Le Miracle de Théophile

work by Rutebeuf

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June 30, 2026

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Le Miracle de Théophile is an early French miracle play written by Rutebeuf, a poet and jongleur who flourished in the 13th century. Miracle plays were a type of vernacular drama popular in the Middle Ages, often depicting the lives, miracles, or martyrdom of saints.12

In Le Miracle de Théophile, the central theme is a priest who sells his soul to the devil but is ultimately saved by the Virgin Mary. This aligns with the common characteristic of Mary plays, where she intervenes to help those who call upon her, regardless of their worthiness. Rutebeuf's work is considered one of the earliest extant miracle plays in French.12

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Rutebeuf
…extant miracle plays in French, Le Miracle de Théophile (“The Miracle of Theophile”), on the traditional theme of a priest who sells his soul to the devil and is saved by the Virgin.
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…extant miracle plays in French, Le Miracle de Théophile (“The Miracle of Theophile”), on the traditional theme of a priest who sells his soul to the devil and is saved by the Virgin.
Read More

French literature
Religious drama
Rutebeuf’s Miracle de Théophile is an early version of the Faust theme, in which the Virgin Mary secures Théophile’s salvation. From the 14th century comes the Miracles de Notre-Dame par personnages (“Miracles of Our Lady with Dramatic Characters”), a collection of 40 miracles, partly based on…
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Rutebeuf’s Miracle de Théophile is an early version of the Faust theme, in which the Virgin Mary secures Théophile’s salvation. From the 14th century comes the Miracles de Notre-Dame par personnages (“Miracles of Our Lady with Dramatic Characters”), a collection of 40 miracles, partly based on…
Read More