Arthurian Romances, Tales and Lyric Poetry: The Complete Works of Hartmann Von Aue Book

"Medievalists from all areas will welcome the appearance of Hartmann von Aue's complete works in this one-volume English translation, which includes his lyric poetry and the difficult and not well known Lament. Tobin, Vivian, and Lawson provide excellent translations of each work and offer informative introductions and stimulating note sections to guide the nonspecialist, all of which will serve to make this most underrated of the German poets of the Middle Ages better known in the English-speaking world."--Francis S. Gentry, Penn State University Hartmann von Aue (c. 1170-1215) is universally recognized as the first medieval German poet to create world-class literature. He crafted German into a language of refined literary expression that paved the way for writers such as Gottfried von Strassburg, Walther von der Vogelweide, and Wolfram von Eschenbach. This volume presents the English reader for the first time with the complete works of Hartmann in readable, idiomatic English. Hartmann's literary efforts cover all the major genres and themes of medieval courtly literature. His Arthurian romances, Erec and Iwein, which he modeled after Chrétien de Troyes, introduced the Arthurian world to German audiences and set the standard for later German writers. His lyric poetry treats many aspects of courtly love, including fine examples of the crusading song. His dialogue on love delineates the theory of courtly relationships between the sexes and the quandary the lover experiences. His verse novellas Gregorius and Poor Heinrich transcend the world of mere human dimensions and examine the place and duties of the human in the divine scheme of things. Longfellow would later use Poor Heinrich in his Golden Legend. Arthurian Romances, Tales, and Lyric Poetry is a major work destined to place Hartmann at the center of medieval courtly literature for English readers.Read More