126-416 Gottfried von Strassburg: Tristan

37.5 points of second/third-year subjects. European studies students wishing to enrol in this subject would normally have completed 37.5 points of European studies at second/third year, see Prerequisites.

This subject analyses Gottfried von Strassburg's verse epic Tristan, which is rooted in Celtic oral tradition and has resulted in a variety of imitations by Anglo-Norman, French and German poets. Gottfried created one of the more compelling versions of the topic, combining the themes of passionate love, divided loyalties, adultery and the inevitable tragic ending. Gottfried's version attracted admiration but also led to diverging interpretations and to the central question whether this was in essence a Christian or a pagan work. This subject matter was set to music (Musikdrama) by Richard Wagner in his Tristan und Isolde. In addition to analysing themes and key aspects in Gottfried and Wagner, the subject will include detailed readings of the texts concerned in order to develop these themes and their relationship to sociocultural and ethical context of medieval Germany. On completion of the subject students should have improved their reading skills, developed critical methodologies for interpreting literary texts and gained an appreciation of the respective contexts of Gottfried's and Wagner's versions of Tristan und Isolde. During weekly class discussions students will have learned how to demonstrate the acquired knowledge of ethical and cultural contexts of medieval ethics intelligibly and succinctly.

A 1000-word class paper and an essay of 3000 words for 3rd year, a 1000-word class paper and a 4000-word essay for 4th year.

• J A Asher, A short descriptive grammar of Middle High German with texts and vocabulary. OUP, 1967.