Why were many French literary works written in verse before 1200?

Before 1200, nearly all French literature was composed in verse primarily because it was designed for oral communication rather than silent reading.1

Professional minstrels known as jongleurs traveled to perform these works for public audiences, often incorporating musical accompaniment and mime. Because these performances relied on memory and sought an immediate impact, poets utilized verse as a structural aid. They frequently employed verbal formulas and clichés as a form of narrative shorthand, which helped performers maintain the flow of the story and engage their listeners.1

Furthermore, these poems were crafted to be strikingly visual and dramatic, focusing on action and gesture to convey character psychology and motives to a live audience. It was only as literacy rates increased and new genres emerged in the 13th century that prose began to find favor alongside verse as a literary medium.12