A History of German Literature Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 Excerpt: ...von Hausen, Reinmar, and others. He is also indirectly a disciple of the troubadours, and we can seldom or never discover in his writings with certainty where tradition ends, and independent development begins. Many of Walther's poems show no striking originality, but his Walther's peculiar talent is seen at once in such a poem as lyrics. hat wnere ne narrates a dialogue between a knight and his lady, a regular tournament of words; or that in which he represents Fortune distributing her gifts, but persistently turning her back on him. He seizes on the old idea that the body is the garment of the man, and turns it to account in praising his lady. He has never seen a more beautiful robe than hers: wisdom and good fortune are embroidered upon it. Friedrich von Hausen in his earliest and shortest song tells of the happiness of love which he has enjoyed in a dream, and reproaches his waking eyes for robbing him of it. One of Walther's poems also describes how, in a dream, he met a girl going to the dance, and presented her with a wreath, how she granted him happiness, and how since then he has sought her everywhere. This whole poem was evidently meant to be sung to dancing. The incident of a girl telling of a secret meeting with her lover had also been turned to account by earlier poets: but Walther's song, ' Unter der Linde an der Heide, ' stands alone in its naivete, grace, and roguish fun. We are almost inclined to declare it the most beautiful song in the whole poetry of the Minnesingers, so full is it of life and variety. Walther everywhere gives us dramatic situation and action. He contrasts favourably with Petrarch, who, though Waltiier's he took so much trouble to hand down the beauty dramatic of his Laura to posterity, yet never gets beyond power, a tedi...