Topographies of Gender in Middle High German Arthurian Romance by Alexandra Sterling-Hellenbrand

Author:Alexandra Sterling-Hellenbrand [Sterling-Hellenbrand, Alexandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781136700200
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2014-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

The Courtly (Arthurian) World

The Orient in Parzival provides a thematic and geographic frame for the work. Both Belacane and Secundille are located on its margins, geographically remote from, yet thematically linked to, the courtly “center” of the world. Although Wolfram situates the colorful figure of Herzeloyde50 within more familiar Arthurian boundaries, her fate reveals a similar mechanism of marginalization, albeit under different circumstances and in different spaces. Unlike Belacane and Secundille, she does not belong “outside” the traditional borders of the courtly world; on the contrary, her kingdoms of Waleis and Norgals lie within the perimeters of Europe. As her brother Trevrizent reveals in Book IX, she herself had been sent by the Grail to become the wife of king Castis. (494,15–30) In a sense, she comes from outside the Arthurian world to take her place within it as queen, wife, and eventually mother.

Of all the characters that cross Parzival’s landscape, with the possible exception of Orgeluse, Herzeloyde has elicited the most varied responses from scholars, depending upon which of her three roles is under consideration: independent queen, Gahmuret’s wife, and Parzival’s mother. Not surprisingly, it is the latter role as widowed mother of the future Grail king that has been the primary critical focus. As Parzival’s mother, Herzeloyde represents his biological and spiritual link to the Grail world.51 Both her widowhood and her motherhood are traditionally interpreted as indications of her selflessness, humility, and passivity. For Gerhards, Herzeloyde’s widowhood illustrates “den Typus der passiv duldenden Frau.”52 Schwietering praises the “selbstlose Hingabe” as “Mütterlichkeit” in the case of women like Herzeloyde (as well as Condwiramurs and Sigune),53 while Ehrismann sees in Herzeloyde “ein menschliches Abbild der schmerzensreichen Mutter Jesu.”54 Gibbs also maintains that “it is at the birth of Parzival that Herzeloyde comes to perfect womanhood,”55 citing the frequent association of Herzeloyde with the image of the Virgin Mary.

It must be recognized, however disillusioning this may seem, that Herzeloyde possesses the qualities not only of Mary but also of Eve.56 Most critics react like Heise, who tries to excuse the characteristics that make Herzeloyde appear egotistical, insisting that the “Triebkräfte in Herzeloyde sind ihre Liebe und ihre Entsagung” and that she exemplifies “die Kraft der triuwe.”57 Lewis sees an illustration of Herzeloyde’s “hybris” in her rather prideful association of herself with the Virgin Mary, which would shock Wolfram’s audience if Wolfram had not previously shown them Herzeloyde’s egocentric personality.58 While Lewis’ interpretation of Herzeloyde as an iconoclast exaggerates her character somewhat, it is undeniably true that she takes active part in what Walter Haug has described as “ein unentrinnbarer Kreislauf von Gewalt und Begierde,” the defining feature of the Gahmuret books.59

As the queen who quite literally forces Gahmuret to become her consort, her motives and her passion for Gahmuret are not exactly ideal and pure.60 On the contrary, its erotic undertones surface in at least two instances. The first involves the rather bizarre use of the shift with which Gahmuret covers his shield in battle. Although the shift, which has

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.