Hartmann von Aue
A Middle High German epic poet and minnesinger; died between 1210
and 1220. Little is known concerning his life; neither the place nor
the date of his birth has been ascertained. He Was a Swabian knight
in the service of the Lords of Aue, and was exceptionally
well-educated for a layman of his time, being able to read and to
write and possessing a knowledge of French and Latin, besides being
well versed in the literature of his time. His life Was
comparatively uneventful. The death of his liege lord, whom he
mourns in tender verses, was the occasion of his joining a crusade,
whether that of 1197, or the earlier one of 1189, is uncertain. He
must have died shortly after 1210, for Gottfried von Strasburg in
his "Tristan", composed about that year, speaks of him as still
living, while Heinrich von dem Türlin in his "Krone", written
between 1215 and 1220, mentions him as one deceased. Hartmann is the
author of a number of lyric poems in the fashion of the age, dealing
largely with Minne or love. More original than these
Minnesongs are his crusading lyrics. He also wrote two
büchelîn poetic epistles of an amatory nature; but
his authorship of the second of these epistles is disputed. His fame
rests on his four epics, "Erec", "Iwein", "Gregorius", and "Der arme
Heinrich" (Poor Henry).
The "Erec", Hartmann's earliest work, composed about 1192, marks
the introduction of the Arthurian romances into German literature.
It was modelled on the French poem of Chrestien de Troyes, but
considerably amplified and otherwise altered. Its fundamental
motif is the conflict between Minne and knightly
honour. Erec neglects his knightly duties in his devotion to his
lovely bride Enite; when reproached by her, he makes her accompany
him on an expedition which restores his tarnished prestige, but in
the course of which Enite suffers the harshest treatment. In the end
the lovers are reconciled. In the "Iwein", based on Chrestien's
"Chevalier au Lion", the same motif is utilized, but here the
hero, having neglected his wife for knightly adventures, is rejected
by her and goes insane. After passing through many ordeals he
regains her favour. In this poem the court epic is shown in its
classic form. Less pretentious are the legendary epics. "Gregorius",
based on a French poem of unknown authorship, is the story of a
medieval &$0140;dipus, who unwittingly marries his own mother, but
atones for his enormities by most rigorous penance, and in the end
is esteemed a saint and elected pope. "Der arme Heinrich" is a
charming tale of womanly devotion. A poor maid offers herself as a
sacrifice that her lord, who is smitten with leprosy, may be healed.
But at the last moment the knight refuses the sacrifice; as a reward
he is miraculously restored to health and the maiden becomes his
wife. For this work the poet used a written source, probably a Latin
chronicle, of which however nothing definite is known.
Hartmann was the favourite poet of courtly circles, whose ideals
are most perfectly reflected in his works. The faultless form and
polished diction of his epics made them the classic models for
subsequent poets. A complete edition of Hartmann's works is that of
Fedor Bech (2nd ed., 3 vols.) in "Deutsche Klassiker des
Mittelalters", edited by Pfeiffer, IV-VI (Leipzig, 1887-1893).
Selections were edited by P. Piper in Kürschner's "Deutsche
National Litteratur". There is a separate edition of "Erec" by M.
Haupt (2nd ed., Leipzig, 1871); of "Iwein" by Emil Henrici (Halle,
1891-93); of "Gregorius" by H. Paul (Halle, 1873); of "Der arme
Heinrich" by H. Paul (3rd ed., Halle, 1904). Translations of the
last-mentioned work into modern German were made by Simrock (2nd
ed., Heilbronn, 1874), Bötticher (Halle, 1891), and Legerlotz
(Bielefeld, 1904).
See the introductions to the editions above
mentioned; also SCHÖNBACH, Ueber H. von Aue (Graz,
1894); PIQUET, Etude sur H. d'Aue (Paris, 1898).
ARTHUR F. J. REMY.
Transcribed by Douglas J. Potter
Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin
Mary
The Catholic
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