La Vie de sainct Christofle

La Vie de sainct Christofle is one of the rare original mystery plays to date back to the early sixteenth century. Its playwright, Master Chevalet, had already contributed to the Mystère des Trois Doms and here gives the full measure of his virtuosity. Delightful quick-fire dialogues for the “lower-class” characters, an elaborate dramatic structure, and visually striking scenes of battles, river crossings, and martyrdoms conjure up the whole universe of hagiographic dramatic poetry with unusual dramatic and literary acuteness. La Vie de sainct Christofle is a milestone in the development of the genre of the mystery play, as well as in the history of the language: Chevalet’s taste for proverbs and colourful expressions is both a godsend for lexicologists and a rare treat for readers.