Hartmann von Aue: „Gregorius“

Short Description

With Gregorius, written around 1190, Hartmann von Aue created a masterpiece of courtly saintly life that builds on the tradition of French sources while enriching it with original, mythical elements. Hartmann vividly portrays the extreme twists of an Oedipal destiny faced by the eponymous hero, Gregorius, with striking dramatic intensity while simultaneously expanding the narrative beyond its medieval settings to explore mythical dimensions of guilt, atonement, and divine grace — an enduring fascination that resonates to this day.
The new introduction synthesizes the latest scholarly debates and offers innovative perspectives on the complex themes of Gregorius. A novel, pedagogically designed layout facilitates access to this central work of medieval literature while situating it within a broader context of medieval adaptations of the ancient Oedipus myth.

Series Description

The new series provides lucidly illustrated introductions to classical texts of the German Middle Ages. Students and anyone interested in literature will gain an overview of epoch-making accomplishments, themes and genres of German medieval literature. Practical tests of the medieval production of books, exemplary translations and interpretations equip the reader with the basic knowledge necessary to understand the unique character of medieval literature and book design. In addition, excursuses on the history of reception illustrate the historic changes in the perception of the Middle Ages since the 19th century. As a whole, the volumes provide a comprehensive contentual and methodological tool for the study of medieval German literature. Thanks to the generous illustrations and the translations, the series is also an invitation to anyone interested in literature to explore the classical authors and works for themselves in original medieval versions.