of Girbert de Mez is set in the south west and south east of France) and a renewal of the narrative voice. Finally, it appears that the story following the death of Fromont, the main opponent of the Lorraine people, departs from the usual narrative structures of the song, the episodes of vendetta being replaced by episodes of crusade. The rich manuscript tradition of Girbert (fifteen manuscripts for the conclusion) also seems to support our hypothesis of a continuation of the work, with some parts marking the possibility of a premature conclusion of the text.