The Roman de la Rose by Jean Semont
Sep 11, 2023
The Roman de la Rose (or the Romance of the Rose) is perhaps the greatest love story in French literature. It is a poem written in Old French around 1230 initially by Guillaume de Lorris. The Lover falls asleep and dreams of finding his love, symbolized by the Rose. On his quest he encounters many personifications—Jealousy, Desire, Hate, Old Age. But not the Rose. Alas he suddenly wakes up, bereft, dejected, lovelorn.