Nicolas Boileau Despréaux

Le Lutrin, poème héroï-comique

"Le Lutrin, poème héroï-comique" by Nicolas Boileau Despréaux is a mock-heroic poem published between 1672 and 1683. The work transforms a trivial dispute between a treasurer and a cantor into an epic parody, demonstrating that grand poetic forms can elevate even the most insignificant subjects. Unlike other parodies of its time, Boileau builds a serious literary work from mundane material rather than mocking noble themes. The poem also critiques contemporary literary trends, including popular novels and excessive use of allegory and mythology.