A Comparative Analysis of "Guy of Warwick" and "Engelhard" in Light of Their History and Contemporary Mode of Thought (England, Germany).

Abstract

The dissertation analyzes the major narrative structure of two medieval verse romances, Guy of Warwick (author unknown) in Middle English (12,000 lines), a translation from Anglo-Norman of about 1240, but found in the Auchinleck Manuscript which dates from the turn of the century (about 1300), and Engelhard by Konrad von Wurzburg of about 1250 in Middle High German (6,500 lines). Comparisons are made in terms of their scope, their intention, their emphasis, their cultural values and their frame of reference in relation to other works of the same period, both in medieval English and in medieval German literature. Both works are based on friendship themes with emphasis on courtly chivalric values in the first half and predominantly Christian values in the second half, reflecting changing societal values which posed new literary problems throughout Europe. On the basis of this analysis, then, an effort was made to examine the importance of literary motifs within the works, such as character and dramatis personae, chivalry, courtly love, and Christian values, as substantial elements within these courtly epics. Both works reflect shifting values. These shifts are remarkably similar, and demonstrate a cohesion of cross-cultural and cross-continental ideas in this literary period. In each work, the expiation of sin results in the ultimate testing of the hero through an Old Testament biblical motif: in Guy of Warwick through a parallel to the David and Goliath theme; in Engelhard through an Abraham and the Sacrifice of Isaac theme. The conclusion of the analysis is that each work is a unique expression of the respective poet's assessment of lasting values within his cultural milieu. In each work this is achieved through illustration of the poet's ethical conceptions of "greatest worth" among the competing ideals of his time.