Eilhart von Oberge was a German poet of the late 12th century. He is known exclusively through his Middle High GermanromanceTristrant, the oldest surviving complete version of the Tristan and Iseult story in any language.[1][2]Tristrant is part of the "common" or "primitive" branch of the legend, best known through Béroul's fragmentary Norman languageTristan.[3] It is German literature's first rendition of the story, though Gottfried von Strassburg's Tristan, part of the "courtly" branch, is more famous and respected.[4]
It is usually considered that Eilhart adapted his work from a French source, likely the same one used by Béroul, but the differences between Tristrant and Béroul's work suggest that Eilhart was not particularly faithful to the original.[1][2] Some episodes and details appearing in surviving fragments of Béroul are altered or omitted entirely, for instance Iseult's equivocal oath of fidelity to her husband Mark (in Béroul she swears she has had no man "between her legs" besides Mark and a beggar who carries her over a stream on his back; the beggar is really her lover Tristan in disguise.[5]) Tristrant also preserves scenes that do not survive in the known French fragments, most notably the conclusion; it contains the earliest known telling of Tristan's banishment and marriage to the second Iseult (the daughter of Hoel of Brittany), and of the lovers' deaths in a tragic turn of events.
Because of its relatively early date of composition, its relationship to Béroul's common branch, and its relatively intact state, Eilhart's Tristrant is of interest to scholars documenting the development of the Tristan and Iseult legend. French academic Joseph Bédier used it as the template for his Romance of Tristan and Iseult, his attempt to reconstruct what the story may have been like in its earliest state (the so-called "Ur-Tristan.")[6] Its esteem as a work of literature, however, often suffers in comparison to the other major versions. For example, Lacy, Ashe and Mancroff's The Arthurian Handbook says the poem is "overshadowed" by Gottfried's masterful version and provides its characters with weak psychological motivations, though it is still "worthy of admiration."[1]
^ abKalinke, Marianne E. (1991). "Eilhart von Oberge." In Norris J. Lacy, The New Arthurian Encyclopedia, pp. 127–128. New York: Garland. ISBN0-8240-4377-4.
^Jaeger, Stephen C. (1991). "Gottfried von Strassburg." In Lacy, Norris J. (Ed.), The New Arthurian Encyclopedia, pp. 206–211. New York: Garland. ISBN0-8240-4377-4.
eilhart, oberge, german, poet, late, 12th, century, known, exclusively, through, middle, high, german, romance, tristrant, oldest, surviving, complete, version, tristan, iseult, story, language, tristrant, part, common, primitive, branch, legend, best, known, . Eilhart von Oberge was a German poet of the late 12th century He is known exclusively through his Middle High German romance Tristrant the oldest surviving complete version of the Tristan and Iseult story in any language 1 2 Tristrant is part of the common or primitive branch of the legend best known through Beroul s fragmentary Norman language Tristan 3 It is German literature s first rendition of the story though Gottfried von Strassburg s Tristan part of the courtly branch is more famous and respected 4 It is usually considered that Eilhart adapted his work from a French source likely the same one used by Beroul but the differences between Tristrant and Beroul s work suggest that Eilhart was not particularly faithful to the original 1 2 Some episodes and details appearing in surviving fragments of Beroul are altered or omitted entirely for instance Iseult s equivocal oath of fidelity to her husband Mark in Beroul she swears she has had no man between her legs besides Mark and a beggar who carries her over a stream on his back the beggar is really her lover Tristan in disguise 5 Tristrant also preserves scenes that do not survive in the known French fragments most notably the conclusion it contains the earliest known telling of Tristan s banishment and marriage to the second Iseult the daughter of Hoel of Brittany and of the lovers deaths in a tragic turn of events Because of its relatively early date of composition its relationship to Beroul s common branch and its relatively intact state Eilhart s Tristrant is of interest to scholars documenting the development of the Tristan and Iseult legend French academic Joseph Bedier used it as the template for his Romance of Tristan and Iseult his attempt to reconstruct what the story may have been like in its earliest state the so called Ur Tristan 6 Its esteem as a work of literature however often suffers in comparison to the other major versions For example Lacy Ashe and Mancroff s The Arthurian Handbook says the poem is overshadowed by Gottfried s masterful version and provides its characters with weak psychological motivations though it is still worthy of admiration 1 Notes Edit a b c The Arthurian Handbook pp 100 101 a b Kalinke Marianne E 1991 Eilhart von Oberge In Norris J Lacy The New Arthurian Encyclopedia pp 127 128 New York Garland ISBN 0 8240 4377 4 The Arthurian Handbook pp 88 90 Jaeger Stephen C 1991 Gottfried von Strassburg In Lacy Norris J Ed The New Arthurian Encyclopedia pp 206 211 New York Garland ISBN 0 8240 4377 4 The Romance of Tristan The Romance of Tristan and Iseult pp 205 206 References EditBedier Joseph Belloc Hilaire translator 1994 The Romance of Tristan and Iseult New York Vintage Books ISBN 0 679 75016 9 Beroul Fedrick Alan S translator 1978 The Romance of Tristan The Tale of Tristan s Madness New York Penguin ISBN 0 14 044230 8 Lacy Norris J Ed 1991 The New Arthurian Encyclopedia New York Garland ISBN 0 8240 4377 4 Lacy Norris J Ashe Geoffrey and Mancroff Debra N 1997 The Arthurian Handbook New York Garland ISBN 0 8153 2081 7 External links EditWorks by or about Eilhart von Oberge at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eilhart von Oberge amp oldid 1068071777, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
