Are the Latin Responsories of the Jeu d’Adam the Source of the Play?

The seven responsories that are included in the vernacular dialogue of the Jeu d’Adam have been traditionally interpreted as being the source of the play. The French sections would be an example of the technique of farcitura, in other words they would be translations of a Latin model. In this article, I argue that this interpretation is incorrect. Close textual analysis of the Jeu d’Adam shows that these liturgical chants are not the starting point of the play but were subsequently added to it. The resemblance between the responsories and the French text can be accounted for by the author’s habit of paraphrasing the biblical text.