The author tries to investigate the changes occurring in the medieval epic heroes, concerning both
the conception of the personage and the characters’ particular features. In the case of Guillaume
d’Orange, the major differences between the epic poems devoted to him (in the 12th and 13th centuries)
and the prose adaptation (15th century) are related to a few very important issues. The hero’s activity
is less and less concentrated on the fight against the pagans and the protection of the royal power, thus enabling him to have a more personal motivation, especially love. His feelings are described
more directly, and he himself isn’t presented only as a rude warrior any more, but also as a courtly
lover, a strategist or a fine orator. The style of the scenes of which he is the protagonist becomes more
unified due to the omission of most of the comical fragments involving him. As for Huon, who already
in the 13th century poem hardly resembles a traditional epic hero, in the 15th century adaptation
he becomes more coherent than in the epic source, which is obtained mainly by his idealization and
sublimation. Although the evolution of both heroes reveals some similarities, there are some significant
changes as well observed in the literary world regardless of the chronology, which cannot be ignored.

The author tries to investigate the changes occurring in the medieval epic heroes, concerning both
the conception of the personage and the characters’ particular features. In the case of Guillaume
d’Orange, the major differences between the epic poems devoted to him (in the 12th and 13th centuries)
and the prose adaptation (15th century) are related to a few very important issues. The hero’s activity
is less and less concentrated on the fight against the pagans and the protection of the royal power, thus enabling him to have a more personal motivation, especially love. His feelings are described
more directly, and he himself isn’t presented only as a rude warrior any more, but also as a courtly
lover, a strategist or a fine orator. The style of the scenes of which he is the protagonist becomes more
unified due to the omission of most of the comical fragments involving him. As for Huon, who already
in the 13th century poem hardly resembles a traditional epic hero, in the 15th century adaptation
he becomes more coherent than in the epic source, which is obtained mainly by his idealization and
sublimation. Although the evolution of both heroes reveals some similarities, there are some significant
changes as well observed in the literary world regardless of the chronology, which cannot be ignored.