From
the twelfth century onwards, the legends of King Arthur and his knights spread across
Europe, producing a vast range of adaptations and new stories. The German and Dutch
response to these legends is of particular importance, as the Arthurian subject matter
underwent a lively process of adaptation and transmission in its contact with north and
central European traditions; this reception also produced work of outstanding aesthetic
quality.
‘ . . . the reader is presented with a vast scope of Arthuriana in the German and Dutch literature, along with the Czech (Bohemian) literature (Alfred Thomas), an area, mostly ignored by other scholars. The other pleasant feature proves to be the editors’ willingness to incorporate the representatives from the late Middle Ages, recognizing them as being as important as those from the high Middle Ages . . . the reader is well served with a volume of excellent articles written by outstanding German and British medievalists. The authors have successfully summarized our current knowledge and presented it in a highly readable and pleasant manner.’ Stvdi Medievali
‘An exemplary contribution to an important series of survey volumes, this collection of nineteen essays with a substantial, genuinely synthesising introduction offers a magisterial overview of Arthurian literature . . . This rich and reliable synthesis will be an essential orientation and reference for student and scholarly readers.’ Forum for Modern Language Studies
‘ . . . an excellent source for a thoroughgoing introduction to the field . . . The volume is excellently edited and handsomely produced, printed on glossy paper and with the most readable typeface. The editors and the University of Wales Press should be commended for an outstanding job.’ Journal of English and Germanic Philology
“The editors and contributors to this enterprise have produced a volume with wide appeal; it is essential for specialists in medieval German literature, but it provides a valuable introduction to the material for a much wider audience, including specialists in other areas of medieval literature. Specialists in French literature, for instance, will find fascinating the evidence for the reception of France romance. In addition to these specialised audiences, the collection will be extremely useful to amateurs, giving them solid information and good orientation in complex material” Folklore
“The inclusive nature of this collection leads to a broader base and to new insights on the corpus of texts examined. The volume fulfils not only the goals of the series but also opens additional paths for future investigations in Arthurian studies.” Monatshefte
‘ . . . it is a great pleasure to find a work of outstanding scholarship so well presented: binding, paper, design, all meet the high standards of the past. In content, too, the work is comprehensive and readable, convincing us that we are enjoying the fruits of the latest conjectures and discoveries.’ www.gwales.com
‘The bibliographies are a scholar’s dream: the most recent scholarship is cited in addition to important classic works of the past. The index should be a model for those dealing with variant spellings and versions of similar works. The Arthur of the Germans should be brought for every college and university library where German literature, and medieval studies offered.’
The Arthur of the Germans provides the most inclusive and up-to-date survey of Arthurian works and themes in medieval German and Dutch literature; combining critical discussion of interpretative issues with exploration of the historical context, it also examines pictorial representations of Arthurian topics, the impact of Arthurian motifs on medieval German life, and the revival and adaptation of Arthurian legends in the German-speaking world from the eighteenth century to the present day. The Arthur of the Germans will become an indispensable reference work for anyone interested in Arthurian studies.
This volume is the third in a series entitled Arthurian Literature in the Middle Ages published in association with the Vinaver Trust. The Arthur of the Welsh appeared in 1991, followed by The Arthur of the English in 1999. Further volumes are being prepared on French and Iberian Arthurian legends.
W. H. Jackson is Senior Lecturer in German at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of Chivalry in Twelfth-Century Germany: the Works of Hartmann von Aue (1994). Silvia Ranawake is Professor of German at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. Her most recent book is an edition of the work of Walther von der Vogelweide.
Contents and Contributors