THE LOVE THEME IN GOTTFRIED`S TRISTAN AND ISOLDE AND

THE
LOVE THEME IN GOTTFRIED'S TRISTAN AND
ISOLDE
AND I T S TREATMENT IN GERMAN LITERATURE
FROM THE ROMANTICS
TO WAGNER
by
MARIA H. LENOS
B.A., U n i v e r s i t y
of Zagreb,
194-3
A THESIS SUBMITTED I N PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF
THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER
OF ARTS
i n t h e Department o f
GERMAN
We a c c e p t
required
THE
this
thesis
as c o n f o r m i n g t o t h e
standard
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
September,
1967
In p r e s e n t i n g t h i s t h e s i s
in p a r t i a l f u l f i l m e n t of the requirements
f o r an advanced degree at the U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia,
I agree
t h a t the L i b r a r y s h a l l make i t f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e f o r r e f e r e n c e and
Study.
thesis
I f u r t h e r agree t h a t p e r m i s s i o n f o r e x t e n s i v e c o p y i n g of
f o r s c h o l a r l y purposes may be g r a n t e d by the Head o f my
Department or by h.iJs r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s .
or p u b l i c a t i o n of t h i s t h e s i s
Department of
German
The U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia
Vancouver 8, Canada
September 28,
1967
It
i s understood t h a t
copying
f o r f i n a n c i a l gain s h a l l not be a l l o w e d
w i t h o u t my w r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n .
Date
this
A B S T R A C T
Although there
are several versions
of T r i s t a n and I s o l d e
none h a s s u r v i v e d
they lacked
par
before
of the s t o r y
G o t t f r i e d von
Strassburg
i n more t h a n f r a g m e n t a r y form, s i n c e
appeal to f o l l o w i n g generations.
excellence
I s t h a t by G o t t f r i e d .
The v e r s i o n
H i s method o f w r i t i n g
I n a l l e g o r i e s a n d s y m b o l s , w h i c h he u s e s t o c o n v e y t o h i s
select
audience of edele
h i s words, has g i v e n
pretations.
most n o t e d
attempt
h e r z e n t h e d e e p e r meaning o f
rise
t o many c o n t r o v e r s i a l
The c o n t r a d i c t i n g i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f t h e
scholars
are b r i e f l y
t o u c h e d upon a n d a n
i s made t o o f f e r a more b a l a n c e d a p p r o a c h t o
Gottfried's
The
ideal
of love.
l a t e r medieval continuations
Turheim and H e i n r i c h v o n F r e i b e r g
relation
the
t o each other
Eilhart
tion
inter-
version,
of outer
as w e l l
are considered
as t o G o t t f r i e d .
a c t i o n , remained popular.
century
in
Only
e n t i r e l y b a s e d on e f f e c t i v e n a r r a -
i n t o p r o s e by a n unknown a u t h o r
fifteenth
by U l r i c h v o n
T h i s was p u t
i n the second h a l f of the
a n d became known as t h e P r o s e
Romance.
I n i t t h e o l d c o u r t l y e p i c was r e d u c e d t o a s t o r y f o r
entertainment
the
level
The
the
in
the
and i t s s t y l e c o n s e q u e n t l y a l t e r e d t o s u i t
of the
readers.
P r o s e Romance
of the s i x t e e n t h
s o u r c e f o r Hans S a c h s who
century
r e t o l d the T r i s t a n legend
s i x M e i s t e r l i e d e r a n d one drama (1553)legend
seemed f o r g o t t e n
became
f o r two c e n t u r i e s
Hereafter
u n t i l the
- i i i
German R o m a n t i c Movement
course
and
of i t s general
literary
past.
Romantics t o c r e a t e
revived interest
i n i t i n the
e m p h a s i s on t h e German
Several
cultural
a t t e m p t s were made by t h e
independent v e r s i o n s
i n s p i r e d by
G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n and u n d e r t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e
critical
w r i t i n g s o f S c h l e g e l and
The
attempts at l i t e r a r y
others.
versions
of the T r i s t a n -
theme by A u g u s t Wilhelm. v o n S c h l e g e l , K a r l P h l l i p p
Conz,
W i l h e l m W a c k e r n a g e l and F r i e d r i c h R i i c k e r t a r e b r i e f l y
discussed
and a n a l y z e d
of l o v e .
The r e s u l t s
i n the l i g h t
o f Romantic
of T r i s t a n a r e s u r p r i s i n g l y
evidence
only
p o s s i b l e to put forward
length.
Only a f t e r
Wilhelm
It
i t is
regarding
the Romantics a r e t h e r e
and
a t some
any s e r i o u s
scholastically
Simrock,
Hertz).
was l e f t
to Richard
Wagner, on t h e b a s i s
to "rehabilitate"
o f modern
the T r i s t a n legend i n
i t has v e r y
G o t t f r i e d , i t i s nevertheless
Gottfried
in
a t e n t a t i v e theory
i s therefore discussed
m u s i c drama a n d a l t h o u g h
with
specific
for this,
t r a n s l a t i o n s (Hermann K u r t z , K a r l
translations,
his
i n t h e theme
meagre a n d s i n c e no
t o produce l i n g u i s t i c a l l y
acceptable
theories
O n l y Immermann p r o d u c e d a work o f
consequence and t h i s
efforts
interest
c a n be a d d u c e d a s t o t h e r e a s o n
some o f t h e c a u s e s .
any
of Romantic
little
i n common
t h e o n l y work
t h a t has succeeded i n p r o v o k i n g
further
since
interest
Tristan.
M.
S.
Batts
iv -
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Chapter I .
G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n and
l a t e r medieval v e r s i o n s
1
Chapter I I .
Romanticism.
Chapter I I I .
V e r s i o n s by the Romantics
6l
Chapter IV.
Translations
91
Chapter V.
R i c h a r d Wagner's music drama
T r i s t a n und I s o l d e
Chapter VI.
Conclusion
33
104
120
Footnotes
124-
Bibliography
130
CHAPTER I
GOTTFRIED'S TRISTAN AND LATER MEDIEVAL
The
story of the i l l
f a t e d love
VERSIONS
of T r i s t a n and
I s o l d e , which i s b a s i c a l l y C e l t i c ,
received
form with G o t t f r i e d von Strassburg
about 1 2 1 0 .
t o Germany v i a E n g l a n d a n d F r a n c e g a t h e r i n g
new
in
e p i s o d e s and m o t i f s
I t came
on i t s way
around the o l d saga.
I t i s only
t h e number o f t h e s e e p i s o d e s and t y p e o f t h e m o t i f s
that
is
its classical
the various
adaptations
differ;
b a s i c a l l y the story
as f o l l o w s .
Tristan
i s t h e s o n o f R i v a l i n and B l a n c h e f l o r ,
o f K i n g Mark o f C o r n w a l l .
battle,
Blancheflor
Tristan.
dies
After Rivalin i s killed i n
giving birth
A t t h e age o f f o u r t e e n ,
t o a s o n named
a f t e r t h e b o y h a s been,
k i d n a p p e d by Norwegian merchants and put ashore
he
sister
f i n d s h i s way t o h i s u n c l e
Mark, who
i n Cornwall,
i s at f i r s t
unaware
o f h i s i d e n t i t y b u t on l e a r n i n g i t a c c e p t s h i m a s h i s
nephew a n d h e i r .
The
T r i s t a n romance p r o p e r b e g i n s a t t h i s
T r i s t a n defeats
claims
in
the I r i s h
t r i b u t e from Cornwall,
only
by the I r i s h
T r i s t a n comes t o I r e l a n d
disguised
uncle's
but l a t e r
envoy t o r e q u e s t
wounded
sword a n d c a n be
queen I s o l d e , M o r h o l t " s
sister.
as the m i n s t r e l
i s r e c e i v e d b y t h e q u e e n who h e a l s
t o Mark's c o u r t
annually
b u t he i s m o r t a l l y
t h e e n c o u n t e r by M o r h o l t ' s p o i s o n e d
healed
and
g i a n t M o r h o l t , who
point.
him..
Tantris
Tristan
returns
goes b a c k t o I r e l a n d a s h i s
t h e hand o f t h e p r i n c e s s
Isolde.
- 2 -
On the journey homeward T r i s t a n and Isolde by mistake
drink the love potion prepared by the Queen Mother and
intended f o r her daughter and King Mark.
Henceforth the
two young people are bound to each other by an
love that becomes t h e i r f a t e .
imperishable
Since Isolde i s l e g a l l y
bound to Mark, the lovers have to resort to ruses
and
deceit i n order to meet, whilst Mark and his courtiers
seek to entrap them.
For some time they escape the snares
l a i d f o r them u n t i l f i n a l l y they are discovered
T r i s t a n Is obliged to f l e e the country.
finds a new
and
He eventually
love i n Isolde Whitehand and marries
her
but cannot bring himself to consummate the marriage.
Later, when he i s mortally wounded i n b a t t l e , he c a l l s f o r
Isolde the F a i r to heal him..
When the ship i s sighted,
Tristan's wife informs him incorrectly that the ship i s
approaching under a black s a i l , which means that Isolde
i s not on board.
T r i s t a n dies.
Overcome by disappointment and sorrow,
Isolde, having arrived too late to save
Tristan, also y i e l d s up her l i f e over his body.
follows t h e i r deaths:
A miracle
a vine and rosebush grow out of
t h e i r graves and intertwine t h e i r branches.
One of the e a r l i e s t l i t e r a r y adaptations
o r i g i n a l saga was
the one by the German poet E i l h a r t
Oberge, late i n the twelfth century
s i x t i e s or the beginning
und Isalde.
of t h i s
von
(at the end of the
of the seventies), Tristrant
Since E i l h a r t ' s work i s available only i n
fragments, i t has to be reconstructed by r e l y i n g on a
- 3 Czech t r a n s l a t i o n
Romance o f
main
the
source.
Estolre
poem a n d o n t h e
fifteenth
century,
E i l h a r t based
and
1
of h i s
true
to
the
trend
adventures
and h e r o i c
is
not
his
main i n t e r e s t ,
of
the
main characters.
excitement,
and the
deeds
l u s t y and
To h i m t h e
lovers
because
they
not
influence
He
has
very
hand's
to
of
the
it.
The d e e p e r
popularity
fact
Gottfried's
on
of
Another
important
Anglo-Norman poet
later
on a l s o
original
poet
of
of
was
educated,
to
relies
and r e f i n e d
make
it
behaviour
and
the
trank).
Isolde
White-
o n l y a few
lines
is
p r o v e d by
their
the
continuations
and t h a t
the
on E i l h a r t .
the
saga
late
they
outstanding
courtly
is
that
twelfth
s t i l l
by
the
century,
to
show t h a t
merit.
life,
portrays
society.
acceptable
the
German and O l d N o r s e .
remain,
enthusiastically
of
way u n d e r
(unsaeliger
based
v e r s i o n of
c o u r t l y l o v e and
England,
order
a work of
action,
on G o t t f r i e d ' s ,
into
feelings
their
other
love
e s c a p e s him. c o m p l e t e l y .
successors
translated
the
various
aspects
and devotes
Thomas f r o m t h e
Though o n l y fragments
crude
E i l h a r t ' s epic
Romance a l s o
the
innermost
in Tristan's
it
was
so-called
depicting
any
Prose
foreground;
excused f o r
potion"
E i l h a r t ' s v e r s i o n and not
German P r o s e
the
acted
of
it
period,
i n the
often
marriage
sense
The g r e a t
that
have
interest
unconsummated
the
are
are
"accursed
l i t t l e
of
are
nor
which
work on the
He e n j o y s
story.
could
his
for
German
Thomas
who,
his
i n his
ideal
He r e w o r k e d t h e
the
more
refined
of
the
is
a
praise
a
poem
modern,
in
courtly
level
o f h i s t i m e and p l a c e o f w r i t i n g .
g r e a t e r u n i t y and p l a u s i b i l i t y
minating c e r t a i n improbable
improved
and
t h e g e n e r a l t o n e o f t h e e p i c b y a more
refined
style.
His nature i n c l i n e d
a n a l y s e s of i n n e r f e e l i n g s
all,
however, f r o m ,
n o t a s a p e r s o n who
and
i n t h e m a i n s t o r y by
e p i s o d e s and f a b l e s ,
r a t h e r t h a n t h e e p i c and he
it
sufferings.
as
has
therefore
and
carefully
In t h i s
analyses
towards
conflicts.
Consequently,
towards
of emotion,
the
h i s v e r s i o n of the l o v e
on
plane,
emotions
the i m p r e s s i o n c r e a t e d
of a
Strassburg.
1210),
epic based
by
rationalist
l a c k s warmth.
reflection,
of the t h i r t e e n t h century (ca.
lyrical
He d e s c r i b e s
m o t i v a t i o n and
Thomas f o u n d a k i n d r e d s p i r i t
German p o e t G o t t f r i e d v o n
he
sensitive
experienced such
motivates a l l events, but
leaning
and
i t were, a n i n t e l l e c t u a l
actually
eli-
tends to focus
Thomas' p s y c h o l o g i c a l a n a l y s e s I s t h a t
who
Thomas a c h i e v e d
i n the
In the b e g i n n i n g
Gottfried
wrote
on T h o m a s — a l t h o u g h
a l s o knew E i l h a r t — a n d
he
final
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e work b r e a k s o f f
in
classical
the midst
form.
i t i s who
he
g i v e s the epic i t s
o f T r i s t a n ' s monologue b e f o r e h i s m a r r i a g e
t o I s o l d e Whitehand.
I t i s most l i k e l y
that
death prevented
t h e p o e t from, c o m p l e t i n g i t .
Compared w i t h Thomas, G o t t f r i e d
He
has
it
with great s k i l l
motifs.
not merely
i s the g r e a t e r a r t i s t .
t r a n s l a t e d Thomas' e p i c ,
he h a s r e f a s h i o n e d "
by m o d i f y i n g t h e form, r a t h e r t h a n t h e
I n g e n e r a l , he f o l l o w s Thomas s c e n e by
as he h i m s e l f s t a t e s
i n the prologue
(1^9
ff.),
scene,
and
the
c h a n g e s made m a i n l y amount t o t h e a d d i t i o n o f g r e a t e r i n sight
well
and depth i n t h e a n a l y s e s
level,
learning; i n short, G o t t f r i e d
G o t t f r i e d had s t u d i e d widely,
fields
o f law, c l a s s i c a l
was o b v i o u s l y
of h i s words.
literature
f a m i l i a r with
method a n d u s e d
to h i s "select'
and
spiritual
Thomas.
Since
bolical
s t r u c t u r e t o a more
a i d e d by h i s e x t e n s i v e
transcends
he
s t a t e s , as
a s t o p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y more p l a u s i b l e m o t i v a t i o n .
He e l e v a t e s t h e w h o l e i n n e r
the
of emotional
and theology,
the a l l e g o r i c a l
i t t o a great
audience
especially i n
of edele
extent
a n d sym-
t o convey
h e r z e n t h e d e e p e r meaning
I t i s m a i n l y due t o t h e u s e o f t h e s e
symbols t h a t many c o n t r o v e r s i e s a r o s e
interpretation,
allegories
regarding the
t h e i n n e r m e a n i n g o r message o f T r i s t a n .
Some s c h o l a r s saw o n l y u n r e s t r a i n e d
sensual
love
glorified
2a
i n the epic
the
(Dilthey, Scherer)
Renaissance.
O t h e r s saw t h e e x a c t
namely t h e r e l i g i o u s
is
elevated
character
(de B o o r ) ,
t h e c a v e o f l o v e r s i s sym(Ranke),
of t h e l o v e r s i s understood m y s t i c a l l y
different
Weber, who c l a i m s
the
various
with
of the school
any o f them.
(Schwietering).
that G o t t f r i e d incorporated
religious
and t h e u n i o n
2 d
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n i s o f f e r e d b y G.
teachings
of Chartres,
i nTristan
of S t . Augustine, S t .
Bernard of C l a i r v a u x , of the Cathars,
and
in i t ,
of l o v e , which a t times
i n t e r p r e t e d as a church
A completely
opposite
even t o a d o c t r i n e ; t h e l o v e r s a r e c o n s i d e r e d
"Minneheilige"
bolically
h e r a l d i n g the i d e a l of
without
of the Amalricians,
identifying
G o t t f r i e d ' s "Love m y s t i c i s m "
himself
i s to
6 Weber n o t a n a n a l o g y
metaphysics:
Christian,
w h i l e the
under the
e x c l u s i o n of God
in
the p a r t a k i n g of both the
dilemma, and
finally
result
s o u l and
the
or
soul
Christ,
crisis
of
man,
between e r o s and
agape.
essential
Interpreting Gottfried's
ere, which
factors for
society.
Denis
In
of the
of the c o u r t l y
comparison
interpretations,
and
Gerhard
understanding
s e t by
the
courtly
the key
i n t h e v i o l a t i o n by
levels:
the
realm).
to
the
doctrine.
seem t o o f f e r a more
Tax
reasonable
They see t h e l o v e o f T r i s t a n
the p h y s i c a l
as w e l l
union
love-bond,
through
or
towards which
suffering
and
(belonging to
as t o t h e r e a l m o f e v i l
spiritual
separated l o v e r s develop
the d i v i n e
standards
i s on
the views of S c h w i e t e r i n g , P e t r u s
c o u r t l y world,
d a r k n e s s ) , and
that
their
w i t h the f o r e g o i n g r a t h e r one-sided
and b a l a n c e d a p p r o a c h .
the
epic
love
Meissburger
I s o l d e on two
ideal,
de Rougemont, however, s e e s
the understanding
lovers
the
to
Tristan.
on t h e c o u r t l y
beween l o v e a n d
God
these are
F r i e d r i c h M a u r e r and Maria, B i n d s c h e d l e r b a s e
interpretations
love
Dualism,
i n a p e r v e r t e d r e l a t i o n s h i p between
and
other.
t h e body i n t h e
t h e demonic m e t a p h y s i c a l power o f l o v e ,
conflict
love-
w i t h each
t h e c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n minne and
Weber t h e d e c i s i v e
and
become one
t e n s i o n s b e t w e e n t h e body and
p h e n o m e n o n — i n the c r i s i s
and
w i t h God
l o v e i d e a i s rooted i n the
1
the
of C h r i s t i a n
Ideenstruktur i s completely
I s o l d e do n o t become one
F o r Weber, G o t t f r i e d s
and
an a n t i t h e s i s
the I d e e n i n h a l t i s v e r y u n - C h r i s t i a n , because
T r i s t a n and
but
but
the
(belonging to
„
7
It
i s obvious that
there
a r e s e v e r a l ways i n w h i c h
one
c a n approach G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c and attempt
the
riddle
o f i t s deeper meaning.
overlooked
prologue
are
that G o t t f r i e d himself
that
of the edele
He c l e a r l y
herzen.
of l o v e
i d e a does p l a c e
this
T r i s t a n and I s o l d e
stage of love,
explicit
circle
though
of edele
as t o t h e k i n d
w i l i n w o l bemaeren
edelen senedaeren,
r e i n e r sene w o l t a t e n s c h i n :
s e n e d a e r unde e i n s e n e d a e r i n ,
man e i n w i p , e i n w i p e i n man,
Isolt
(125
Tristan
ff.).
e m p h a s i s i s o n " r e i n e r s e n e v " i . e . , on t h e s p i r i t u a l -
soul l e v e l ;
triuwe"
An
equally
important
(219), " i r triuwe,
i s the accent
i r triuwen
the f i r s t
directed)
place
herzen
(231).
apparent:
( f o r whom. G o t t f r i e d w r i t e s
a n d t o whom h i s a l l e g o r i e s a n d s y m b o l i s m
i scontrasted
w h i c h may e n j o y r e a d i n g
with
the c o u r t l y society,
the epic as an e x c i t i n g love
without n e c e s s a r i l y appreciating
o f t h e s e two l e v e l s — w h i c h
Gottfried portrays
on " i n n e c l i c h i u
reinekeit"
e m e r g i n g o f two l e v e l s now becomes
the w o r l d of t h e edele
are
this
aspire t o :
Tristan Isolt,
in
Consequently,
them, w i t h i n t h e w o r l d
G o t t f r i e d i salso quite
ich
von
die
ein
ein
The
intentions
themselves a r e outside
l o n g a s t h e y do n o t r e a c h
basic
us i n h i s
states that h i s world i s
l o v e and sorrow.
even T r i s t a n and I s o l d e
the
has g i v e n
h e r z e n , t h a t w o r l d w h i c h embraces a n d
welcomes i n i t s h e a r t
as
B u t i t must n o t be
i n d i c a t i o n s a s t o how h i s a r t i s t i c
t o be judged.
to solve
i t s depth.
have v e r y
little
t h e main c h a r a c t e r s .
story,
On t h e b a s i s
i n common-
T r i s t a n and
Isolde
of c o u r s e
belong
B r a n g a e n e — t h o u g h the
to the
courtly
s c h e m i n g and
thing
she
to the
level
c o n f i d a n t e of the
society.
interested
o t h e r s t o do
(ere),
decorum a r e v e r y
she
toward a g g r e s s i v e
courtly
Mark, M a r j o d o , M e l o t ,
society,
understanding
upon t h e
t o the
the world
apparent
and
truth.
Obviously
and
communicating w i l l
f o r the
pared
favours
to
the
a c t i n g only
unable
in
to penetrate
to
understanding
sufferings,
on a more e l e v a t e d
under the
special
reference to t h i s
level.
guidance
com-
i s made
s a g e n w i r umb d a s k i n d e l i n
v a t e r n o c h muoter h a e t e ,
g o t m i t deme g e t a e t e .
seems t o i n t e r v e n e on b e h a l f
i n w h i c h he
i s b e i n g k i d n a p p e d by
when t h e f u r i o u s s e a
tempest, not
only
them c o m p l e t e l y
After
but
1788 f f :
und
daz
was
God
her;
s o m e t h i n g t h a t i s G o t t f r i e d ' s i n n o v a t i o n as
the f i r s t
with
i n c a p a b l e even of
c r e a t e t e n s i o n s and
i s meant t o be
t o Thomas, and
in lines
and
live
to
also belong
discrepancy
l o v e r s who
Tristan's path
o f God,
this
action,
edele herzen,
superficial
the
especially
of the
every-
norm.
Important
outside world
clever,
i s i n keeping
her highest
C o u r t l y manners and
compromise.
lovers—belongs
i n immediate a d v a n t a g e ;
c o n v e n t i o n a l c o u r t l y honour
inclined
herzen;
Brangaene i s e x c e e d i n g l y
does o r a d v i s e s
i s not
of edele
(2*4-25
ff.),
of T r i s t a n
i n the
Norwegian merchants,
w h i p p e d by
a
terrible
i n t i m i d a t e s the merchants but
h e l p l e s s and
e i g h t d a y s and
episode
i n d e s p a i r of t h e i r
near to exhaustion,
one
leaves
lives.
of the
merchants
-
feels
that
sinful
this
terrible
9
-
s i t u a t i o n has
treachery i n kidnapping T r i s t a n
resolve
t o s e t him
Instantly
Tristan
f r e e as
s o o n as t h e
the t u r m o i l i n nature begins
Is set
as
and
storm, s u b s i d e s .
to recede
d'esprit"
he
excels i n speaking
lacks
to the p o i n t of t e l l i n g
to astound
for
is
situation
people.
courtly
and
geared
attitude
a t no
music,
of h i s
implications
adventurer,
of
i n order
instinct
E v e r y t h i n g i n him
stands with
of the c o u r t l y w o r l d — w i t h
S c h e i n " ; he
i s , cannot
least
h i s shrewd, o f t e n
self-glorification,
ambition.
both
a l l its
i s a gambler,
justified
to observe
to
combined w i t h h i s
c o u r t l y youth
" S e i n und
he
"presence
tales
spirit.
t o whom a l l means a r e
she
tall
h i s cunning,
It i s interesting
as c l e v e r as
great
c o v e r up h i s i n h e r e n t
to s e l f - i n t e r e s t ,
on t h e l e v e l
goal.
in
i n t o h i s f a v o u r , or at
time k n i g h t l y
T r i s t a n as a b r i l l i a n t
feet
comprehensive
In s p i t e
A l l these t r a i t s
self-preservation,
brutal
and
languages,
accomplishments.
i n h i b i t i o n b u t has
turn a d i f f i c u l t
polished
and
a c q u i r e s g r e a t s e l f - a s s u r a n c e , a k e e n mind;
completely
they
ashore.
i n a l l courtly
y o u t h he
their
( 2 4 4 l f f . ) and
T r i s t a n r e c e i v e s a most d i v e r s i f i e d
e d u c a t i o n and
i t s cause
that
an
to reach h i s
even Brangaene,
equal T r i s t a n ' s
ruthless
shrewdness.
Isolde,
and
too, i s brought
up
i n true courtly fashion,
i t i s T a n t r i s - T r i s t a n h i m s e l f who
e d u c a t i o n the f i n i s h i n g
touches—he
gives her conventional
i s t h e o n l y one
truly
10 qualified
t o do t h i s .
Through t h i s f a c t ,
I s o l d e from, t h e l e v e l
makes h e r t h e o n l y
It
i s at this
Isolde partake
a source
equal
of T r i s t a n .
level
o f awareness t h a t T r i s t a n and
of the love p o t i o n .
The l a t t e r
i t s symbolism., a n d w h e t h e r o r n o t T r i s t a n and
According
each other b e f o r e d r i n k i n g
t o F i i r s t n e r a n d Hatto,-^ T r i s t a n and I s o l d e
i n G o t t f r i e d ' s epic are not i n love with
even u n c o n s c i o u s l y .
the
i s again
amongst s c h o l a r s i n p a r t
I s o l d e had been i n f a t u a t e d w i t h
it.
raises
of t h e o t h e r c o u r t l y l a d i e s and
o f much c o n t r o v e r s y
concerning
Gottfried
Therefore,
symbol o f l o v e - m a g i c ,
each other, not
t h e l o v e p o t i o n becomes
o f s o m e t h i n g superhuman:
G o t t f r i e d himself describes the nature
fate.
and t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s
of h i s l o v e p o t i o n , a s t h e Queen M o t h e r p r e p a r e s
i t , thus:
m i t sweme s i n ieman g e t r a n c ,
den muoser ane s i n e n danc
v o r a l i e n d i n g e n meinen
und e r d a w i d e r i n e i n e n :
i n was e i n t o t unde e i n l e b e n ,
ein triure,
The
Queen M o t h e r ' s i n s t r u c t i o n s
t o Brangaene
t h e n e e d t o p r o t e c t I s o l d e ' s e r e und a l i r d i n e
478).
Emphasis i s on " e r e . "
I s o l d e have p a r t a k e n
After
of the p h i l t r e
stressing
bewarn
T r i s t a n and
due t o B r a n g a e n e ' s
n e g l i g e n c e , B r a n g a e n e i s i n c o n s o l a b l e — s h e h a s now
her
e r e and h e r t r i u w e
concludes
a n d w i s h e s she were d e a d .
her lamentations
^36 f f )
regarding
t h e l o v e p o t i o n were most e m p h a t i c a n d d e t a i l e d ,
(11
(11
e i n v r o u d e samet g e g e b e n
lost
She
w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g words:
ouwe T r i s t a n un.de I s o t
diz
t r a n c i s t iuwer b e i d e r t o t !
(11
705 f . ) .
11
As
t h e s h i p was l e a v i n g I r e l a n d ,
intoned
This
a p i l g r i m s ' song:
song i n f a c t
" i n g o t e s namen v a r e n
t h i s whole t r i p
u n d e r God's c a r e
previously
be
wir."
i s s u n g t w i c e more, t h u s g i v i n g i t a n
i m p o r t a n c e n o t t o be o v e r l o o k e d .
that
the passengers
I t i s quite
o f T r i s t a n and I s o l d e
and g u i d a n c e — h e r e b y
r a i s e d idea that
obvious
i s t o be made
connecting
with the
T r i s t a n ' s p a t h was meant t o
u n d e r t h e s p e c i a l g u i d a n c e o f God
(I788
f f . , 2441 f f . ) .
H e r e we have t h e n t h e e x p o s i t i o n o f t h e maUn themes i n
this
epic:
Love, L i f e
Gottfried
partaking
way
leaves
a n d D e a t h , God.
no d o u b t
of the p o t i o n
This
and thereby
t h e Love-Sphere, which only
fact
f f . ) that
T r i s t a n and I s o l d e
become e t e r n a l l y u n i t e d ,
being
(11 707
^
i s further underlined
after
have i n a new
i s brought
into
encompasses t h e l o v e r s .
b y G o t t f r i e d i n t h a t he
d e n i e s t h a t Mark p a r t a k e s o f i t a f t e r t h e w e d d i n g ( a s
s t a t e d b y Thomas).
potion,
the lovers
disposes
other
As a n i m m e d i a t e r e s u l t o f t h e l o v e
of t h e i r
a r e overwhelmed b y mlnne, who
inner
follows,
s a e l e c l i c h e r anevanc"
spiritual
afraid
her
level
that
eyes
(11
730-875)—and
s e a l e d by a k i s s , " e i n
(12 0 4 l ) .
But j u s t a t t h i s
o f l o v e - s u f f e r i n g , Brangaene
the lovers w i l l
die.
high
intervenes,
Tristan first
secures
p r o m i s e o f f a i t h f u l n e s s f o r b o t h him. a n d I s o l d e a n d
then declares
be
i n h i b i t i o n s — t h e y d i s c l o s e t o each
t h e i r f e e l i n g s through t h e i r
then the confession
first
that
i f t h e y were t o d i e o f l o v e ,
entirely her f a u l t ,
since
she does n o t g i v e
i t would
them, a n
opportunity
sint
t o be
alone:
i n iuwer hant
confirms
the
reluctantly
" u n s e r t o t und
(12
gegeben"
to give
them a n
opportunity
devotion
intentionally
a l l sensual
avoids
e m p h a s i z i n g more t h e
o f T r i s t a n ' s and
In the
Isolde's
ensuing
G o t t f r i e d does not
of the
joy.
has
two
still
dwell
301),
the
love
I.e.,
their
with
Full
i d e a l — l o v e and
stage
Minne"
speaking
sorrow
journey
The
but
ensuing
i s not
only
diu
needs
Gottfried
Isolde
seeking
eine"
outside
love-joy
i n agreement
requirements of
mutual
entwined—
experience.
"minne, d i u v r i e ,
and
love
this
der
t h a t b o t h T r i s t a n and
during
with
true love,
l o v e r s a v o i d the b l e n d i n g
of
since
love
387).
o f r e m o r s e and
guilt,
the
s u b s t i t u t e f o r I s o l d e on
she
d i s c l o s e s to the
Tristan's
first
self-sufficient
standards
(12
at
key-word h e r z e when
Brangaene.
a c t i o n the
sorrow
Gottfried
aspects
courtly society level,
remainder of the
union,
d e s c r i p t i o n of t h i s
symbolic
in this
yet
agrees
for physical
secrecy.
die
Isolde
o n l y m e n t i o n s t h e i r moment of
omission
Is not
Gottfried's
by
on
and
/
love-journey.
the
Their love,
assistance,
the
the
this
enjoyment.
(12
use
been reached
i m p l i e s by
After
(so-called) "Busspredigt
l o v e r s and
Obviously
not
f.).
t r u t h of T r i s t a n ' s words, Brangaene
a s s u r i n g them o f h e r
union,
11?
unser leben
Brangaene consents to
the wedding n i g h t
l o v e r s the
s e c r e t of the
reaction i s :
'nu w a l t e s g o t ! * s p r a c h T r i s t a n
'ez waere t o t o d e r l e b e n :
ez h a t m i r s a n f t e v e r g e b e n .
and
love
be
then
potion.
- 13 i n e w e i z , wie j e n e r werden s o l :
d i r r e t o t der t u o t mir wol.
s o l t e d i u wunnecliche Isot
i e m e r a l s u s s i n min t o t ,
so w o l t e i c h g e r n e werben
umb
It
e i n eweclichez
i s a f r i v o l o u s play
o f words on
Gottfried's
sense
a l l u s i o n to
"eweclichez
refers
to the
if
only
this
is called
to experiencing
embracing only
I n the
aspects
" e i n eweclichez
of
sensual
i t o v e r and
aspect
sterben"
ff.).
sterben,"
of
and
triuwe
only
the
very
are
Gottfried voices
a measure.
The
regret
on
their
"dan
an"
a
n
carefree
689
Isolde
except
is still
a s s u r a n c e of d e v o t i o n
wedding n i g h t ,
the
Mark,
not
and
the
leads
Isolde
He
s u b s t i t u t i o n of
to
Brangaene,
l o v e r s stooped to
i n complete
l o v e r s are
such
darkness,
realm, o f
is
with
able
to
carry
G o t t f r i e d r e m a r k s upon
/ deheiner slahte
Seen o b j e c t i v e l y , t h i s k i n d
evil,
still
main
G o t t f r i e d ' s sympathy
n o c h man
objections
upon as
act belongs to the
love l i f e .
ff.).
u n d i n e , an
the
thanks to her
d a h t e weder wip
(12
the
event takes p l a c e
demonic, of e v i l .
B r a n g a e n e , and
that
no
G o t t f r i e d mentions i t
C o n c e r n i n g the
a f u r t h e r symbol t h a t
the
has
and
Tristan is
discoursed
wedding t a k e s p l a c e ;
briefly.
an
love.
motives f o r T r i s t a n ' s ensuing a c t i o n .
Mark and
life,
r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n T r i s t a n and
ere
ff.).
T r i s t a n again
he
over again]
494
in
Includes
joys of h i s l o v e
"eweclichez
one
" t o t , " because
(4304
leben"
(12
sterben'
this:
undinges
of
life
is
t h a t nobody n o t i c e s i t !
satisfied.
secrecy,
Isolde fears
she
I n s p i t e of
and
will
be
her
help
betrayed
Brangaene's
in
the
t o Mark
14
and
an
-
wants B r a n g a e n e k i l l e d .
e v e n more u n f o r t u n a t e
work B r a n g a e n e
(which i s not
the
impression
i s t r e a t e d as
the
t o n g u e as p r o o f
p r a c t i c e by
T h i s a t t e m p t a t murder makes
since i n Gottfried's
Isolde's blood
case elsewhere).
of her
death.
I s o l d e demands B r a n g a e n e ' s
'This r e c a l l s
w h i c h a p e r s o n i s p u n i s h e d on
body w i t h w h i c h he
had
relative
sinned.
the
judicial
that part
G o t t f r i e d ' s own
o f I s o l d e ' s a t t e m p t e d murder i s v o i c e d
i n the
of
judgment
following
verses:
diu sorchafte kiinigin
d i u t e t an d i s e n d i n g e n s c h i n ,
daz man l a s t e r unde s p o t
mere v u r h t e t danne g o t
Brangaene's symbolic
she
e x c u s e s I s o l d e and
time p r o v i n g
with
regard
her
triuwe
to the
language
(12
f o r her
mistress,
"zwei hemede w i z
s i n e wlze gar
not
criticism
d i r e c t e d t o the
to understand the
for
as
Isolde!
to h i s readers
regarding
thereby
For
the
very
the
relationship
sne":
an.
(12
are
not
neither i s i t
must assume t h a t by
h i s mouthpiece, the
using
is surely
e v e n meant
intended
to
i n s y m b o l i s m ) h i s own
p h y s i c a l union
of the
lovers:
818
Brangaene
a u t h o r wanted i n d i r e c t l y
(well versed
interest
Isolde,'s l o v e l i f e
symbolism, but
So we
i s of
alsam e i n
h i r e d henchmen, who
convey
opinion
Isolde
had
much s o i l e d h e r p u r i t y .
time b e i n g
there
of the
l o v e r s , and
two
i s no
ff.).
same
betriiebete ,
o f T r i s t a n and
709
792-848) where
thus saves h e r s e l f , at the
daz w i z e , daz r e i n e :
sus l i e b e t i r daz hemede
do s i z vieben^began,
b i z daz s i z u b e r i i e b e t e ,
This
(12
change i n t h e
a.s l o n g as
love
they
need
ff.).
- 15
Brangaene's a s s i s t a n c e
their
love
does not
and
protection
t r a n s c e n d the
of p h y s i c a l p l e a s u r e .
side world
-
Their
i s b r a n d e d by
key-word h e r z i s s t i l l
two
lovers.
bed
i s very
ff.).
missing
the
cycle
of
dream a b o u t t h e
Isolde's
secret
picture
and
our
heroes. .
two
of m a r r i a g e .
by
the
and
This
scenes.
has
shaded the
of
the
lovers
it
possible,
and
light
two
of
the
to
by
ruse,
ensuing three
At
soiling
sacrament
supported
ensuing
outside,
there
This
Brangaene, who
e a c h o t h e r and
and
togetherness
has
against
scenes, G o t t f r i e d ' s
made
pact.
become
the
indicates
Isolde.
the
is
Brangaene
i n t h i s demonic
lovers
the
the
i n the
chamber, s i n c e
the
of
the
is further
darkness
and
of
symbol of
T r i s t a n ' s f r i e n d , has
deceit
King's
suffering
sense of
a b o u t T r i s t a n and
p a r t i e s confront
ruse against
i t is a
t h i r d party
of
lovers
i n the
sexual
a chess-board.
e n v i o u s opponent
light.
and
i s again e v i l
Mark h i s d i s c o v e r y
the
the
K i n g Mark i s b r o u g h t
thought
i n Isolde's
i s the
boar
moon i s s h i n i n g
Marjodo, formerly
sly
of
light
A l t h o u g h the
complete darkness
when r e f e r r i n g t o
A g a i n the
symbolical
trend
symbolism, o f
love.
out003).
eventual discovery
readers:
in a
level
(13
deceit
thus p r e c i p i t a t e s the
b o a r i s meant f o r t h e
c o n n u b i a l bed,
courtly
h e r z e l e i t of
important f o r the
T r i s t a n and
into
His
i t about,
b e h a v i o u r towards the
With Marjodo begins the
488
purely
G o t t f r i e d as
The
(13
to b r i n g
Thus
to
the
courtly battle
deceit, begins.
intentions
come
M a r j o d o ' s i n s t i g a t i o n , Mark p l a n s t o
In
fully
trap
16
Isolde
i n order
Tristan.
him
Her
highly
Isolde
to e s t a b l i s h her
innocent
on
Mark's s u s p i c i o n s
self
against
this
to a l l a y
end
until
with
On
the
and
and
while
the
other
denies
Isolde
the
i n order
with
her
three
to
the
of
subhim.—
telling
concentration
entirely,
a crude l i e ,
on
I t i s the
calls
i d e a of a l l
to f o r b i d T r i s t a n a l l contact
the
I t i s at
the
point
stand
opponents but
the
the
order.
c a n n o t c o n v i n c e Mark, he
out
the
aligns herself
courtly level;
i n perfect
basic
rely
to
l o v e r ceases
Love-Sphere w i t h
on
that
only
Brangaene, her
dwarf M e l o t .
Isolde
lies
show t h e
l o v i n g woman who
to f i n d
when T r i s t a n and
cannot
the
hand, whenever I s o l d e
275)
courtly
Whenever I s o l d e has
i s achieved
o f them (14
Mark's o r d e r .
their
to
T r i s t a n i n t o t r o u b l e by
Marjodo alone
in a partner:
three
Her
a c t u a l L o v e - S p h e r e and
a l l seems t o be
Since
her-
uses a l l p o s s i b l e
spontaneous r e a c t i o n t o , her
she
Marjodo
Isolde braces
his suspicion.
emerges as
gets
a dubious truce
surface
ff.).
G o t t f r i e d intends
courtly level,
on,
informs Marjodo.
pays a t t e n t i o n to T r i s t a n — a n d
unwittingly
truth.
a l a r m Mark, m a k i n g
immediately
707
normal c o u r t l y world.
consciously
r e l a t i o n s h i p to
Mark d i s t r u s t s M a r j o d o .
between the
u p o n h e r s e l f , she
but
he
(13
In these episodes,
the
replies
M a r k ' s i n q u i s i t i o n and
wiles
discrepancy
true
c o a c h e d by B r a n g a e n e w h i l e
fans
achieve
first
s u s p i c i o u s , and
i s f r o m now
means and
-
truth.
of
alone
the
and
with
T r i s t a n obeys
lovers'
confront
parting—
not
only
whole c o u r t , when t h e y
e v e n speak: t o e a c h o t h e r ,
certainly
not
meet—it
.. i
is
at
this point
(reminiscent
11
915),
sensual
ir
scene b e f o r e
sorrowful
oneness,
beider
that G o t t f r i e d describes
of the
their
leben"
".
(14
needed i s t o f i n d
feels
the
the
to provide
repetition
330
three
The
against
the
of
t r u t h , and
l o v e r s In f l a g r a n t e .
of the
i t , he
first
f o r the
l o v e r s are
T r i s t a n and
love again
p h y s i c a l union
the
two
are
As b e f o r e ,
aware o f b e i n g
of
r a i s e s the
Brangaene
equal
i n number:
these
m e e t i n g s of
eyes b e l o n g
orchard,
to
pro-
the
the
(1^907
sadly
situation
i s only
of
p r o v e s by
h i s sexual
i n i t s true
Gottfried calls
ff.).
and
T r i s t a n here
since
Although T r i s t a n
i t and
jumps i n t o
therefore
"der
level.
i t seems.
b e h a v i o u r t h a t he
e s s e n c e and
The
sensual
spiritual
so
the
Melot,
short duration,
contrary.
ignores
where
Mark and
l o v e r s to a higher
sees the white f l o u r but
it.
direct
under her
sharing physical contact
f l o u r - s c e n e proves the
love
(a
again
Mark's s u s p i c i o n s have b e e n a p p e a s e d , o r
see
talk-
implores
episode).
s p i e d upon by
Isolde part again
However, t h i s
he
while
second time
the n i g h t l y meeting i n the
impossibility
bed,
a l l that i s
darkness.
After
The
tot,
Brangaene,
l o v e r s and
o p p o s i n g teams a r e now
three.
super-
guot, / i r b e i d e r
l o v e r s under Brangaene's w a t c h f u l
realm
r a i s e d to
a chance f o r meeting I s o l d e alone
of the
words
love declaration,
of h e a r t s
realizes
s u g g e s t s a s o l u t i o n , and
tection.
i n touching
f.).
tribulations
i n g t o T r i s t a n about
her
union
their
. . i r beider
Mark i m m e d i a t e l y
too,
-
7
does
Isolde's
not
misunderstands
minnen b l i n d e "
18
b e c a u s e he
The
(15
518
i s , s y m b o l i c a l l y speaking,
consequences of
judicial
o r d e a l by
ff.).
this
In t h i s
episode
t o w a r d s Mark and
she
i s g u i l t y before
her
before
an
Mark and
ordeal before
the
God,
i t i s important
she
court.
she
directs
t o Mark
b a t t l e I s o l d e and
alone.
the
As
f a r as
t r u t h , and
heard her
does n o t
prayers
and
eren
i n any
(15
secret.
God
has
unde a r c w a n " (15
the
little
all
sorrow.
for
her
this
joy.
dog
dog
He
and
has
I s o l d e and
f f . ) without
left
the
P e t l t c r e i u with
is a typical
and
hand
and
this
other
speaks
God
has
the
"dazg
God
an
wish to d i s c l o s e
the
lovers'
appeased Mark's
"zwivel
court
Brangaene as
the
for
that
dog
However, by
that
the
Isolde
that
i t represents
fact
Isolde
banishes
to
I t i s obvious
c o u r t l y symbol:
the
mediator.
obtains
the magic b e l l
consolation.
reaches I s o l d e v i a Brangaene.
in
oath
says,
country,
G o t t f r i e d s t r e s s e s t h i s by
means
s i n before
sends a m i n s t r e l t o take
enjoyment and
betray
herself
each
d i d not
t i m e t o Mark and
helped
be-
g r a c e upon h e r — - w h i c h
guilt
i . d . , God
to
favour:
G o t t f r i e d merely
?63
T r i s t a n , who
ends i n h e r
t h a t her
750),
form, a t t h i s
confront
bestowed H i s
at a l l imply
genas"
King
her
heart
so t h a t
i s concerned, her
ordeal
have b e e n m i t i g a t e d .
ir
the
and
I s o l d e knows
her
oath
(15 697-723),
Isolde
the
the
innocence
i t really
o f f e r s him
Isolde formulates
final
her
the
to d i s t i n g u i s h
a s k s him. n o t
To
f o r h i s grace.
i t only
in
i s to prove her
c o u r t l y world.
but
and
culminate
i n r e l a t i o n t o God
the
God,
blind.
episode
which I s o l d e
between I s o l d e ' s b e h a v i o u r
haviour
-
the
mere
sheer
dog
fact
- 1
that
T r i s t a n sends the
s e l f i s h and
dog
understanding
to h i s beloved
way,
i n n e r d e p t h and
s t r e n g t h of
and
this
welcomes by
upon him
by
-
9
not
h i s own
400),
has
through her
possibly
give her
bell—which
she
By
actually
it
not
only
Thus t h e
bell
the
of
them by
and
love
have t h e y
triuwe
and
own
accord
the
author,
tender
cannot
t e a r s o f f the
her
magic
sadness—because
like
Tristan.
transformed
the
and
little
becomes a
triuwe.
r e m o v a l of t h e
I s o l d e have
from eros
reached the
outset.
magic
changed
level
towards
intended
Love i n r e i n e r
again,
already
to
stay apart
(16
but
the
lovers' love
such a degree t h a t
4ll ff.).
t h a t makes Mark s u s p i c i o u s a g a i n
and
wants t o have u n d e r s t o o d
looks
of the
strictly
they
Strangely
t h i s k i n d of l o v e , h i g h l y approved
gestures
dog:
in herzeleit.
been s p i r i t u a l i z e d
the
she
considerably
G o t t f r i e d from the
enough i t i s j u s t
by
senedaerin"
c o u r t l y p u r p o s e of t h e
g i v i n g of P e t i t c r e i u
o n l y now
imposed
spiritualized
l o v e , o f r e i n e sene und
q u a l i t y of t h e i r
their
and
completely
T r i s t a n i s back at c o u r t
had
sorrows
sadness of h e a r t
d e n o t e t h a t b o t h T r i s t a n and
sene und
also affirms
l o s e s i t s j o y - g i v i n g f u n c t i o n , but
sorrowful
agape and
for
s o l a c e and
I s o l d e has
reversed
symbol o f
the
any
i s supposed to b a n i s h
gesture
the
such a degree t h a t P e t i t r e i u
too wishes to maintain
this
love
staete
already been u p l i f t e d
love to
shows
un-
absence.
I s o l d e , however, " d i u g e t r i u w e
(16
only
love f o r her but
gesture
Isolde's
he
i n a most
due
of
to
l o v e r s , which G o t t f r i e d
s y m b o l i c a l l y as
a
- 20 spiritual
soul-bond,
expressed
i n l o o k s and
stand t h i s ,
he
the
h a v e no
Isolde
gestures.
o f c o u r s e , f o r he
therefore banishes
bear
sight
the
more.
and
(16
617).
Again
with the f a t e
T r i s t a n and
regret,
to the
H i u d a n and
and
by
lovers*
the
lovers will
They a r e
the r o l e
of a mediator,
he
too
access
i s "von
This
1100
gote
He
to the
not
ergeben"
without
Tristan's
rather
them..
dog
courtly
Brangaene
i n the
symbol o f
greatest b l i s s .
though d e f i n i t e l y
i s t h e o n l y one
surroundings
a r t " (2
the
Only
i s to play
beside
of the cave,
the
the
since
263).
c a v e of t h e l o v e r s has
g r e a t e s t changes w i t h G o t t f r i e d
Without going
d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n Thomas and
where
s t a n d i n g on
who
in
sorrowful
surroundings,
l o v e r s a r e b e c a u s e he
edeles herzen
verses.
he
i n connection
no p a r t w h a t s o e v e r
their
section concerning
undergone the
a full
has
experience
knows where t h e
l o v e r s has
but
still
of p l a c e i n these
of the l o v e r s .
now
receive i t s highest fulfilment
Curvenal
side
proceed,
from, c o u r t a f f e c t s
out
cannot
Isolde
freedom.;
i r beidiu
P e t i t c r e i u a l s o — n o w the
be
and
s i n c e Mark r e n o u n c e s
c a v e a c c o m p a n i e d by
Curvenal.
Love-Sphere, that w i l l
love—would
level,
lovers.
r e m a i n s a t c o u r t f o r she
the g r o t t o .
T r i s t a n and
"vart
I s o l d e now
the banishment
under-
t h e c o u r t ; he
t h e r e i s t h e m e n t i o n o f God
of the
ff.)
K i n g does not
g i v e s the l o v e r s f u l l
e v e n w i s h e s them. G o d - s p e e d :
493
on a n o t h e r
l o v e r s from
o f them, any
613)
The
lives
c h o i c e , t h e y have t o go
(16
(16
a o n e n e s s of h e a r t s
into detail
and
encompasses
about
Gottfried regarding
the
this
21 section,
one
can
summarize by
extended
i t l a r g e l y by
the
saying
that G o t t f r i e d
allegorical
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of
the
M i n n e g r o t t e w h i c h i s h i s own
the
miraculous mutual nourishment of the
love
itself.
The
cave has
lovers'
an
entourage.
wunder, an
has
in
T r i s t a n and
since a l l e g o r i c a l l y
paradise,
now
so t o o
r e a c h e d an
(17
past
highest
all
immediate
through
a
surroundings
as
the
I s o l d e have f i n a l l y
inner
i s an
i s the
level
of
found
spirituality;
i m p l i c a t i o n of
mystery of
mutual n o u r i s h i n g .
t r u e purpose of
p o t e n t i a l only
upon t h e
love
there
even w i t h
i t s inherent
that
lovers.
the
the
life
Speise-
Their
o f any
other
togetherness
lovers
(16
and
936).
in
nothing
the
and
the
bliss
and
Now
their
dwelling
saints.
craft,
liste,
in this
l o v e does not
are
Their present
meisterschaft,
love
"akust
erine tur.
I t s two
und
r e i n e , " prevent
anybody b u t
"wisheit
the
outside
unde
the
und
ideal
beings—
gewalte,
v a l s c h e i t or luge
bolts:
with
experiencing
i s f r e e of
t h e y w o u l d n e v e r have e n t e r e d
their
bestowed
n e e d any
e s p e c i a l l y not
Isolde
and
grotto
e l e v a t i o n i s a grace
T r i s t a n and
the
to i t s
Isolde
G o t t f r i e d s e e s i n them t r a n s f i g u r e d
almost
otherwise
cave i s f u l f i l l e d
t h r o u g h T r i s t a n and
f o r i t s f u l f i l m e n t and
list"
lovers
i n t e n s i t y of d e l i g h t comparable to
f o r each o t h e r ,
help
introduces
225).
The
love
their
there
invisible
t h i s world,
He
occupants of which are p o r t r a y e d
abode i n k e e p i n g w i t h
and
in
the
invention.
become a t e m p l e o f l o v e ,
magic g r o t t o , which i n c l u d e s the
of nature,
has
(17
cave
Oil ff.),
through
sinne,
kiusche
l o v e r s from, g e t t i n g
- 22 into
t h e cave
linked with
with
The l o v e - f u l f i l m e n t
(17
" r e h t e r guete"
" a r b e i t " und "ungemach"
The
the
(1? 024 f f . ) .
and t h a t i s only
represent
constant
"guete,
(17 1 0 8 ) .
through
t h e t h r e e windows t h a t
d i e m i i t e und z u h t , " b u t a l s o b y t h e
glow of e r e , w h i c h i s always p r e s e n t
(i.e.,
human l o v e )
i s lived
G o t t f r i e d wants t o p r e s e n t
t o us here
a p o e t i c - s y m b o l i c a l way, a n i d e a l
a l r e a d y on t h i s
I s o l d e have r e a c h e d
enfolds
earth.
this
stage
d e s c e n d s from, a b o v e .
as a g i f t
God-willed
mentioned.
h i s love ideal i n
t h a t s h o u l d b e made
I n t h e e p i c T r i s t a n and
and 'eve
(i.e.,
I t i s there l i k e
virtue)
f o r transcendental reasons.
and G o d - p l e a s i n g
the sun, a l s o
We have h e r e
we c a n s e e t h a t t h e y
the gradual
ascent
In spite
couple
a
and l o v e o f t h e l o v e r s a t
a l l represented
stages
on t h e n a r r o w p a t h
I n a s y m b o l i c a l way, t h i s
each l o v i n g
given
l o v e a n d e r e i n p e r f e c t harmony.
court with a l l i t s high points but also with
of
just
c o u r t l y "ere, s i n c e i t s l i g h t
IiQOking b a c k a t t h e l i f e
oneself.
i n an
them., a s I t o r i g i n a t e s i n t r u e l o v e a n d h a s n o t h i n g
w h a t s o e v e r i n common w i t h
in
when e a r t h l y
and e x p e r i e n c e d
i d e a l manner a n d b a s e d upon t h e t h r e e v i r t u e s
reality
achieved
i n s i d e o f t h e cave i s i l l u m i n a t e d n o t o n l y by
sunlight f i l t e r i n g
love
052)
i s closely-
i t s setbacks,
t o b e overcome
of p e r f e c t i n g
a l s o d e p i c t s t h e way
as i t c o u l d and should be.
of the p a r a d i s e - l i k e l i f e
i n the cave,
T r i s t a n a n d I s o l d e have t o a b a n d o n i t a n d r e t u r n t o t h e
court
a t Mark's i n s t i g a t i o n .
windows w i t h g r a s s
By o b s t r u c t i n g one o f t h e
a n d f l o w e r s , Mark e l i m i n a t e s one o f
- 23 the
important
sources
of l i g h t ,
of r a y s w i t h i n t h e cave:
c a n c e l l i n g out t h e p e r f e c t i o n
the King
i s the r e a l
obstacle
outside
lovers.
I t a l s o means t h a t t h e K i n g
again
as
his right
o f the Love-Sphere c o n f r o n t i n g t h e
as l a w f u l husband:
intends
t o demand
t o G o t t f r i e d marriage
a sacrament has precedence over a G o d - w i l l e d
pleasing
Is
and l a s t
love.
the great
In spite
Another reason
a n d God-
f o r returning t o court
d e s i r e o f t h e l o v e r s t o be p a r t
of t h e i r harmonious l i f e
of s o c i e t y .
a t the cave, G o t t f r i e d
declares:
s i n haeten a l l e z b i i n da.
s i n h a e t e n umbe e i n b e z z e r l e b e n
n i h t e i n e bone g e g e b e n
wan
They f e e l
to
that they
become p a r t
had
hoped ever
eine
(16
umbe i r e r e
owe i t t o t h e i r w o r l d l y
of c o u r t l y l i f e ,
they
However, G o t t f r i e d
a l s o wishes t o convey on a h i g h e r
level
compatible
of l o v e and l o v e - e r e
(i.e.,
God
with
the present
t o s t a y any l o n g e r
since the love
definitely
with
that
i t i s not
v i r t u e ) of T r i s t a n and I s o l d e , n o r j u s t i f i e d
atmosphere o f t h e cave.
and
stage
i n the b l i s s f u l
They s h o u l d
experience
terminated,
they
before
self-sufficient
return to court,
on t h e h i g h e s t
will
ff.).
ere again
something f o r which
s i n c e t h e i r banishment.
875
level i s
have t o c o n t e n t
themselves
a lesser kind.
Upon t h e i r
r e t u r n t o c o u r t , Mark p r o m p t l y f o r b i d s
T r i s t a n and I s o l d e
In h i s passion
t o indulge
i n tender
f o r I s o l d e , he n o t o n l y
love-gazing.
cannot
see but
does n o t want t o s e e t h e t r u t h a n d t h e r e f o r e , o b j e c t i v e l y
-
24
v i e w e d , i t i s he who
In the
orchard
is really
ful
at
T r i s t a n i n the
i s I s o l d e h e r s e l f who
love,
thinking that
fate.
the
she
1 2 ? f . ) , as much as
the
shade, the
d a r k n e s s , by
and
invites
can
lovers again
Is of the
was
greatness
a defiling
the
a sexual
of the
one.
He
of the
connubial
speech
her
(18
256
as
(18
129
f.)«
realm, o f e v i l ,
fall
and
in
paradise,
s i n o f Adam,
have made
while
f i n d s them.
at
on t h e
f f . ) , I s o l d e d i s c l o s e s i n her
the
courtly
parting
inner l i f e .
completely
She
worthless,
leaves
a l l courtly
a f t e r h e r keen awareness of h a v i n g
o n l y become one
with
As
T r i s t a n i n heart
and
t h e m y s t i c a l l o v e - e x c h a n g e o f body and
finally
she
r e a c h e d t h e peak o f
fervent
own
not
spirit,
life
s e l f l e s s n e s s (18
w a t c h e s T r i s t a n ' s s h i p l e a v i n g , she
l o n g monologue t h e
values
f a l l s b a c k on h e r
inner resources
in
again
i s the v i c t i m .
finally
remains s t i l l
the
It is
Isolde
But
of
G o t t f r i e d compares
and
l o v e r s and
to f l e e .
In.
288-358) t h e a b s o l u t e h e i g h t and s t r e n g t h o f
spiritual
behind
situation
more e m p h a t i c .
bed,
pain-
i n opposition
c o u l d not
lovers' f a l l
and
are
o f man
o p i n i o n t h a t the
parting Tristan definitely
(18
the
first fall
f l a g r a n t e , T r i s t a n has
level
minne
enter
their
sorrowful
love-ere
S i n c e Mark s u r p r i s e s t h e
in
e c l i p s e of
indulging i n p h y s i c a l union.
s i t u a t i o n with
Eve
the
sunne and
arranges
shade o f a t r e e ,
a v o i d her
l o v e r s ' c a v e sunne and
s i n c e he
one.
H e r e , however, i n c o n t r a s t t o t h e
(18
this
guilty
s c e n e a t h i g h noon, where I s o l d e
a s e c r e t meeting with
it
the
but
with
him,
324-358).
reveals
i n t e r m i n g l i n g of l o v e
in
and
her
- 25 d e a t h , body and
life
it
i s only through
to
atone
of the l o v e r s .
is striving
her
sake:
realizes
continence that T r i s t a n w i l l
and be h e a l e d , and
she
She
her f i n a l
t o overcome h e r own
be
able
words r e v e a l
that
d e s i r e f o r h i s and
i c h w i l mich gerne twlngen
an a l i e n m i n e n d i n g e n ,
das i c h mln unde s i n e n t w e s e ,
d u r c h daz e r m i r und ime g e n e s e .
It
i s reminiscent of the C h r i s t i a n - m y s t i c
body a n d
life;
the senses
that
(18 597
ff.)
e x p e r i e n c e of
o f t h e l o v e r s d i e away and
p a i n of the p a r t i n g f o r e s e e s t h i s as a f a c t
the
already
accomplished.
Tristan,
courtly
(18 442)
i n accordance
level,
decides t o devote
i n o r d e r t o be
suffering.
He
really
p a i n and plunge
fulness.
But
w i t h the v a l u e s of h i s
into
Is
true l i f e
endangered
the w o r l d of a c t i o n ,
this kind
at
this
two
life
He
of
forget-
is
equated
the estrangement
k i n d s of death:
from
Tristan
then
" s u s twang i n t o t
w o u l d exchange h i s t r u e l i f e
joy ending
i n double
stage i s r e m i n i s c e n t of the
A f t e r v a r i o u s adventures
to
and
of w o r l d
and
and
love-
j o y and
w i t h the d e a t h of the body.
by
ritterschefte
wants t o r i d h i m s e l f o f h i s
to G o t t f r i e d ,
unde t o t " (18 437).
an apparent
to
able to bear h i s love-sorrow
w i t h the death of the s p i r i t ,
his
his l i f e
still
death.
"fallen
Tristan
saint."
detours, T r i s t a n
A r u n d e l , where he b e f r i e n d s K a e d i n ,
t h e Duke's
and meets h i s t e m p t a t i o n i n t h e l a t t e r * s
for
daughter,
comes
son,
Isolde
26 Whitehand.
him
he
of
Her
Isolde
name s p e l l s magic f o r T r i s t a n , r e m i n d i n g
the
acknowledges
beloved
But
still
little
spiritual
i t as
h i s s o r r o w i s awakened anew
his true
little
The
he
result
of the
s u f f e r i n g with
and
p e r s o n any
therefore
and
that
he
h e a r s I s o l d e but
her,
but
him..
He
potion
spell
does n o t
f e a r s he
f o r the
has
has
real
of the
(19
t h e n he
suddenly decides
Tristan's
desire
i s not
f e r s memories f r o m one
the
f l a m e of l o v e
again,
love
like
f.)
He
Isolde.
can
Isolde
the
other
Fair
feels
see
near
that
He
he
cannot
believes
and
of A r u n d e l .
But
that
owes i t t o t h e
F a i r any
longer,
name.
nor
Thus T r i s t a n t r a n s -
and
thereby
kindles
Due
this
to
T r i s t a n forces himself
I s o l d e W h i t e h a n d , h o p i n g t o be
;
o f a magic
quite consciously
l a t t e r ' s heart.
a vicious circle,
persons—
constantly
i s ; he
so
t h e i r name.'
t o the
i n the
of
same
w e l l ; he
spell
c l a i m i n g he
Isolde
I s o l d e Whitehand, but
of
the
t o meet e v e r y woman w i t h
a l o v i n g heart,
present
i s f a r away, y e t
006
i t i s only
name w i t h
yet
she
and
the
Isolde
name.
I s o l d e , but
i s aware t h a t
and
same name o f two
come u n d e r t h e
lucidly
one
concerning
her;
second time
found the
on
know where she
cannot r e c o g n i z e
i n the
i s a confusion
senses t h i s very
d i f f e r e n t i a t e between I s o l d e
he
focus
Tristan's confusion
i s under the
joy
Isolde.
f u r t h e r development.
i n the
He
distant
present
a
and
simultaneous blending
not
only
I s o l d e Whitehand.
than the
p h y s i c a l joy
s u f f e r i n g do
more, b u t
because the
begins to f e e l
mind, which d e t e r m i n e s the
Joy
life,
means more t o him
by
situation.
Fair;
released
from, h i s
to
-
i n n e r s u f f e r i n g and
2?
-
l o n g i n g f o r the other I s o l d e .
T r i s t a n attempts to overcome h i s p a i n f u l love
by means of a new
l o v e (Ovid's advice i n Remedla
but t h i s w i l l not b r i n g about h i s d e s i r e .
i t w i l l c r e a t e more sorrow, and l a c k
sickness
Amoris),
On the
contrary,
a l l vitality.
T r i s t a n Is d e c e i v i n g both I s o l d e s , and himself most of a l l ,
because the new
death.
l i f e he
i s seeking w i l l b r i n g him. p h y s i c a l
G o t t f r i e d d e f i e s h i s master O v i d — f o r whom, l o v e
was
a f t e r a l l only an a r t one
him
wrong!
could a c q u i r e — a n d
But T r i s t a n ' s f a t e — c o n t a i n e d i n h i s own
proves
name—-is
s t r o n g e r than t h i s inner c o n f u s i o n of h i s , and he awakens
as
i f from, a bad dream.:
he cannot comprehend how
he
ever
c o u l d have even thought of anyone e l s e b e s i d e s h i s I s o l d e ,
the only one belonging
one having
the key
to h i s l i f e and h e a r t , and
to i t . She
s h i p because of him and had
him..
life
He
had accepted
the
many a
always f a i t h f u l l y
hard-
stood
by
s i n s a g a i n s t I s o l d e because he wants to l i v e
of which she w i l l have no p a r t .
only him., he has t r i e d
to woo
While she
only
a
loves
another woman!
G o t t f r i e d ' s judgment of the whole s i t u a t i o n i s very
p l a i n and f r a n k :
is
was
the one who
betrogen."
T r i s t a n alone i s the g u i l t y p a r t y ,
betrayed
I s o l d e Whitehand (19
T h e r e f o r e , we
397):
he
"si
cannot l a b e l I s o l d e White-
hand as a seducer, but as the innocent
and naive v i c t i m .
G o t t f r i e d c o n s i d e r s the r e l a t i o n s h i p between T r i s t a n and
I s o l d e Whitehand based on d e c e i t , as a crime and s i n ;
such a. marriage cannot l a s t .
In other words, T r i s t a n
28 should
have m a r r i e d
hand, b u t
Isolde
the
Fair
s i n c e h i s t r u e l o v e was
bonds o f m a r r i a g e t o a n o t h e r , he
to d e s i r e from her
not
love.
One
the
with
White-
a l r e a d y b o u n d by
t h e r e f o r e had
look
He
no
right
also
f o r a new
the
should
l o v e , but
r e l a t i o n s h i p with
the
should
first
and
the v e r y
deeply.
One
core
should
such
of l o v e :
the
ability
only
one
person,
love
a l l one's might.
slogan
love
of the
cannot
ground the
exist
c o u r t l y l o v e d o c t r i n e was
i n m a r r i a g e and
t o be
s e e n , i . e . , as
marriage which G o t t f r i e d d i d not
F o r him,
consider
would not
have b e e n r e p r e s s e d
judgment, b u t
given
and
maze.
see
i t realized
and
anywhere:
outside
Gottfried
sharply
satisfactory.
concept regarding
e s t a b l i s h an
was
ideal
the
cannot
marry
ere—the
missing.
emptiness of a
m a r r i a g e s o f h i s p e r i o d and
mortals.
cannot
u n i t y of a l l
have t o be
a h e a d o f h i s t i m e and
only
world's
Isolde
possible, since
f o r simple
one
i d e a l but
T r i s t a n and
criticizes
a
with discrimination
for this
r e c o g n i t i o n of the w o r l d — w o u l d
back-
e r e , when l o v e
of m a r r i a g e the
components i s n o t
this
examples o f
because of the
to the beloved
G o t t f r i e d searches
each other,
necessary
h a r m o n i z e d l o v e and
that
T r i s t a n to
a. m a r r i a g e w o u l d have b e e n a c o m p l e t e
i t c o m b i n e d and
t h a t he
against
m a r r i a g e s of Mark t o I s o l d e , and
I s o l d e Whitehand are
if
Isolde
c a n n o t d i v i d e one's power o f l o v e , b e c a u s e
truly
The
true
and
spiritual
a d i v i s i o n would a f f e c t
to love
not
complete f u l f i l m e n t .
f o l l o w Ovid's advice
renounce a l l but
and
seeks
However, he
could hardly
hope
rigid
to
knew
- 29 t o be u n d e r s t o o d by, e v e r y o n e , and t h i s
i s why we c a n
detect
r e s i g n a t i o n , and
this
for
i n h i s epic
a tone of s o r r o w f u l
i s why, a s he h i m s e l f
points
t h e s e l e c t few, f o r t h e e l i t e
only
they w i l l
truly
o u t , he w r i t e s
of edele
only
herzen,
because
u n d e r s t a n d h i s message.
Two German p o e t s a t t e m p t e d
t o complete
Gottfried's
k
unfinished
epic.
The c o n t i n u a t i o n
encompasses 3*800 v e r s e s
is
of U l r i c h von Turheim
b a s e d on E i l h a r t ' s v e r s i o n .
a r a t h e r poor attempt, completely
standing
ability
l a c k i n g any u n d e r -
of t h e deeper meaning i n G o t t f r i e d ' s
Heinrich
worthy f o l l o w e r
Gottfried's
poem.
v o n F r e i b e r g ^ h a d much g r e a t e r
than U l r i c h ,
continuation,
artistic
a n d h i s e f f o r t s p r o v e d him. t o be a
of G o t t f r i e d .
19,548,
It
perusing
He a d d e d
Eilhart
but h i s a r t i s t i c
ideal
6,890
as w e l l
verses
to
as U l r i c h ' s
i s Gottfried, with
whose p r a i s e he b e g i n s h i s poem.
He i s q u i t e
fried's
but
outer
successful
i n i m i t a t i n g not only
f o r m by u s e o f a h i g h l y p o l i s h e d
a l s o m a k i n g i t h i s own s t y l e a n d f o r m o f
In the inner
spirit
completely hide
w r o t e h i s poem
h i s own s e n s e o f r e a l i t y .
expression.
"der w e l t
cannot
While G o t t f r i e d
ze l i e b e , " H e i n r i c h
concludes
of w o r l d l y
admonishing every C h r i s t i a n t o t u r n h i s heart
love,
to lasting
Christ.
Little
refined,
language,
o f t h e l e g e n d , however, H e i n r i c h
h i s v e r s i o n w i t h comments on t h e f u t i l i t y
love—to
Gott-
by l i t t l e ,
a p p r e c i a t i o n was l o s t
p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y motivated,
spiritual
f o r Gottfried's
portrayal,
- 30 while
the E i l h a r t
v e r s i o n , e n t i r e l y based
n a r r a t i o n of o u t e r a c t i o n ,
200
F o r about
and
we
only
i n the
encounter
remained
half
the Prose
i n t o prose
public.
An
into prose,
founding
die
and
Romance.
printed
At
etlich,
d i e d i e kunst
time,
rewrote
do
old epic
i n manuscripts,
u n f o r t u n a t e l y without
s.olicher gereimbter
this
were
i n order to reach the
unknown a u t h o r
i t on E i l h a r t ' s
seems t o be f o r g o t t e n
of the f i f t e e n t h c e n t u r y
poems, p r e v i o u s l y o n l y a v a i l a b l e
put
effective
popular.
years, the legend
second
on
general
the whole T r i s t a n
any
artistic
v e r s i o n , "von
der
epic
ambition,
leut
wegen,
biicher n i t genad habent,
auch
der reimen n i t e y g e n t l i c h v e r s t e e n
kunden.
T h e r e were s e v e r a l p r i n t i n g s made, t h e
in
1484
at Augsburg.
c e n t u r y and
one
being
R e p r i n t s were made i n t h e s i x t e e n t h
t h e Romance was
d e r Liebe'' i n 1578
first
also
1587.
and
more p r i n t e d u n d e r t h e
i n c o r p o r a t e d i n the Buch
T h i s c o l l e c t i o n was
i n 1809
same t i t l e
once
through
the
•I
efforts
of
o f B i i s c h i n g and
T r i s t a n and
von
I s o l d e was
v e r s i o n w h i c h was
kept
half
alive
become an e x t e n d e d
Prose
t h e German P r o s e
reduced
its
s t y l e was
so-called
w i t h such
hardly
to s u i t
the
level
and
of
second
radical
discernible.
Romance, t h e o l d c o u r t l y
to a story f o r entertainment
altered
Estoire
Romance a l r e a d y i n t h e
c h a n g e s , t h a t t h e b a s i c s t r u c t u r e was
was
legend
i n Germany i n a
where t h e
of the t h i r t e e n t h c e n t u r y , but
In
Thus t h e
i n i t s content v e r y c l o s e to the a r c h a i c
form., i n c o n t r a s t t o F r a n c e
had
d e r Hagen.
epic
consequently
i t s readers.
- 31 The
unknown a u t h o r o f t e n i n t r u d e s w i t h e l a b o r a t e comments
o f h i s own, c u l m i n a t i n g i n a d m o n i t i o n s
g i v e God p r i o r i t y
cipitate
over w o r l d l y love
t o the reader t o
i n order not t o pre-
an untimely death.
The
last
early
effort
to clothe
the Tristan
I n a new garment came f r o m a b o u r g e o i s p o e t .
knew t h e Worms e d i t i o n o f t h e P r o s e Romance
and
utilized
Personen.
schonen
and
the l a t t e r
entitled
Von d e r strengen l i e b
konigin Isalden,
itself
Hans S a c h s
and
(15^9/50)
"Tragedia.
unnd h a t 7 a c t u s . "
23
Mit
herr Tristrant,
discards
to a fluent
simplifies
mit der
The r i g i d
o f s u c h a Romance, a n d s o
thematerial t o a great extent.
the story
a l l unnecessary
account
of T r i s t a n ' s p a r e n t s and h i s youth,
persons and e p i s o d e s , n o t even u s i n g
nam.es e x c e p t f o r t h e m a i n c h a r a c t e r s .
A f e w new e l e m e n t s
were f o u n d n e c e s s a r y t o b r i d g e t h e g a p s .
the
Sachs
s t e r e o t y p e d form, o f t h e M e i s t e r l i e d does n o t r e a l l y
lend
He
Hans
t h e m a t e r i a l f o r s i x M e i s t e r l i e d e r a n d one
(1553),
drama
story
Unlike both
" V o l k s b u c h " a n d t h e " T r a g e d i a , " t h e r e i s no o t h e r
Isolde,
no w i f e f o r T r i s t a n ,
simplifies
the story.
Hans S a c h s
also very naive i nh i s story
expresses throughout
regarding the love
admonitions
a fact
which
of course
greatly
i s very r e a l i s t i c but
telling.
On t h e w h o l e , he
t h e T r i s t a n poems h i s shame a n d s o r r o w
story
f o r morals
and t h e l o v e r s *
life,
giving
t o t h e r e a d e r s a t t h e end o f each
poem..
I n h i s drama, Hans S a c h s
f o l l o w e d h i s source
faith-
- 32 fully,
but
shortened
youth,
the Truchsess
t h e l e g e n d by
episode, Brangel
t h e w e d d i n g n i g h t , and
attempt
He
leaving
succeed
as c o n s e q u e n c e o f t h i s ,
i n c r e a t i n g a dramatic
a t o o voluminous e p i c n a r r a t i v e had
and
to
acts, resulting
obscure
and
p o e t s who
Although
his
scenes,
s e v e r a l y e a r s w i t h i n one
Hans S a c h s has
had
Again
l e g e n d was
into
numerous d i a l o g u e s
l a p s e s amounting
Isolde.
d i d n o t know them,
t h o u g h he was
and
the
p u b l i s h T r i s t a n as a drama.
centuries elapsed before
t h e T r i s t a n and
r e v i v e d i n German l i t e r a t u r e ,
the n i n e t e e n t h
since
compressed
w i t h time
t h i n k o f him,
t h e R o m a n t i c Movement a t t h e
in
reconciliation.
act.
f o r e r u n n e r s , he
t o w r i t e and
Isolde's
action,
have s u n g t h e Romance o f T r i s t a n and
he
in
a somewhat l o n e l y p o s i t i o n among
s u c c e s s o r s d i d not
first
t o be
i n f a r t o o l o n g and
illogical
Tristan's
as s u b s t i t u t e
t o have h e r m u r d e r e d , as w e l l as t h e i r
d i d not
seven
out
century.
end
of the
this
time
eighteenth
Isolde
through
and
33
-
CHAPTER I I
R O M A N T I C I S M
After
the emotional
f o l l o w e d two
Both
an
Storm, and
Stress period, there
l i t e r a r y movements, C l a s s i c i s m , and
o f t h e s e movements were b a s i c a l l y
effort
toward
a reconciliation
Romanticism..
n o t h i n g more
o f t h e demands o f i n t e l l e c t
w i t h t h e demands o f f e e l i n g
f o r l i t e r a r y purposes,
philosophical,
religious
ethical,
cism, o f S c h i l l e r and
closely
G o e t h e , who
reconcile
succeeded
visual
judgments and
stincts,
concepts
t h e w o r l d and
The
Romantics,
their
They a t t e m p t e d
t h e v i s i b l e and
emotional
calm
and i n -
realities
they attempted
to
reconcile
t h e s e f o r c e s under the b u r d e n of a c o n v i c t i o n t h a t
were i r r e c o n c i l a b l e .
h u m a n i s t i c , but
completely
their
record
of the
of
enjoyment
the
ing
life
and
f o u n d no
of that
nature.
of t h e i r
life,
satisfy
They gave us a l i t e r a r y
emotional
inner
of i t s enrichment,
Theybattempted to p r o j e c t
and
they
be
a r t a t hand which c o u l d
experiences
the w o r l d
harmonization
R o m a n t i c s wanted t o
emotional
enhancement.
into
The
to
the
states,
the unconscious,
God;
more
accomplishments,
passions, l o g i c a l demonstrations
t h e c o n s c i o u s and
ideals,
and
Classi-
the l o n g i n g s of
only i n part.
feeling,
and
ideals
o f human
cultivated
i n t e l l e c t and
invisible,
The
end w i t h r e c o g n i z e d s u c c e s s .
on t h e o t h e r hand, who
inner l i f e ,
ends.
cultivated
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h the world
achieved t h i s
and
and
than
g i v e us a n a c c o u n t
as w e l l as o f i t s f a i l u r e .
life,
deepen-
that
inner
of i t s s u c c e s s f u l
- 3k German r o m a n t i c i s m , i s S e e l e n k u l t u r .
justification
is
i n the
existence
o f an
a r e c o r d o f a p p r o a c h e s t o , and
divine
life.
intellect,
Romanticism stands
of the
senses,
It finds
inner world.
revelations of, universal
f o r emancipation of
e m o t i o n s , and
spirit,
t r a d i t i o n a l b e l i e f s , forms, conventions,
and
literary
standards.
self-culture
and
Among t h e i r
l o v e of beauty.
all
to nature,
b e a u t y was
beautiful
the
was
feeling
b e a u t y was
life,
not
and
this
of t h e
soul
i t s effect
of t h e i r
periences
The
on
of the
their
minds.
senses,
experiences,
heart:
the
spiritual
loved,
of
a
record
a love gospel
of c o n f e s s i o n s
of
auto-
of the
or r e - d i s c o v e r e d
dream., p r e m o n i t i o n ,
magnetism of the
gave a new
s o u l and
the
understanding
creative individuality
right
and
the
the
ex-
power
longing,
s e c r e t s of
of the
followed Herder's footsteps
of the
feeling,
a record
t o be
thing
but p r i m a r i l y
B e a u t y was
They became most r e c e p t i v e t o t h e
convinced
spiritual:
human h e a r t .
subconscious,
and
the
attaching
T h i s makes r o m a n t i c w r i t i n g s
Romantics d i s c o v e r e d
of n a t u r e ,
past,
own
i t i s the p o e t r y
of the
magic, the
myths.
sensuous,
love f o r things
p r o p e r t i e s of t h e i r
biographical;
aesthetic
A l t h o u g h much o f
Romanticism, i s , t h e r e f o r e , l a r g e l y
experiences.
of the
are
t h a t w h i c h made a p a r t i c u l a r
i t evoked i n t h e i r
feeling
from
t o them, e s s e n t i a l l y
emotional-mental s t a t e s , psychic
moods.
the
institutions,
idols
b e a u t y w h i c h t h e R o m a n t i c s l o v e d was
itself
It
inner
the
voices
historical
i n the
of a l l n a t i o n s .
freedom, o f t h e
realization
They were
individual-
- 35
istic,
yet
at
the
-
same t i m e p r e a c h e d t h e
organic
unity
of a l l c r e a t i o n .
Following
of the
Fichte's philosophy,
i n t h i s w o r l d but
"other-worldly"
way
longing
r e a l m , and
only
the
blue
achieve
immeasurable
flower
represented
The
u n i o n w i t h God
for salvation—-and
the
C a t h o l i c c h u r c h became i t s
the
discovery
was
b a s e d on
the
start
identity
past,
of the
the
an
attempt
to
a s p i r i t u a l necessity;
religious
crisis,
enthronement of
of b e l i e f
i n the
i t , and
to r e t r a c e
t i m e s up
in their
so
their
t o and
their
the
despair
nation.
at
due
i n c l u d i n g the
p o s s i b l y be
their
own
cultural
own
present
world a world
power and
the
historical
b o r n out
of
that
their
empirical
universe.
their
to
can
Romantics
(from, t h e
early
period
present
ideal-
substitute
i n w h i c h r e l i g i o n was
of
an
b e l i e v e s he
s a t i s f i e d by
t i m e , t h e y had
foundation
of
destruction
Renaissance), a
lacked.
their
the
M i d d l e Ages
everything
izing
for
n a t u r a l p a t h f o r the
w h i c h seemed t o p o s s e s s
not
from
Basically,
to Kant's
n e e d s where he
to the
which
"Enlightenment,"
r e a l i t y of
i t i s a quite
They c o u l d
In the
reflection
ultimate
steps
own
ideals
i t was
subjectivism.,
reinforced
search
present,
their
only
R o m a n t i c Movement was
escape the
s e a r c h e s f o r what he
find
The
movement and
of
the
of m e d i e v a l c u l t u r e
Romantics sought t h e i r
heritage
was
representative,
values
Catholicism..
a religious
i n the
t h i s was
Man
i n the
cannot
for i t .
aesthetic-symbolical-mystical
by
R o m a n t i c s were
c o n v i c t i o n t h a t man's i n n e r m o s t b e i n g
fulfilment
their
the
society.
still
This
for
a
cult
- 36 of the M i d d l e
much due
divine
Ages i n f a c t
to the
truth
of
means:
Catholicism—not
i t s t e a c h i n g s , as due
o r d e r o f man's l i f e
"based on t h e s e
to
so
the
teachings
and
8
culture.
THE
At
the
ROMANTIC TREASURES OF
end
of the
THE
PAST
eighteenth century,
Wackenroder
9
glorified
the
a r t of the
time
of Durer
the b r o t h e r s S c h l e g e l deepened the
understanding
and
then
of the p a s t
also turned
old
sources
by
of t h e i r
encouraging
world
level
own
greater interest
that ideal
poetry.
and
l a n g u a g e and
promoted, but
i t was
history
express
Novalis
not
of the Middle
found
poetry
the
literary
and
writing*
could
T h e s e were N a c h e r z a h l u n g e n iand
t h e n a i v e manner and
T i e c k awakened a v e r y l i v e l y
especially
being
Wackenroder.
f o r m i n w h i c h he
succeeded
mood o f t r u e s t o r y
u s i n g t h e m a t e r i a l o f o l d c h a p b o o k s and
writings,
unity
their
A g e s t h a t was
U m a r b e l t u n g e n o f o l d c h a p b o o k s , I n w h i c h he
By
saw
o n l y a r c h i t e c t u r e and p a i n t i n g ,
t h e b a n n e r from, h i s f r i e n d
himself best.
capturing
sagas,
deep c u l t u r a l
a l s o I n t e r e s t i n medieval
Ludwig T i e c k took
finally
by
possess i t .
Naturally,
He
'
i n the
f o r w h i c h a l l t h e R o m a n t i c s were l o n g i n g , s i n c e
e r a d i d not
1 0
nation
H i g h German e p i c s , h e r o i c
o f German l a n g u a g e and
i n the medieval
literary-historical
international
to the p a s t
l e c t u r i n g about M i d d l e
m y t h o l o g y , and
on a n
i n Nurriberg,
interest
fairy
in
telling.
tales,
i n older poetry
In t h a t of the V o l k s d i c h t u n g .
and
Even
- 37 in his artist-novel
(Kiinstlerroman), Franz Sternbalds
Wanderungen, he w a n t e d t o d e p i c t
the w o r l d a t the waning
of the M i d d l e Ages, the Nurnberg
of A l b r e c h t Durer,
well
as the a r t i s t i c
Italy.
O l d sagas
world of the Netherlands
( E k h a r d , T a n n h a u s e r ) were a l s o
as m a t e r i a l f o r s h o r t s t o r i e s
and
and
as
of
perused
i n t h e manner o f f a i r y
tales
i n a d d i t i o n T i e c k e d i t e d and p u b l i s h e d some o f Hans
Sachs'
F a s t n a c h t s p i e l e and b r o u g h t
his friends
the w r i t i n g s
Bohme, a f a c t
w h i c h had
to the a t t e n t i o n
of the S i l e s i a n m y s t i c ,
far-reaching results
of
Jakob
f o r the whole
R o m a n t i c Movement.
The
deep i m p r e s s i o n w h i c h h i s v i s i t
t o Nurnberg
had
made on him. and W a c k e n r o d e r , p r o m p t e d T i e c k t o s t u d y i n "
the l i b r a r i e s
o f M u n i c h , Rome and P a r i s m a n u s c r i p t s
M i d d l e H i g h German p o e t r y , e s p e c i a l l y M i n n e l i e d e r .
published
the l a t t e r
i n a d a p t a t i o n and
a summary o f t h e d e v e l o p m e n t
time
t o Shakespeare
of knighthood
and
and
of the m e d i e v a l
p e r i o d had
Jacob
p r o m p t e d by
Grimm was
literature,
von
Arnim
centuries
o f p o e t r y from, t h e
life.
This
literary
and
fairy
tales.
gathered over
1 1
Arnim
medieval
Achim
of the previous
as t o p i c s f o r h i s
r e v i v e d many o l d
stories
In c o l l a b o r a t i o n with Brentano,
s e v e r a l y e a r s f o l k s o n g s , sagas
o f t h e p a s t from, p r i n t e d
picture
characterization
of o l d e p i c s ,
to peruse w r i t i n g s
efforts.
ideal
i t to investigate
( n o t a b l y the seventeenth)
own
medieval
an e x t r a o r d i n a r y e f f e c t :
others t a c k l e d renewals
proceeded
He
i n t h e p r e f a c e gave
G o e t h e , p a i n t i n g an
courtly
of
and
he
poetry
and h a n d w r i t t e n s o u r c e s o r
by
- 38 »
word o f mouth, f i n a l l y
under the
were n o t
title
Knaben Wunderhorn.
scholarly,
immediate
ion
Des
impact
and
enthusiastic
f r e e d o m and
certainly
entitled
(about
his
I n h i s s t u d i e s of the Middle
over
essays
T i e c k s , due
1
Von
interest
d e r Hagen and
While
of
carried
of F o l k s o n g ,
the Middle
Ages and i t s
improvement
exactitude.
this
those
of
T r i s t a n under the
tales,
a l r e a d y i n h i s younger y e a r s
study
f o r some of
Grimm s p e c i a l i z e d
fairy
Brenta.no,
them).
on w i t h
p u b l i s h e d i n 1809
Wilhelm
r e s e a r c h on o l d s a g a s and
the
greater scholarly
S i d o n i a , F i e r a b a s and
Buch der L i e b e .
voted
c o n s i d e r e d an
Busching
i n c h a p b o o k s and
P o n t u s und
i n d e b t e d t o him
c a n be
to t h e i r
through
f o r t y - n i n e of
being greatly
Gorres'
fighter for
t h e medium, o f j o u r n a l i s m ,
Grimm a d m i t t e d
people,
con-
collection
a d e d i c a t e d R o m a n t i c and
chapbooks
material.
collect-
Volkslieder.
t r u t h through
collected
i n the
a c h i e v e d t o a much
became f a m i l i a r w i t h o l d German l i t e r a t u r e
and
reasons
o f t h e p a s t w o u l d have on t h e i r
T h i s they
Josef Gorres,
Their
reaction that this
h i g h e r degree than d i d Herder w i t h h i s
erroneously
1805
in
t h e y were more i n t e r e s t e d
of t r e a s u r e s out
temporaries.
p u b l i s h i n g the r e s u l t s
title
in
Ludwig Uhland
c o n s i d e r a b l e time
a s w e l l as t o t h e
s a g a s and
deto
poetry
Ages.
This revival
of i n t e r e s t
Romantics, e s p e c i a l l y
i n the
i n the Middle
Ages by
e p i c s , p o e t r y and
the
chapbooks,
- 39 raises
its
the
ideal
made a
Tristan
T r i s t a n and
Isolde legend
f o r the Romantics, s i n c e i t
of l o v e , of which the Romantics
and
expresses
practically
cult.
Before
at
of the
possible interest
a high
had
question
d i s c u s s i n g the
legend,
Romantic t r e a t m e n t s
however, i t w i l l
be
the Romantics' a t t i t u d e t o l o v e
of
necessary
to
the
look
i n general.
ROMANTIC LOVE
. . Es i s t a l l e s i n d e r L i e b e :
F r e u n d s c h a f t , s c h o n e r Umgang,
S i n n l i c h k e i t und a u c h L e i d e n s c h a f t ;
und es muss a l l e s d a r i n s e i n , und
e i n s das a n d e r e v e r s t a r k e n und
l i n d e r n , b e l e b e n und e r h o h e n . "
(Lucinde,
In order b e t t e r to understand
Romantics r e g a r d i n g
end
of the
spiritual
and
l o v e , we
eighteenth
and
of the
and
m e n t a l a t t i t u d e was
Romantics had
The
have f i r s t
century
w i t h what k i n d o f an
to
dualism, i n t h e
the
i s quite evident
d i v i s i o n o f body and
from a n t i q u i t y — i s
equal
prevalent
e x i s t i n g merely
at that
the
of
time,
generation
wrestle.
t h i n k i n g of the
with
soul—a
eighteenth
l o v e and
the Romantics.
c a r r y over
as
The
a r a t i o n a l being,
harsh
Christianity
the
Enlightenment
century,
spiritual
into
intimately linked with
t o man
the
t o go b a c k t o
o p i n i o n on l o v e t h e
o p i n i o n a b o u t woman d u r i n g t h e
Woman was
t h i n k i n g of
a s c e r t a i n what k i n d
which d i s t i n g u i s h e s between s e n s u a l
love,
83.)
p.
accepted
period.
a difference
i n their physiological functions.
However,
-
40
-
a very low opinion prevailed regarding the sexual aspects,
founded on Descartes' philosophy of the rigid division
of body and soul qualities inherent in human beings.
The
irrational!stic philosophers of the eighteenth century
extended this division further between that of sensuality
and feelings.
Thus any relationship involving a physical
union was looked upon as inferior (and this included
marriage!) to that of the 'spiritual bond' or the 'lofty
meeting of kindred minds.'
Klopstock's and Goethe's
12
attempts
to change this point of view—born out of their
own deep and strong realizations—were unsuccessful. It
was not until Friedrich Schlegel and Schleiermacher propounded the unity of the physical and spiritual aspects
of love and corroborated i t philosophically, ^ that this
1
convjction took permanent roots i n society.
They had to
overcome that gulf imposed by a l l the teachings that
preceded their own time.
While marriage had a higher value in German literature
and philosophy of the eighteenth century than i t did i n
French literature, theoretically the reasons for i t s
existence s t i l l did not amount to more than procreation
or a means to avoid promiscuity.
So much the higher was
the value of a soul relationship, especially in those
circles that considered themselves guardians of the
Christian teachings, e.g., Bodmer and his friends.
In
contrast to them., Wieland's novels and verse romances
proclaimed the intense power (Allmacht) of the natureinstincts, which idealistic, Platonlcally-lnclined youths
- 41 tried
i n vain to avoid.
veiled
lascivity
More h o n e s t
than Wieland s
1
was t h e " L e i d e n s c h a f t s p a t h o s "
of the
p o e t s o f t h e S t o r m a n d S t r e s s , who embraced t h e n a t u r a l
sensual
passions.
of t h e century
At the opposite
end s t o o d
at the close
the followers of the i r r a t l o n a l i s t i c
opher Hemsterhuis
(who c o n s i d e r e d
marriage a
philos-
degradation
o f t h e s o u l - l o v e , due t o i t s p h y s i c a l a s p e c t s ) , i n c l u d i n g
J e a n P a u l , H e r d e r a n d J a c o b ! , a l l o f whom, h a i l e d
friend-
ship
( t h e "Ehe d e r G e i s t e r " ) a s s u p e r i o r t o l o v e ( t h e
"Ehe
der Korper").
decades g i v e proof
two
women:
(e.g.,
of t h i s point
t h e one i s h i s w i f e ,
Jacobi:
Klopstock
Numerous l i t e r a r y
"Woldemar").
expression
I t was o n l y
became
of v i e w — a
several
man b e t w e e n
the other h i s
"soul-mate"
O n l y a few p o e t s ,
such as
a n d e v e n more so G o e t h e , v o i c e d a d i f f e r e n t
conviction regarding
the
works t h r o u g h
l o v e , where t h e p h y s i c a l i s c o n s i d e r e d
of the s p i r i t u a l ,
and of the s o u l
through t h e Romantics t h a t t h i s
itself.
latter
thought
victorious.
Friedrich
S c h l e g e l , who, w i t h
his brother
August
Wilhelm., was t h e c h i e f r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f R o m a n t i c i s m i n
Germany i n i t s t h e o r e t i c a l a s p e c t s , s h a r p l y
Jacobi's
criticized
"Woldemar," n o t o n l y f o r h i s o p i n i o n
about
l o v e , b u t a l s o f o r h i s p o r t r a y a l o f t h e two women,
especially
others
The
t h e one o f t h e w i f e , h a i l e d a s a n i d e a l b y
f o r h e r complete
new i d e a l
different
submissiveness t o t h e husband.
t h a t S c h l e g e l h a d was o f a
kind:
"Selbstandige
completely
W e i b l i c h k e i t " was t o be
42 the
g o a l toward
which
the i d e a l
of femininity
should
14
I n 1799
strive.
which
laid
he p u b l i s h e d h i s r o m a n t i c n o v e l L u c i n d e ,
aroused a considerable scandal.
b a r e h i s p h y s i c a l r e l a t i o n s w i t h h i s m i s t r e s s Dorothea,
with a l a c k of r e t i c e n c e which
friends.
from, t h e e a r l i e r
f o r the future.
comrade, n o t m e r e l y
rights.
an a l l e g o r y
femininity
belief
and that
o f complete
unite
T a k i n g up a. t h r e a d
expresses
t h e mother of h i s
she must e v e n
children
possess
humanity
i n w h i c h m a s c u l i n i t y and
i n harmonious r e c o n c i l i a t i o n ,
i n the
t h a t man must t a k e o n some o f t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
womanhood, a n d woman some o f t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f
marriage which
freedom
also
o f such a humanity.
should p e r s i s t
i n the next.
Through
of marriage:
place fulfilment
not only In t h i s world but
a l l t h e Romantic
bloss
das s t i l l e
this
same
writers,
theoretical
t h e y a l l s e e i n s u c h a common-
of love the death of h i g h
t h e end o f a r t i s t i c
on t h e
a n d o n a harmony a n d u n i t y o f
from. T i e c k t o H o f f m a n n , we f i n d
condemnation
The i d e a l
he d e s c r i b e s i n L u c i n d e was b a s e d
of the i n d i v i d u a l
s o u l s which
was
which
He saw i n t h e u n i o n o f man a n d woman
manhood, t o b e w o r t h y
and
reform
essay Uber d i e Dlotlma, S c h l e g e l
a. h o u s e h o l d d r u d g e ,
political
of
more t h a n a c h r o n i q u e
c o n v i c t i o n t h a t woman was t o b e man's s e x u a l arid
intellectual
or
even h i s R o m a n t i c
i t u n f o l d s a programme o f s o c i a l
o f much c o n s e q u e n c e
his
shocked
Y e t Lucinde i s something
scandaleuse:
was
I n t h i s n o v e l he
inspiration.
Verlangen nach
t h e theme o f t h e H e m s t e r h u i s
appreciation
"Die L i e b e i s t n i c h t
dem. U n e n d l i c h e n "
circle),
(that
" s i e i s t auch
_. 43
-
d e r h e i l i g e Genuss e i n e r schonen Gegenwart.
Sie ist
n i c h t b l o s s e i n e M i s c h u n g , e i n Ubergang vom S t e r b l i c h e n
zum U n s t e r b l i c h e n , s o n d e r n s i e i s t e i n e v o l l i g e E i n h e i t
beider*
motif
1
( L . 152).
T h i s c o n v i c t i o n became t h e b a s i c
love
o f almost a l l Romantic poets and p h i l o s o p h e r s .
15
^
S c h l e g e l was i n t e r e s t e d i n m a t t e r s o f s e x , l o v e a n d
womanhood from, h i s e a r l y y e a r s , a s h i s l e t t e r s
b r o t h e r August Wilhelm. t e s t i f y .
I n f l u e n c e d by h i s s t u d i e s
I n Greek l i t e r a t u r e and p h i l o s o p h y ,
activities
and
to his
and by t h e p h i l o s o p h i c
o f h i s own t i m e , h i s i n t e r e s t s l a t e r o n d e e p e n e d
became more s p i r i t u a l ,
upon t o d i s c h a r g e
u n t i l he f e l t h i m s e l f
the duties of an e t h i c a l
He became c o n v i n c e d ,
called
reformer.
as time went, t h a t t h e s o c i e t y i n
w h i c h he l i v e d was p o s i t i v e l y
i n e r r o r as t o thep o s i t i o n
w h i c h woman was t o o c c u p y i n t h e w o r l d .
He was
t h a t woman h a d b e e n f o r c e n t u r i e s d e p r i v e d
convinced
of her natural
r i g h t t o s t a n d b y t h e s i d e o f man a s h i s e q u a l , a n d t h e r e f o r e needed t o be emancipated.
Woman's n a t u r e ,
Schlegel
c l a i m s , i s n o t i n f e r i o r t o t h a t o f man, n o r d i f f e r e n t i n
k i n d , as S c h i l l e r had represented
but
i s l i k e t h a t o f man.
i n h i s Anmut u n d Wiirde,
I f t h e r e was a n y d i f f e r e n c e ,
i t was one o f d e g r e e o n l y , a s P l a t o h a d a l r e a d y
out.
Therefore,
woman s h o u l d
enjoy
independence, she s h o u l d be a l l o w e d
s a l v a t i o n a s a. d i s t i n c t ,
greater
pointed
spiritual
t o w o r k o u t h e r own
independent p e r s o n a l i t y .
s h o u l d n o t be l o o k e d upon as b e a r e r
She
and g u a r d i a n o f
c h i l d r e n o n l y , b u t s h o u l d be h e r husband's f r i e n d .
She
44 should develop h e r i n t e l l e c t u a l g i f t s and s a t i s f y her
i n s t i n c t s f o r p o e t r y , p h i l o s o p h y , o r the s c i e n c e s . I n
s h o r t , she should so c u l t i v a t e h e r powers as t o be the
equal of man a e s t h e t i c a l l y , e t h i c a l l y ,
and s p i r i t u a l l y .
The
intellectually,
T h i s was S c h l e g e l ' s new moral programme.
r i g h t of the woman t o stand by the s i d e of man as h i s
equal I s claimed on the theory t h a t man and woman a r e
equal p a r t s of one a b s t r a c t humanity which e x i s t e d i n
God's mind b e f o r e c r e a t i o n , and w i l l come a g a i n i n the
f u t u r e , i n p a r t on e a r t h through man's gradual p e r f e c t i o n
and,
u l t i m a t e l y , i n another s p i r i t u a l
world.
Works d e p i c t i n g man's quest f o r i n n e r u n i t y
(Goethe's
F a u s t , Wilhelm. M e i s t e r s Lehr.jahre) and p o r t r a y a l s of i d e a l
women ( N a t a l i e , I p h i g e n i e ) meant much t o the young S c h l e g e l
s t i l l y e a r n i n g f o r u n i t y , completeness of b e i n g and l i f e ,
as w e l l as f o r mastery of h i s ambivalent
women who i n l i f e
nature.
gave S c h l e g e l h i s s i g n i f i c a n t
through which he matured and found h i s c e n t r e .
I t was
experiences,
The
encounter w i t h C a r o l i n e was a most powerful one f o r him.,
because she possessed what he longed f o r most:
being.
his
But t h i s encounter
u n i t y of
had t o end i n r e n u n c i a t i o n on
p a r t , s i n c e C a r o l i n e became h i s b r o t h e r ' s w i f e .
While h i s l o v e f o r her enabled him. t o f i n d h i s own s e l f ,
to
p u r i f y h i s own c h a r a c t e r , f u l f i l m e n t came i n t o h i s
life
o n l y l a t e r through Dorothea.
She was the one who
was capable of d i s c l o s i n g t o him. the u n i t y of the sensual
and s p i r i t u a l aspects of l o v e , and t h i s experience had
to
have the most profound
impact
on him..
He f i n a l l y
experienced
body and
a l o v e i n w h i c h t h e r e was
s o u l , where t h e p h y s i c a l
reciprocal
opening
experience,
and
the
of
s e n s u a l i t y but
theme o f L u c i n d e .
sensuality
and
(!».
states:
aber
8 0 ) , and
n i e kann i h r e
extolls
s e , as t h i s
of
a
This
love
the
joys
glorify
novel
because to
ohne L i e b e z e r s t o r e das
referring
"Die Kunst
souls.
not h i s i n t e n t i o n to
most c o n t e m p o r a r i e s ,
"blosse S i n n l i c h k e i t
Frau"
T h i s fragment
i t was
meant
u n i t y of body-soul
moral freedom per
assumed t o do by
submission
e n f o l d i n g of t h e i r
t h i s harmony, t h i s
is
equal response
was
him
Wesen d e r
t o the Greek c o u r t e s a n s ,
e i n e r A s p a s i a kann vollkommen
a b s i c h t l i c h e K u n s t den
he
sein,
Namen d e r
Liebe
17
verdienen."
'
S c h l e g e l does n o t b e l i e v e i n s o - c a l l e d
s h i p " b e t w e e n two
recht
Albernes
reason
sich
reine Freundschaft"
t h a t he
s h i p , because
in a l l this
of t h e i r
Personen v©n v e r s c h i e -
(L. ? 6 / 7 7 ) .
i t i s completely
and
yet
fulfilling
the
s u b m i s s i o n we
" i n der
zusammengehen, v o n
b i s zur g e i s t i g s t e n
i n a l l this
sensual
are to f i n d
ein-
It i s for
i s f a r s u p e r i o r t o t h a t of
S t u f e n der Menschheit
(L. 1 6 ) ,
"Etwas
a t t a c k s "Woldemar," s i n c e t o h i m
gelassendsten Sinnlichkeit
keit"
friend-
e i n V e r h a l t n i s a u s b i l d e n und
woman l o v e r e l a t i o n s h i p
alle
of opposite sexes.
i s t e s , wenn so zwei
denem. G e s c h l e c h t
b i l d e n wie
people
"pure
der
this
manfriend-
sie
durch
aus-
Geistig-
eroticism,
only the
expression
"Zusammengehorigkeit."
I n h i s "Athenaurofragmente" F r i e d r i c h
Schlegel says:
46 "Das
e r s t e i n der Liebe i s t der S i n n f u r einander, und
Hochste der Glauben an einander.
Hingebung i s t der
das
Aus-
druck des Glaubens, und Genuss kann den S i n n beleben
und
s c h a r f e n , wenn auch n i c h t h e r v o r b r i n g e n , wie d i e gemeine
Meinung i s t .
Darum kann d i e S i n n l i c h k e i t s c h l e c h t e Men-
schen auf eine kurze Z e i t tauschen, a l s konnten s i e s i c h
lieben"
(Nr. 8? M.
II,
216).—"Wie der S i n n f u r einander,
wuchs auch der Glauben an einander, und mit dem
s t i e g der Mut
und d i e K r a f t "
(L. l4l).
Glauben
A love r e l a t i o n -
s h i p of t h i s l e v e l o b v i o u s l y has to be v a l u e d more h i g h l y
than f r i e n d s h i p .
"Freundschaft i s t p a r z i a l e Ehe,
und
L i e b e i s t Freundschaft von a l i e n S e i t e n und nach a l i e n
Richtungen,
u n i v e r s e l l e Freundschaft.
Das
Bewusstsein
der notwendigen Grenzen i s t das U n e n t b e h r l i c h s t e und
das S e l t e n s t e i n der F r e u n d s c h a f t "
#359).
(M. I I , 265,
Fragment
P r e c i s e l y because of the woman's l o v e c a p a c i t y ,
S c h l e g e l denies her a b i l i t y f o r f r i e n d s h i p , because everyt h i n g a woman l o v e s , she l o v e s completely
(wholly) and
a f r i e n d s h i p n e c e s s i t a t e s c e r t a i n boundaries
spiritual.
and must be
"Diese Absonderung wiirde Euer Wesen nur auf
eine f e i n e r e A r t ebenso vollkommen z e r s t o r e n wie b l o s s e
S i n n l i c h k e i t ohne L i e b e " (L. 80).
While
one may
not
completely agree w i t h t h i s p o i n t of view, one must admit
t h a t i n the b a t t l e between l o v e and f r i e n d s h i p ,
all
fought
through the seventeenth and e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r i e s ,
l o v e had never been so e l e v a t e d above f r i e n d s h i p ; and
statement
who
this
coming from, no one l e s s than F r i e d r i c h S c h l e g e l ,
expounded h i s " P h i l o s o p h i e der F r e u n d s c h a f t , " makes
- 47 it
even more remarkable.
However, f o r S c h l e g e l and h i s f o l l o w e r s i t i s of the
utmost importance t h a t i n s p i t e of a l l submission
i n g t h a t of the man,
(includ-
i n accordance with the i d e a l of
"der s a n f t e n M a n n l i c h k e i t " ) , the p e r s o n a l i t y does not
become submerged, but
i s due
i n s t e a d t r u l y comes to bloom..
It
to t h i s very q u a l i t y , t h a t love becomes the d e c i d i n g
f a c t o r f o r growth and e v o l u t i o n to the Romantics.
i s focussed
on the core of the p e r s o n a l i t y and
Love
i s capable
of s i n g l i n g out or i l l u m i n a t i n g i t , thus b r i n g i n g s e l f
awareness to the beloved.
b a s i s of N o v a l i s *
T h i s c o n v i c t i o n i s at
H e i n r i c h von O f t e r d i n g e n ,
d e t e c t i t i n Lucinde
i n the
joyous hopefulness
l o v e r s to understand each other completely
s c h o p f l i c h e n Gefvihl unserer
Ach L i e b e ! glaube es nur,
also
of the
i n the
"uner. . .
dass keine Frage i n d i r ohne
Only through the l o v e of
find his real self.
"Nur
s e i n e s Du kann jedes Ich seine unendliche
f i i h l e n und
but we
u r s p f u n g l i c h e n Harmonie.'
Antwort i n mir i s t " (L. 1 6 3 ) .
another can man
the
i n der Antwort
E i n h e i t ganz
s e l b s t den inneren Keim. der G o t t a h n l i c h k e i t
e n t f a l t e n " (BL.
228).
For S c h l e g e l , the h i g h e s t g o a l of development i s to
become humane ("Menschwerden") and to r e v e a l the
centre
be
of s e l f
(the G o d - l i k e n e s s ) ,
inner
out of which a l l can
e x p l a i n e d and to which e v e r y t h i n g e l s e l e a d s back again,
thus overcoming a l l s i n g l e n e s s ( V e r e i n z e l u n g ) .
too, we
centre
f i n d the s t r i v i n g f o r s y n t h e s i s :
Here,
to f i n d one's
i n order to overcome a l l f l u c t u a t i o n s , to o b t a i n
48 harmony and partake of God through the medium and help
of l o v e .
Thus the experience of love extends i n t o that
of r e l i g i o u s experience.
I n t h i s l a t t e r realm woman
becomes the l e a d e r , s i n c e her being has more u n i t y and
centre
than that of man.
She, too, needs l o v e f o r her
development, but she a n t i c i p a t e s i t more e a g e r l y ;
she Is
more r e l i g i o u s , of a r i c h e r nature, w i t h which she i s
preordained
lebendiges
t o awaken the innermost i n man.
"Demi ohne
Zentrum. kann der Mensch n i c h t s e i n , und hat
er es noch n i c h t i n s i c h , so d a r f e r es nur i n einem
Menschen suchen, und nur e i n Mensch und dessen Zentrum.
kann das s e l n i g e r e i z e n und wecken" (Idee #45,
294).
I t i s the woman's m i s s i o n
M. I I ,
t o be the mediator-
awakener and man owes i t t o h e r t h a t he d i s c o v e r s h i s
c e n t r e , that he i s complemented and e l e v a t e d t o a higher
being,
due t o t h e i r u n i t y :
of two i n d i v i d u a l s .
i t i s not j u s t a summation
The "Dithyrambische F a n t a s i e
uber
d i e schbnste S i t u a t i o n " begins w i t h the f o l l o w i n g words:
"Nur
h l e r ( i n d i r ) sehe i c h mich ganz und harmonisch
oder vielmehr d i e v o i l e ganze Menschheit i n m i r und i n
dir"
( L . 13),
thus foreshadowing the deeper meaning of
the ensuing episode:
even i n p l a y and the sensual
ments of l o v e , t h e i r union i s t o have a higher
"Die R e l i g i o n der L i e b e " b r i n g s ever g r e a t e r
to t h e i r love
"Ideen":
(L. 19).
Novalis
enjoy-
connotation.
closeness
once remarked on S c h l e g e l ' s
" D i r i s t R e l i g i o n g e i s t i g e S i n n l i c h k e i t und
•I
g e i s t i g e Korperwelt iiberhaupt."
Q
— "Es
i s t die alteste
k l n d l i c h s t e e i n f a c h s t e R e l i g i o n , zu der i c h zuriickgekehrt
bin.
Ich verehre a l s v o r z i i g l i c h s t e s S i n n b i l d d e r G o t t h e i t
das Peuer,
und wo g i b t s e i n schoneres, a l s das was d i e
Natur t i e f i n d i e weiche B r u s t der Frauen v e r s c h l o s s ?
Weihe du mich zum. P r i e s t e r "
(L. 5 0 ) .
The beloved becomes
the mediator between the l o v e r ' s incomplete
i n d i v i s i b l e e t e r n a l humanity.
k i n d of l o v e a f t e r a l l ,
s e l f and the
So we have here
another
f u s e d with the e r o t i c , i n f a c t ,
an o f f s h o t that u n i t e s w i t h i t :
the l o v e f o r mankind,
f o r humanity, o r , t o say i t i n S c h l e g e l ' s sense:
love
f o r the Universe (L. 169).
But the romantic a d o r a t i o n of the beloved i s d i f f e r e n t
from, the d e p i c t i n g of woman i n the n o v e l s of the great
p a s s i o n s (Leidenschaftsroman), as w e l l as from those of
P l a t o n i c enthusiasm
(Empfindsamkeit).
not want t o worship
the images of t h e i r f a n t a s y i n the
other being—-which
The Romantics do
r o m a n t i c a l l y speaking would have been
very one-sided and i n c o m p l e t e — b u t
the human b e i n g with
the f u l l n e s s of nature i n him/her, more humane than the
" H e i l i g e n b i l d des Schwarmers."
The woman becomes p r i e s t e s s ,
" P r i e s t e r i n d e r Freude, d i e das Geheimnls der L i e b e o f f e n b a r t " (L. 166), and man adores h e r (L. 5 0 ) .
To t h i s r e l i g i o u s experience of l o v e , death i s no
b a r r i e r any more.
Both l o v e r s were from, the b e g i n n i n g
of t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p prepared t o f o l l o w each other i n t o
death—indeed,
l i f e a f t e r death seemed t o promise
t o them,
a. more i n t i m a t e p o s s i b i l i t y of b l e n d i n g w i t h each other.
"Wir beide werden noch e i n s t i n einem G e i s t e anschauen,
dass w i r B l i i t e n e i n e r P f l a n z e oder B l a t t e r e i n e r Blume
- 50 s i n d " (L. 1 9 ) .
From t h e i r mutual d e s i r e t o extend, i f
not perpetuate, t h e i r moment of u n i t y , from, the f e e l i n g
of " g e g e n s e i t i g e r U n e r s a t t l i c h k e i t im L i e b e n und G e l i e b t (L. 1 7 ,
werden," so t h a t they l o v e " b i s zur V e r n i c h t u n g "
162),
a r i s e s the love-death wish.
"Dort
(im Tode) w i r d
19
dann v i e l l e i c h t d i e Sehnsucht v o l l e r b e f r i e d i g t "
T h i s thought
(L. 18).
of the " L i e b e s t o d " was c l o s e t o S c h l e g e l
at t h a t time; a whole s e r i e s of poems expresses the thought
of d y i n g together w i t h the beloved i n order t o be e t e r n a l l y
20
u n i t e d w i t h her.
Here S c h l e g e l ' s thoughts meet those
of N o v a l i s , and i t i s probable t h a t they o r i g i n a t e d w i t h
the l a t t e r .
S c h l e g e l wrote to him.,
" V i e l l e i c h t b i s t du
der e r s t e Mensch i n unserem Z e i t a l t e r , der K u n s t s i n n f u r
21
den Tod h a t . "
T h i s l o v e - d e a t h wish i s the l a s t
sequence of the s t r i v i n g f o r u n i t y .
con-
I t i s the d e s i r e f o r
the l a s t and h i g h e s t g r a d a t i o n of l o v e experience and
touches upon the motif of the " L i e b e s t o d " at the c l o s e
of the d i a l o g u e i n Lucinde:
"0 ewige SehnsuchtJ—Doch
e n d l i c h w i r d des Tages f r u c h t l o s sehnen, e i t l e s
Blenden
s i n k e n und e r l o s c h e n , und eine grosse Liebesnacht
sich
ewig r u h i g f u h l e n l " (L. 204). A f t e r t h i s s e r i o u s moment
f o l l o w T a n d e l e i e n der Phantasie which fade out i n t o a
dream, p r a i s i n g the harmony of l o v e , the completion of
existence.
"Nun v e r s t e h t d i e Seele . . . den h e l l i g e n
S i n n des Lebens" ( L . 209).
-
51
-
ROMANTIC MYSTICISM
Bei Nacht ward d i e U n s t e r b l i c h k e i t ersonnen,
Denn sehend b l i n d s i n d w i r im. L i c h t der Sonnen.
A. W. S c h l e g e l , An N o v a l i s .
There was a mystic s t r a i n i n a l l Romantic w r i t e r s ,
simply because
they a l l tended s t r o n g l y towards r e l i g i o n
and metaphysics.
However, N o v a l i s ' mysticism was p r o -
founder than that of the r e s t :
he was born a m y s t i c .
He had come from, the s p i r i t world:
he l i v e d on e a r t h t o
perform h i s d u t i e s as one among men w i t h t r u l y human
attachment
f o r t h i s e a r t h , y e t looked forward t o the time
when he c o u l d a g a i n r e t u r n t o what he regarded as h i s
t r u e home.
"Wo gehen w i r denn h i n ? " he asked of Cyane
i n H e i n r i c h von O f t e r d i n g e n .
"Immer nach Hause," was the
answer.
N o v a l i s l i v e d i n the world of the s p i r i t w h i l e
still
on e a r t h and t h i s i s the key t o h i s i n d i v i d u a l romanticism..
C e r t a i n of N o v a l i s ' statements l e a d us to r e g a r d him as
more of a poet than mystic, s i n c e he does not always
b e l i e v e him.self imprisoned i n the world by the senses,
seeking behind i t a profound mystery;
f o r him., t h i s s a c r e d
realm beyond was not an i n s o l u b l e mystery, but h i s o r i g i n a l
home.
From, here, he looked out upon the world of the
senses and judged i t s r e l a t i o n s .
T h i s mythos, i n s t i n c t i v e l y
a p a r t of h i s n a t u r e , opened t o him. the s e c r e t doors of
p h i l o s o p h y , the s c i e n c e s , the a r t s , and the minds of
great men.
The wonderful charm, and melody of h i s s t y l e
52
-
-
were not the r e s u l t of study, but the n a t u r a l e x p r e s s i o n
of
h i s being.
There i s a p e c u l i a r b l e n d i n g of the
here
and the beyond i n h i s w r i t i n g s not found i n those of the
other Romantics.
What he says i s not d o c t r i n a l ,
didactic,
or even s t r i c t l y m e t a p h y s i c a l , but e s s e n t i a l l y p o e t i c ,
p r o p h e t i c , i n t e r p r e t a t i v e of s p i r i t u a l t h i n g s , r e v e a l i n g
s p i r i t u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s , and u n f o l d i n g symbolic
of
t h i n g s seen and
meanings
unseen.
T h i s i s N o v a l i s ' p e r s o n a l c o n t r i b u t i o n to the
romanticism, of the School, g i v i n g i t a d i s t i n c t i v e c o l o u r ing,
which would be l a c k i n g otherwise.
does not show i t s e l f
His individualism,
i n the form of r e v o l t but
from the outset to h i g h e r i n f l u e n c e s .
submits
He does not use
the
magic powers of h i s i m a g i n a t i o n f o r mere enjoyment, but
for
the sake of e s t a b l i s h i n g through
r e l a t i o n s between h i s own
t h a t power
important
mind and the mind of the
world.
He d i d not p l a y w i t h h i s v a r i o u s moods, as other w r i t e r s
of
Romanticism, d i d (e.g., T i e c k ) , s i n c e he a t t a c h e d to
them, profound
meanings:
they were to him. important
messages sent from, the d i s t a n t background of h i s i n n e r
life.
And a g a i n i t was
ing
T i e c k who
was
i n s t r u m e n t a l i n arous-
i n another w r i t e r a deep response
he who
of the s o u l ; i t was
t a l k e d to N o v a l i s of mystic s u b j e c t s and
the works of Jakob Bohme of whose teachings we
much i n N o v a l i s ' works.
recommended
find
so
I t i s important, however, to
remember t h a t N o v a l i s knew Bohme's works b e f o r e T i e c k
c a l l e d h i s a t t e n t i o n to them, but when he read them a g a i n ,
53 s y s t e m a t i c a l l y , h i s understanding
was g r e a t e r than b e f o r e .
22
N o v a l i s ' poem. An T i e c k
i s a generous e u l o g i s t i c
tribute
which he pays t o h i s f r i e n d , c a l l i n g him. the h e i r t o
Bohme's s p i r i t u a l t r e a s u r e s and the modern h e r a l d of h i s
works.
We today, however, may f e e l t h a t the r e v e r s e i s
the case, t h a t N o v a l i s , not T i e c k , was Bohme's r i g h t f u l
heir.
What N o v a l i s found w i t h i n the e s o t e r i c realism, of
h i s inner s p i r i t u a l l i f e ,
the great t r e a s u r e house of
s p i r i t u a l t r u t h s and v a l u e s , shaped i t s e l f
i n h i s mind
i n the form, of a grand i m a g i n a t i v e , symbolic p i c t u r e ,
the p i c t u r e of the " V e i l e d Maiden" or " V e i l e d Goddess." ^
2
Throughout h i s works, i n one form, or another,
f e r e n c e or another,
mystic p h i l o s o p h y
there i s t h i s maiden.
i n one r e -
H i s whole
i s compressed i n t o i t . Happy was the
man who c o u l d f i n d her, and l i f t
her v e i l .
Yet t h i s
task
was as d i f f i c u l t as i t was f o r P a r z i v a l t o f i n d the Holy
G r a i l — f o r t h i s maiden was i n v i s i b l e !
nature
I t was the s p i r i t u a l
i n man, which he had l o s t when he was d r i v e n from.
P a r a d i s e , and t o p o i n t out t o man the way back t o P a r a d i s e ,
to h i s l o s t kingdom, was N o v a l i s ' p o e t i c m i s s i o n .
There
i s a p o s s i b i l i t y of f i n d i n g her again, f o r there i s i n
every man something which yearns f o r her l o v e , an i n n e r
v o i c e g e n t l y c a l l i n g ; a s e c r e t power which draws him., and
by which, a f t e r many t r i a l s and i n f i n i t e s t r u g g l e s , through
p a i n , s u f f e r i n g and disappointments,
his g o a l — i t
i s the romantic
he w i l l f i n a l l y
Blue Flower.
reach
T h i s Blue
Flower was a l s o known t o Bohme; i t a p p a r e n t l y grew i n the
..
rose garden of P a r a d i s e :
far,"
he says, "he who
4
5
-
"The way
f i n d s i t may
can he; f o r there i s no language
to t h i s f l o w e r i s not
not r e v e a l i t , nor
that can name i t .
Nor
can any f i n d i t without the f l o w e r ' s consent; however,
i t w i l l meet him. who
spirit.
it
f e r v e n t l y seeks w i t h a maiden-like
Then you w i l l say:
i s not God;
but i t i s God's f r i e n d . " ^
2
whole p o e t i c m i s s i o n may
s t o r e t o man
'That must be God?'
No:
Novalis'
be s a i d t o be an e f f o r t t o r e -
h i s s p i r i t u a l l i f e which he l o s t when he
d r i v e n from P a r a d i s e .
this lost l i f e ,
was
H i s works are dream p i c t u r e s of
and i n d i c a t i o n s of ways open t o man
to
r e g a i n h i s former heavenly kingdom..
N o v a l i s ' Hymnen an d i e Nacht i n t r o d u c e us to the
mystic s i d e of Romanticism.,
away from the world of the
senses, a g a i n s t the daytime and the l i g h t of the sun,
sensuous beauty, nature i n i t s splendour and r i o t of
c o l o u r and sound.
of
I t i s a y e a r n i n g away i n t o the
the n i g h t , away from, the world and i t s sameness to
another unknown world of golden hopes.
die
spaces
Nacht c e l e b r a t e t h i s y e a r n i n g .
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h events i n h i s l i f e ,
The Hymnen an
They are i n t i m a t e l y
s o u l experiences,
c o n f e s s i o n s wrung from h i s h e a r t amid t r i a l s
and
tribulations.
The events r e f e r r e d t o are a l l r e l e v a n t t o h i s r e l a t i o n
s h i p w i t h h i s y e t c h i l d - l i k e f i a n c e e , Sophie Kiihn, her
i l l n e s s and ensuing death.
A l r e a d y d u r i n g her
illness,
a magic t r a n s f o r m a t i o n seemed to take p l a c e i n her person,
- 55 which deeply a f f e c t e d N o v a l i s :
h o v e r i n g between l i f e
and death, the immature, c h i l d i s h t r a i t s of Sophie seemed
to slough o f f , and the i n h e r e n t c h a r a c t e r N o v a l i s sensed
i n her when he s t a t e d t h a t she d i d not s t r i v e to be
something but was
something, developed without
restrict-
i o n s , permeating her whole person, u n t i l a s p i r i t u a l a f f i n i t y between the two l o v e r s was
established.
t h i s time N o v a l i s became more i n t r o s p e c t i v e ,
more accustomed
From,
restless,
t o i n t e r p r e t the world from w i t h i n r a t h e r
than from, without.
He turned w i t h renewed eagerness to
h i s p h i l o s o p h i c s t u d i e s , hoping t o f i n d c o n s o l a t i o n f o r
his grief.
When Sophie f i n a l l y d i e d , i t was
a tremendous
shock t o N o v a l i s , r a d i c a l l y changing h i s whole b e i n g .
He d e s c r i b e d i t as a d i v i n e occurrence, a key t o everyt h i n g , a wondrous p r o v i d e n t i a l move:
a power had
arisen
i n h i s consciousness and he b e l i e v e d he c o u l d y e t achieve
something.
H i s l o v e had grown i n t o a flame, by
which
25
e v e r y t h i n g e a r t h l y was
consumed.
He f o c u s s e d h i s
consciousness l o n g i n g l y on the world of t r u t h , where
Sophie now was.
For a moment, he even
contemplated
s u i c i d e , i n order to j o i n her sooner, but q u i c k l y
dis-
missed t h i s i g n o b l e thought from h i s mind.
was
There
another, b e t t e r , and n o b l e r way—-Fichte had p o i n t e d i t
out t o h i m — a t r a n s c e n d e n t a l way:
by sheer w i l l powerI
He went f r e q u e n t l y to her grave, dreaming by i t s
s i d e the g r e a t dream of a r e u n i o n , and w i t h i n three
months a f t e r Sophie's death, he prepared h i m s e l f f o r the
grand superhuman a c t of w i l l power which was
t o sever
- 56 his
s o u l from, t h i s world and conduct
world.
i t i n t o the next
From these dreams, and from, attendant s t r u g g l e s
and m e d i t a t i o n s and mystic w r i t i n g s , the Hymnen an d i e
Nacht took shape i n the poet's mind.
for
r e u n i o n w i t h Sophie was
H i s ardent d e s i r e
crowned w i t h success, and
N o v a l i s recorded i t i n the t h i r d Hymn.
His clairvoyant
experience at the grave of Sophie, h i s v i s i o n , gave him
an undying, i m p e r i s h a b l e f a i t h i n the heavenly realms of
the n i g h t and i t s l i g h t — - h i s f i a n c e e .
He had seen by
an
i n n e r l i g h t what h i s bare senses c o u l d never have r e v e a l e d
to
him.
T h i s c e n t r a l i d e a of the Hymnen, which grew out
of
h i s v i s i o n at the grave, becam.e l a t e r g r e a t l y e n l a r g e d
and u n i v e r s a l i z e d .
What i n the b e g i n n i n g was p u r e l y
p e r s o n a l , became i n the course of time a p p l i c a b l e to the
whole world.
Sophie's l o v e grew i n t o a l o v e i n which the
whole of humanity had a share, and the p l a c e , where her
s p i r i t was,
of
became the a b i d i n g p l a c e of the l o v i n g
spirit
the whole world, and the sacredness of her person and
the sacredness of her heavenly home grew i n t o the C h r i s t
of
r e l i g i o n and the heaven of C h r i s t i a n i t y .
a m p l i f i e d c o n c e p t i o n , he was
of
s p i r i t u a l Eve who
new,
i n p a r t i n f l u e n c e d by Bohme's
Aurora and the Three P r i n c i p l e s .
his
In t h i s
To N o v a l i s , Sophie
was
had come to him. from the h e i g h t s
heaven and had dwelt with him f o r a l i t t l e w h i l e .
Then she departed, but he saw her a g a i n on that memorable
day at the grave.
She e x i s t e d , she l i v e d .
an h e r e a f t e r , there was
a spiritual l i f e ,
There
there was
t h i n g t h e r e beyond the s t a r s f o r every i n d i v i d u a l
was
someman,
- 57 w a i t i n g f o r him—man's Eve, h i s s p i r i t u a l "betrothed.
Then t h e r e was i m m o r t a l i t y , a C h r i s t i a n heaven, a C h r i s t ,
a Heavenly F a t h e r .
Christian faith,
of
And she b e i n g t h e r e i n t h a t home of
she became i n N o v a l i s ' eyes the symbol
t h a t home, d e i f i e d , a D i v i n e Maiden, the C h r i s t i a n
Madonna or the C h r i s t i a n C h r i s t , the r e p r e s e n t a t i v e symbol
of
the C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n and d i v i n e Love, the symbol
of
those twin-flowers of Romanticism, entwined on one l i f e -
s t a l k — r e l i g i o n and l o v e .
T h i s then Is N o v a l i s ' c o n c e p t i o n of the Night i n
p r a i s e of which h i s Hymns were sung.
I n the day-time,
our senses r e i g n , i n the n i g h t - t i m e , our s p i r i t .
The
n i g h t becomes, t h e r e f o r e , a symbol s t a n d i n g f o r the realm
of
the s p i r i t , f o r the C h r i s t i a n heaven, where the Father
i s , where C h r i s t i s , where a l l the l o v e d ones are, and
where Sophie,
is
the b e t r o t h e d , l i v e s .
t o l o v e the s p i r i t u a l
To l o v e the n i g h t
i n man, which w i l l one day be
r e l e a s e d from the body and pass from, d a y l i g h t of e a r t h l y
e x i s t e n c e i n t o the l i g h t of e t e r n a l l i f e .
Longingly
N o v a l i s s t r e t c h e d out h i s arms f o r t h a t s p i r i t u a l home.
Hinunter i n der Erde Schoss,
Weg aus des L i c h t e s Reichen!
(R. I . , p.
he s i n g s i n the s i x t h and l a s t Hymn, the most t r u l y
of
them, a l l ,
ending w i t h t h i s
658.)
mystic
stanza:
Hinunter zu der siissen Braut,
Zu Jesus, dem. Geliebten.'
G e t r o s t ! D i e Abenddammrung graut
Den Liebenden, Betriibten.
E i n Traum. b r i c h t unsre Banden l o s
Und senkt uns i n des Vaters Schoss.
(R. I . , p.
659.)
- 58 Although the Hymns p r a i s e the Night, we can s t i l l
f i n d i n them an a p p r o p r i a t e estimate of the m e r i t s of the
daytime.
H i s purpose i s not t o sunder the s p i r i t
the f l e s h , but merely t o emphasize the symbolic
from
relation-
s h i p of the one t o the other, the i n n e r world t o the
e m p i r i c a l world.
I n the daytime,
beauty holds sway, and
the body demands i t s own p h y s i c a l l i f e ,
but when the n i g h t
wraps i t s e l f about man, peace enters h i s s o u l , and beyond
the t w i n k l i n g of the s t a r s he sees y e t another
the immortal
life
of the s p i r i t .
the f o u r t h Hymn, he says:
light,
Addressing the Day i n
"Gern w i l l
ich die fleissigen
Hande riihren, u b e r a l l umschaun, wo du mich brauchst;
rtthmen deines Glanzes v o i l e Pracht"(R.HN,I., p.
651/2).
At once, however, f o l l o w s a comparison with the Night.
"Aber g e t r e u der Nacht b l e i b t mein geheimes Herz und der
schaffenden L i e b e " (R.
HN. I . , p.
652),
. . . I c h lebe b e i Tage
V o l l Glauben und/iut,
Und sterbe d i e Nachte
in h e i l i g e r Glut.
As we have seen, through the death of h i s beloved
Sophie, the h i g h e s t senses were awakened i n N o v a l i s ,
making him. not only a t r u e poet, but a d w e l l e r i n two
worlds.
T h i s e v o l u t i o n of N o v a l i s i s d e p i c t e d i n h i s
fragmentary
n o v e l , H e i n r i c h von O f t e r d i n g e n , i n which
the g r e a t e s t importance
Love.
i s g i v e n t o the experience of
There i s a l s o the b a t t l e between Mind and Heart;
the poet saw the d e s t r o y i n g of h i s h e a r t as a danger f o r
h i m s e l f , whereas l o v e meant h i s s a l v a t i o n .
I n many ways,
we
The
can see i n t h i s novel what Sophie had meant to
most b e a u t i f u l d i a l o g u e s
him.
about the nature and
effect
of l o v e w r i t t e n , not only by N o v a l i s , but by the Romantics
as a whole, can be found here.
E q u a l l y important are
the
?6
gestures
of the l o v e r s ,
at each o t h e r :
and
the strong impact of l o o k i n g
t h e i r eyes speak.
N o v a l i s i s of the c o n v i c t i o n t h a t love e f f e c t s an
e v o l u t i o n a r y growth i n the l o v e r s , each wanting the
f e c t i o n of the other, seeking the union i n order
per-
to
complement, soothe and awaken i n the other the t r u e
of s e l f ;
one m i r r o r i n g the other.
h e l p f o r the other,
t h a t can only be
evoked i n man
Only through l o v e can the r i c h e s of
i n n e r l i f e u n f o l d , can man
can new
Such an e v o l u t i o n , such
i s only p o s s i b l e through a heightened
a b i l i t y to l o v e , and
love i t s e l f .
core
t r u l y become aware of
worlds be opened to him..
"Wenn man
through
the
self,
recht
liebt,
so e n t f a l t e t s i c h i n unserm Innern eine w i r k l i c h s i c h t bare Welt" (M. I I I . ,
32?).
For N o v a l i s , the theory
"Was
i s t das
Liebe"
(M.
of Love i s the h i g h e s t
ewige Geheimnis?"
IV.,
202,
195).
science.
f r a g t e d i e Sphinx:
However, a l l l o v e f o r
"Die
God,
the Cosmic, Nature, i s c r y s t a l l i z e d i n the l o v e f o r h i s
beloved
and
only through her death does i t r e c e i v e i t s
l a s t c u l m i n a t i o n and
auch f u r den Tod
d i e uns
transfiguration:
geschlossen
"Verbindung, d i e
i s t , i s t eine
eine Genossin f u r d i e Nacht g i b t .
d i e Liebe am
Hochzeit,
Im. Tode i s t
siissesten; f u r den Liebenden I s t der
eine Brautnacht, e i n Geheimnis siisser M y s t e r i e n "
Tod
(M. I I . ,
297).
- 60 "Tod
280).
i s t eine nahere Verbindung l i e b e n d e r Wesen" (M. I I . ,
T h i s i s f o r him the i d e a of the " L i e b e s t o d . "
In
a d d i t i o n t o t h i s i d e a , N o v a l i s a l s o touches upon another
more p r e v a l e n t one:
order t o achieve
death a t the moment of union, i n
eternal duration.
61
-
CHAPTER I I I
VERSIONS BY THE ROMANTICS
C o n s i d e r i n g a l l that has been s a i d about
as emancipators
the Romantics
of the i n t e l l e c t , the f e e l i n g s , and the
s p i r i t , as w e l l as r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of a new a t t i t u d e t o wards woman, l o v e , nature, and beauty, and comparing
:
t h i s w i t h the b a s i c legend of T r i s t a n und I s o l d e , i t would
seem as i f i t were made f o r the Romantics, t h a t they
would be d e l i g h t e d and i n s p i r e d t o r e c r e a t e e i t h e r the
whole romance or some aspects of i t .
They c o u l d
perhaps
g i v e i t t h e i r own i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , under the i n f l u e n c e of
t h e i r own d o c t r i n e s about
religion.
We w i l l
they accomplished
l o v e , marriage
of the s o u l s ,
see i n the f o l l o w i n g chapter, what
and how meagre a crop was a c t u a l l y
harvested.
Bodmer began t o c o l l e c t the t r e a s u r e s of Middle High
German poetry and these were l a t e r p u b l i s h e d i n 1784/85
by C. H. M i i l l e r under the t i t l e Sammlung deutscher Gedichte
aus dem. 12., 13» und 14. Jahrhundert.
Volume two c o n t a i n e d
G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n w i t h H e i n r i c h von F r e i b e r g ' s continuation.
However, t h i s and other medieval t e x t
editions
had no p r a c t i c a l value i n the b e g i n n i n g , s i n c e a l l the
commentaries, a n n o t a t i o n s , and g l o s s a r i e s , so e s s e n t i a l
f o r t h e i r complete
understanding, were s t i l l
lacking.
Since the Romantics c o n s i d e r e d i t t h e i r task t o awaken
a g e n e r a l i n t e r e s t i n the l i t e r a r y achievements
of the
German Middle Ages by way of a d a p t a t i o n s , commentaries
62
and new
v e r s i o n s , A. W.
-
S c h l e g e l , too, was
motivated
and
i n s p i r e d by the legend to w r i t e a poem. T r i s t a n i n the
s p r i n g of 1800,
P o e t i s c h e Werke.
i n c o r p o r a t e d l a t e r (1811) i n h i s c o l l e c t i o n
S c h l e g e l came upon G o t t f r i e d ' s
Tristan
i n the course of h i s r e s e a r c h i n o l d German l i t e r a r y works
i n 1799,
and he had the f o l l o w i n g to say about i t :
Der H a u p t i n h a l t i s t d i e Liebe des T r i s t a n und
der K o n i g i n Y s a l d e , d i e der des L a n c e l o t mit
der Genevre symmetrisch gegeniiber s t e h t . Die
U n g e s e t z l i c h k e i t des V e r h a l t n i s s e s haben beide
D i c h t e r durch anderweitige Tugenden und Z a r t i
h e i t e n der Gefiihle auf a l l e Weise zu a d e l n gesucht,
am. T r i s t a n w i r d besonders e i n ruhrendes Muster
der unuberwindlichen Treue b i s i n den Tod a u f g e s t e l l t . Man kann wohl sagen, dass b e i a l l e m ,
was der M o r a l i s t a n s t o s s i g f i n d e n wurde, doch
eine grosse Unschuld der Gesinnung s i c h o f f e n b a r t , weswegen der D i c h t e r auch z u l e t z t den S i n n
s e i n e r Dichtung aufs H e i l i g e , d i e Ueberschwengl i c h k e i t der r e l i g i o s e n L i e b e wendet.
S c h l e g e l v a l u e d p o e t i c a d a p t a t i o n s , such as T r i s t a n ,
very h i g h l y , as evidenced i n some remarks i n h i s l e c t u r e s
concerning " b r l t a n n i s c h e und n o r d f r a n z o s i s c h e B i t t e r mythologie"
(1803-04):
B e i der E r s t o r b e n h e i t der Phantasie, welche
aus der gegerxwartigen Verfassung des Lebens
grosse und kuhne Dichtung h e r v o r z u l o c k e n beinahe
unmoglich macht, ware es denn doch sehr anzur a t e n , dass man durch Wiedererweckung jener
a l t e n u n k e n n t l i c h gewordenen G e b i l d e d i e Poesie
zu b e r e i c h e r n suchte. . . .
Es kommt nur
darauf an, eine Dichtung i n ihrem eigent.umlichen
Sinne a u f z u f a s s e n , und s i e mit dem. Glanze a l l e r
der D a r s t e l l u n g s m i t t e l zu umkleiden, welche uns
d i e heutige Ausbildung der Sprache und p o e t i s c h e n
Kunst an-;, d i e Hand g i b t , so kann s i e d i e g r o s s t e
Wirkung n i c h t v e r f e h l e n . Auf diesem. Felde i s t
noch unermesslich v i e l Ruhm. e i n z u e r n t e n .
S c h l e g e l ' s T r i s t a n comprises
91
stanzas, being only
the f i r s t p a r t of h i s great o u t l i n e , which was
to i n c l u d e
not only G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n , but the G r a i l and L a n c e l o t
- 63 as w e l l , which are l i n k e d i n l a t e r A r t h u r i a n
literature.
Since t h i s would, i n p a r t , i n v o l v e a d u p l i c a t i o n of events
( T r i s t a n / I s o l d e and L a n c e l o t / G i n e v r a ) ,
and c r e a t e
complic-
a t i o n s , i t i s q u i t e apparent t h a t S c h l e g e l * s o u t l i n e had
not been thoroughly
analyzed
nor s e r i o u s l y
considered.
Moreover, S c h l e g e l was f a r too busy a man w i t h h i s academic
l e c t u r e s , h i s c r i t i c a l w r i t i n g s , the Athenaum and h i s
v a r i o u s t r a n s l a t i o n s from, f o r e i g n languages, t o be able
to devote s u f f i c i e n t time t o the p u r s u i t of an e p i c of
such v a s t p r o p o r t i o n s .
Thus he was unable t o keep h i s
promise, expressed i n the l a s t l i n e s of h i s T r i s t a n :
. . . ; was drauf ihm widerfahren,
S o l l t i h r im folgenden Gesang e r f a h r e n .
(P.
In h i s 91 stanzas,
126)
Schlegel follows G o t t f r i e d quite
c l o s e l y , ending the n a r r a t i v e a t T r i s t a n ' s
kidnapping
by the Norwegian merchants, but condensing the s t o r y by
e l i m i n a t i n g d e t a i l e d contemplation
or minor f a c e t s ,
c o n s t a n t l y keeping i n mind the vastness
And
of h i s p l a n .
y e t , t h i s does not seem, t o prevent him from, i n t r o d u c -
i n g some of h i s own i n v e n t i o n s , as f o r i n s t a n c e the d i s g u i s e
of B l a n c h e f l u r as a pageboy.
Also, Riwalin's
last battle,
which G o t t f r i e d g l o s s e s over q u i t e b r i e f l y i n a l i n e or
two,
Is d e p i c t e d very v i v i d l y and a t q u i t e some l e n g t h
by S c h l e g e l .
I t probably
d i d not s u i t the modern poet
t o d i s m i s s the hero of the preceding
romantic episode in.
such an abrupt manner.
S c h l e g e l probably
followed
knew the French Prose Romance and
i t i n the episode where the dying
Blancheflur
64
-
h e r s e l f g i v e s T r i s t a n h i s name, m o t i v a t i n g i t by the
sorrows
71.
she endured
l e a d i n g up t o h i s b i r t h :
S i e sprach, es hegend am gebrochnen Herzen:
"Ich habe, da i c h d i c h empfing, g e t r a u e r t ,
Dein Vater t r a u r i g l a g i n wunden Schmerzen,
In Trauer hat mich d i e Geburt durchschauert,
T r a u r i g umwolkt s i c h deine Sterne Schwarzen,
Weil du v e r w a i s t und von Gefahr umlauert.
Drum h e i s s e T r i s t a n mit dem Traur'gen Namen.
Das i s t mein l e t z t e r Muttersegen.
Amen."
B l a n c h e f l u r ' s b l e s s i n g then p r o v i d e s the t r a n s i t i o n
back t o G o t t f r i e d ' s t e x t where the c h i l d was named by
Rual.
T i e c k , who had seen S c h l e g e l ' s T r i s t a n i n manuscript
form., g i v e s an i n t e r e s t i n g a n a l y s i s of the s t o r y i n a l e t t e r
to him i n September 1802:
Ich f i n d e , dass T r i s t a n ganz L e i c h t s i n n , L i e b e ,
L e i d e n s c h a f t i s t , d i e Abenteuer haben. ordentl i c h etwas von Anekdoten. . . . Woriiber i c h
aber n i c h t mit D i r e i n i g s e i n kann, i s t der
r e l i g i o s e Ton, i c h weiss n i c h t , wie Du es mit
der Hauptgeschichte w i r s t verbinden konnen?
I s t T r i s t a n in. i r g e n d e i n e r Sage w i r k l i c h nach
dem Graale g e r i t t e n ?
I c h z w e i f l e daran, und
z w e i f l e noch mehr, dass Du es w i l l k u r l i c h h i n z u d i c h t e n d a r f s t ; der G r a a l und P a r c e v a l s i n d
e i n s , T r i s t a n und Liebesabenteuer; i n diesem.
Gedichte w i d e r s p r i c h t a l l e s der R e l i g i o n , j a
auf gewisse Weise i s t Spott damit g e t r i e b e n ,
wie b e i dem. a r t i g e n Doppelsinne der Feuerprobe
der I s o l d e , wie T r i s t a n s i c h durch d i e C a p e l l e
r e t t e t , so dass Gott ihm. s e l b e r zum. Ehebruch
behiilflich scheint:
es i s t zwar, s t a t t des
S c h i c k s a l s , eine moral!sche Beendigung da,
indessen nur, wie i n den Romanen .sein kann,
die von Liebe handeln, das Hohersteigen d e r
L e i d e n s c h a f t und der Tod, a l s T r i s t a n seinem.
Freunde i n unrechtmassiger Liebe h i l f t ; d i e s e
Moral auf der elnen, der L i e b e s t r a n k auf der^
andern S e i t e erregen wieder e i n U n s c h u l d s g e f u h l ,
wodurch^die h e r r l i c h e S c h i l d e r u n g und E r f i n d u n g
dem. Gemute wohl tun. B e i s o l c h e n S t e l l e n , wie
s i e beide i n der Einsamkeit, i n der wunderbaren
Hohle l e b e n , b l e i b t dem neueren D i c h t e r r e c h t
v i e l Spielraum. ?
2
65
-
C a r l P h i l i p p Conz (1762-I872) was p r o f e s s o r of C l a s s i c
P h i l o l o g y a t the U n i v e r s i t y of Tubingen and as such a very
w e l l v e r s e d and apt t r a n s l a t o r of Greek p o e t s .
He had a
l e a n i n g towards p h i l o s o p h i c a l and d i d a c t i c l y r i c and
followed i n t h i s i n S c h i l l e r ' s footsteps.
was
of l i t t l e
He p u b l i s h e d i n 1 8 2 1 h i s
significance.
Romance T r i s t a n s Tod, based
As a poet, he
on H e i n r i c h von F r e i b e r g ' s
c o n t i n u a t i o n of G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c , but w i t h q u i t e a few
i n n o v a t i o n s as w e l l .
The Romance begins
thus:
Krank an b i t t e r s c h w e r e n Todeswunden
l a g daheim. auf seinem, Bette T r i s t a n ,
naher n e i g t mit j e g l i c h e r Minute
schon dem. Tode zu s e i n Heldenleben,
schon dem. Tode zu s e i n L i e b e l e b e n .
E i n e Hoffnung h a l t noch von den L i p p e n
ab des Todes F i n g e r : seine L i e b e ;
ob I s o t t e n i c h t , d i e V i e l g e l i e b t e
nahen wiird! ? I h r ^ A n b l i c k , i h r e r Augen
S t r a h l e n , i h r e r Nahe Z a u b e r k r e i s e ,
I h r e r F i n g e r h e i l e n d e Beruhrung,
wundertatig, konnten s i e vom. Tode
den dem. Tode schon v e r f a l l e n e n r e t t e n .
The
c l a s s i c episode of the white and the b l a c k
f o l l o w s , w i t h T r i s t a n ' s and I s o l d e ' s death.
sail
Conz has
t r e a t e d I s o l d e ' s l a m e n t a t i o n over T r i s t a n ' s dead body i n
a r a t h e r o r i g i n a l , though t y p i c a l l y romantic way,
and has
I s o l d e express her sorrow i n very s e n t i m e n t a l words:
"Leb' i c h noch, war doch i n ihm. mein Leben
Einzig.
E i n e S e e l * i n zweier L e i b e r n !
Ungetreuer, kannst du mich v e r l a s s e n ?
Schlage noch einmal d i e j D l a u e n Augen
Auf zu mir, d i e Liebeshande r e i c h e '
M i r einmal noch, dass w i r gehn zusammen
Und v e r e i n t des Todes Hochzeit h a l t e n j "
Und so s i n k t s i e wieder h i n zum. Todten.
However, c o n t r a r y t o the legend, the bodies of the
l o v e r s are not taken t o Cornwall, but remain i n B r i t a n n y ,
and i n s t e a d of the v i n e and the rosebush, we f i n d here
lily
and the r o s e b u s h — a d d i n g
a more s e n t i m e n t a l touch,
the
66
which was not inherent
-
i n the legend.
K a r l H e i n r i c h Wackernagel, born i n 1800, s t u d i e d
under Lachmann and became h i m s e l f p r o f e s s o r
and
of German language
l i t e r a t u r e i n B a s e l , where he d i e d i n I 8 6 9 .
His f i r s t
p o e t i c attempts, gathered under the t i t l e Gedichte
eines
fahrenden Schiilers (1828) are s t i l l very much under the
i n f l u e n c e of h i s s t u d i e s i n the o l d German P e r i o d ,
of a r c h a i c words and a r t i f i c i a l
full
phrases and s i m i l e s . H i s
l a t e r poems (Neuere Gedichte, 1842, Z e i t g e d i c h t e , 1843,
and Welnbiichlein, 1845) are s t i l i s t i c a l l y
more independent.
In h i s c o l l e c t i o n of poems Gedichte eines fahrenden Schiilers
are i n c l u d e d seven T r i s t a n Romances.
They are based on
the E n g l i s h S i r Tristrem. and are a l s o i n
form.
'balladesque'
Wackernagel was f u r t h e r i n f l u e n c e d by the German
Prose Romance and, of course, G o t t f r i e d .
The
Das
first
three Romances have each a s p e c i a l t i t l e :
Goldhaar, Die Brautwerbung, and Minnezauber.
The l a s t
f o u r Romances are more c l o s e l y l i n k e d under the heading
T r i s t a n s und Isoldens
Tod.
The n a r r a t i v e i s extremely
b r i e f and e r r a t i c , l a c k i n g a l l p o e t i c empathy; the language
i s r a t h e r f o r c e d , the verses
exceedingly
clumsy.
Since Wackernagel c a l l e d h i s T r i s t a n Romances "Bruchstucke,"
we may assume t h a t he had planned t o w r i t e more
Romances, or perhaps even the whole T r i s t a n epic i n t h i s
form.
I t i s j u s t as w e l l that nothing
the a v a i l a b l e m a t e r i a l i s a l r e a d y
sad f a i l u r e .
potion:
came of i t , s i n c e
s u f f i c i e n t proof
of a
Here, f o r example, the d r i n k i n g of the
- 67
-
S c h n e l l trugen d i e K i e l e h i n / D i e Magd und i h r Gesinde,
Den z a r t e n Frauen t h a t e n weh/Wasser und d i e Winde.
Sie waren gefahren auf Oder Flut/Manche Wassermeile.
T r i s t a n gab der Koniginn/Mit Rede K u r z w e i l e .
"Magdlein, gebt mir eures Weins:/Mich beginnet d u r s t e n . "
E i n e n Becker von lauterm. Glas/Brachten s i e dem. Fursfcen.
Er bot i h n vor mit Ziichten dar/Zu I s o l d e n Hande.
Sie trank und gab i h n aber hin/Herren T r i s t a n d e .
Was sehnet Herz zu Herzen sich/Den beiden a l l zur Stunde?
Aug' i n Auge was schauen sie?/Was s e u f z e t Mund nach Munde?
Sie sassen nach der Rothe b l e i c h / I n liebem Verlangen,
Suchen und f l i e h e n d den W e c h s e l b l i c k / M i t freudigem Bangen.
(P. 37)
F r i e d r i c h Ruckert was
He
born at Schweinfurt
1788.
in
i s q u i t e w e l l known as a s i n g e r of the Wars of L i b e r a t i o n
(Geharnischte S o n e t t e ) , but h i s g r e a t i n t e r e s t was
study of o r i e n t a l l i t e r a t u r e .
to
the
He rendered v a l u a b l e s e r v i c e s
German l i t e r a t u r e as an i n t e r p r e t e r of o r i e n t a l
life
and p o e t r y , n o t a b l y of H a f i z ; he i s e x c e l l e n t as a t r a n s l a t o r of S a n s k r i t and A r a b i c , and ranks w i t h P l a t e n ,
a l s o began h i s l i t e r a r y work with o r i e n t a l
He,
who
imitations.
too, planned a T r i s t a n and I s o l d e e p i c , of which the
f i r s t p a r t ( e n t i t l e d by the e d i t o r Jung T r i s t a n ) was
p u b l i s h e d i n 1839
i n Oswald Marbach's Q u a r t e r l y Die J a h r e s -
zeiten.
The poem s t a r t s where S c h l e g e l ended:
T r i s t a n , kidnapped
wall.
Ruckert
how
young
by Norwegian merchants, lands i n Corn-
o b v i o u s l y favours' great b r e v i t y :
i n h i s 32 stanzas of 8 l i n e s each what G o t t f r i e d
between v e r s e s 1790-2530 ( i . e . , 7*K) v e r s e s ) .
he
covers
relates
Ruckert
does not g i v e us the Prologue, nor the s t o r y of R i w a l i n
-
and B l a n c h e f l u r ,
68
-
and we can g l e a n from, Riickert's sketches
f o r h i s e p i c only that he d i d not have i n mind a t r a n s l a t i o n , but an Independent and f r e e a d a p t a t i o n .
His poetic
freedom, c o n s i s t s mainly i n the arrangement of h i s m a t e r i a l .
We were t o l e a r n , f o r example, about T r i s t a n ' s parents and
h i s own youth l a t e r on, i n f l a s h - b a c k
through Rual's account.
manner, presumably
Young T r i s t a n turns up
the reader as w e l l as f o r K i n g M a r k — a s a p e r f e c t
thus c r e a t i n g t e n s i o n and e x p e c t a t i o n
start.
then—for
stranger,
r i g h t from the
The p l a n of the s t o r y i s i n d i c a t e d by the author
i n the b e g i n n i n g
verses:
Was heben w i r zu singen an
Von Helden a l t e r Z e i t und i h r e n Holden?
Vom. r l t t e r l i c h e n Held T r i s t a n
Und s e i n e r Braut I s o l d e n ,
Was der von S t r a s s b u r g G o t e f r i e d
Sang m e i s t e r h a f t und s t a r b , eh' er's v o l l e n d e t ,
v o l l e n d e h l a s s e mich e i n g u n s t i g e r S t e r n
das L i e d !
Und ob es anders mir beschiede,
Der uber uns d i e Sterne l e n k t ,
So w i l l i c h sterben unterm. L i e d e ,
Ins siisse Weh der Welt versenkt;
Die L i e b e , d i e mir gab das Leben,
S i e moge mir den Tod
Und ewiges Leben d o r t , h i e r ewigen Nachruhm.
gebenl
Ruckert r e l a t e s T r i s t a n ' s encounter w i t h the p i l g r i m s
and
the h u n t i n g scene, though these are c o n s i d e r a b l y
shortened.
King Mark i s p o r t r a y e d
as a gloomy, u n f r i e n d l y ,
r e t i c e n t man, mourning the mysterious disappearance of
his sister.
H i s f a v o u r i t e s are a dwarf, Melot, and a
b l i n d bard.
I t i s q u i t e apparent from, the b e g i n n i n g
t h a t T r i s t a n , the c h i l d w i t h the sad name, i s meant t o
b r i n g j o y and happiness t o Mark's s i n i s t e r court and
69 thus Immediately
bard.
c o n t r a s t w i t h Melot and the b l i n d
I n t h i s way, the p s y c h o l o g i c a l m o t i v a t i o n i s g i v e n
f o r f u t u r e events, i n v o l v i n g j e a l o u s y and hate, when
T r i s t a n w i l l cause much p a i n t o h i s u n c l e .
T h i s fragment
which was p u b l i s h e d only a few years
b e f o r e Immermann's T r i s t a n i s g e n e r a l l y c h e e r f u l and gay
i n tone, thus b e i n g s i m i l a r to Immermann's poem, and
c o n t r a s t i n g w i t h S c h l e g e l ' s which i s more i n the v e i n
of pathos.
K a r l Lebrecht Immermann, who was born a t Magdeburg
i n 1796, and d i e d i n 1840, can be c l a s s i f i e d as a post
Romantic.
He s t u d i e d law a t H a l l e and i n 1827 was
appointed L a n d g e r i c h t s r a t a t D i i s s e l d o r f .
Immermann
pQ
experimented
i n a l l Romantic l i t e r a r y forms:
a dramatic poem., ^ a n o v e l , a n d
2
i n plays,
a romance.-^
Later,
as a producer a t the t h e a t r e i n D i i s s e l d o r f , he accomplished
what Ludwig T i e c k had attempted
i n Dresden:
he produced
the masters of dramatic l i t e r a t u r e , above a l l Shakespeare
and Calderon, and from, these experiments
(1840) dates
a new phase i n the development of the German t h e a t r e .
I n p u r s u i n g h i s i n t e r e s t i n O l d German l i t e r a t u r e
(he had s t u d i e d the Edda, P a r z i v a l , T i t u r e l , L o h e n g r i n ) ,
Immermann a l s o came a c r o s s G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n .
Being
h i g h l y impressed by the s t o r y , he began w r i t i n g h i s own
v e r s i o n i n 1831 but, although he r e t u r n e d t o i t i n
l a t e r y e a r s , he never succeeded i n f i n i s h i n g the poem..
I t was p u b l i s h e d posthumously
i n 1842.
In a l e t t e r
- 70 to h i s b r o t h e r Ferdinand, dated March 31,
I831,
Immer-
mann wrote:
Das i s t e i n ganz h e r r l i c h e r Gehalt.
Es i s t i n
mir der P l a n entstanden, d e r e i n s t d i e s e s Gedicht
i n neuer k i i n s t l e r i s c h e r Form, aufzuerwecken,
und zwar so, dass nur der S t o f f G o t t f r i e d _ v o n
S t r a s s b u r g , d i e Behandlung aber mir angehoren
mochte. Jam.merscha.de, dass so p r a c h t i g e Sachen
under den G e l e h r t e n vermodern! man muss s i e
dem Volke schenken.32
Before s t a r t i n g h i s v e r s i o n , Immermann thoroughly
in-
v e s t i g a t e d not only the m a t e r i a l and background of the
story i t s e l f ,
but a l s o s t u d i e d Germanic mythology and
sagas of that p e r i o d . - ^
preparations
I n s p i t e of a l l these
and the i n i t i a l
enthusiasm., Immermann
the poem, untouched f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s .
a new l o v e entered
i n I838.
left
I t was only when
h i s own l i f e that he r e t u r n e d t o the
e p i c T r i s t a n und I s o l d e and f i n i s h e d the f i r s t
it
earnest
p a r t of
He h i m s e l f r e f e r s t o t h i s " r e v i v a l of h i s
h e a r t " i n the "Zueignung" and f u r t h e r a l l u s i o n s can
be t r a c e d l a t e r .
The "Zueignung"
reads:
Gestorben war das Herz und l a g im Grabe!
Dein Zauber weckt es wieder auf, der holde;
Es k l o p f t und f i i h l t des neuen Lebens Gabe,
S e i n e r s t e r Laut i s t , T r i s t a n und I s o l d e !
Immermann came f u r t h e r i n h i s n a r r a t i v e of T r i s t a n
than S c h l e g e l , but not as f a r as G o t t f r i e d ; h i s poem
ends w i t h the scene i n which I s o l d e schemes to have
Brangaene murdered.
in
What was t o f o l l o w l a t e r i s found
Immermann's sketches,
p l a n of h i s e p i c .
so that we do have the complete
I t i s on these sketches f o r the f i n a l
s e c t i o n of the n a r r a t i v e that Hermann Kurtz l a t e r based
his
version.
- 71
-
Immermann d i v i d e s h i s e p i c i n t o Romanzen, i n t e r spersed
w i t h numerous d i s c o u r s e s
and r e f l e c t i o n s , modelled
a f t e r G o t t f r i e d , though i n q u i t e a d i f f e r e n t v e i n .
c a l l s them V o r s p i e l e , Zwischenspiele,
The
e p i c was
planned i n two
t o c o n s i s t of eleven and
The
first
parts:
and
Nachspiele.
the f i r s t
part
Cornwall,
the second p a r t begins w i t h Mark's n u p t i a l s and
w i t h the l o v e r s ' death.
The
p a r t , and
ends
sources used were
Gott-
the Prose Romance as
backbone of the second p a r t ; f o r minor episodes,
Trlstrem. was
and
was
the second of ten romances.
p a r t ends w i t h I s o l d e ' s a r r i v a l i n
f r i e d f o r the f i r s t
He
used as w e l l as the c o n t i n u a t i o n s
the
Sir
by U l r i c h
Heinrich.
While the number of episodes i s c o n s i d e r a b l y
re-
duced, the n a r r a t i v e i s , on the other hand, extended
by lengthy
d e s c r i p t i o n s of nature and by the
d u c t i o n of background m a t e r i a l .
intro-
In the f i r s t
hunting
scene, f o r example (at which Mark i s p r e s e n t ) ,
Immermann
s t a r t s o f f by
of
t e l l i n g us of the b i r t h and
s t a g t o be hunted.
A f t e r the hunt i s over and
huntsmen are on the way
background and
on,
home, Mark d i s c o v e r s
recognizes
the
the
Tristan's
i n him. h i s nephew.
From, here
T r i s t a n ' s presence completely changes l i f e
Tintayol.
for
life
in
He makes h i s uncle get up at dawn and
ride
hours over h i s l a n d , thereby d i s t u r b i n g the smooth
d a i l y routine
i n the c a s t l e .
W l l d f a n g " and p o r t r a y e d
mischief
and humour, who
Tristan is called
as a f r i s k y young man
"der
full
of
a c t u a l l y i s p u l l i n g a l l the
- 72 s t r i n g s at c o u r t .
He even suggests t o h i s uncle t h a t
he should take a young w i f e i n order t o make l i f e
gayer:
Und T r i s t a n sprach: I h r wart v e r b a u e r t ,
H a t t ' ohne mich h i e r f o r t g e d a u e r t
Das simple Leben. Doch das Best
Es f e h l t Euch noch zu S p i e l und P e s t .
. . . : e i n Weibchen jung.
S i e b r i n g t Euch erst^zum. r e c h t e n H a l t e
In h e r r l i c h s t e r E r k r a f t i g u n g ,
W i l l sehn, dass auch den T r o s t i c h s c h a f f e !
Der Konig r i e f :
Du b i s b e i n A f f e !
(P. 6 l )
• • •
Oheim. nehmt eine junge F r a u !
I c h l a s s ' Euch keine Ruh', b i s dass I h r
Oheim., nehmt eine junge Frau.
• • •
Wie w i r d das holde Kind s i c h schmiegen
An Euren L e i b , und l i e b l i c h wiegen
Mit siissem Wiegenlied zuriick
Den
gut en Ohm. i n Jugendgliick!
71)
(P.
Mark does not take him. s e r i o u s l y , of course, but
T r i s t a n l a t e r on a c t s q u i t e independently i n t h i s
Immermann a l s o uses the s t o r y of the two
and the b l o n d h a i r , which G o t t f r i e d c o n s i d e r e d
and d i s c a r d e d .
matter.
swallows
improbable
T r i s t a n takes only one voyage t o I r e l a n d :
A f t e r having been h e a l e d of the wound r e c e i v e d i n the
b a t t l e w i t h Morolt
(who
i n Immermann's v e r s i o n h i m s e l f
k n i g h t s T r i s t a n b e f o r e the b a t t l e ! ) and found out by
I s o l d e as the k i l l e r of her u n c l e , T a n t r i s - T r i s t a n
h i m s e l f from. I s o l d e ' s wrath and revenge by
saves
declaring
t h a t he had come as h i s u n c l e Mark's deputy to ask
I s o l d e i n marriage.
I n h i s account
As such an envoy he became i n v i o l a b l e .
t o Mark, " T r i s t a n s v i e r t e
Briefseite,"
T r i s t a n j u s t i f i e s h i s a c t i o n thus:
Auch du, mein zweiter V a t e r , wiirdest d i c h t e n
Sahst du auf d i c h des Schwertes S p i t z e r i c h t e n .
(P.
145)
- 73 As regards c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n s , Immermann wrote t o
T i e c k i n the f o l l o w i n g terms:
"Das c o n v e n t i o n e l l
R l t t e r l i c h e Oder Romantische, wie man es nennen
will,
wvirde mich g e n i e r e n und k e i n Leben unter meiner Hand
gewinnen; nun d i c h t e i c h i h n mir urn i n das menschliche
und n a t u r l i c h e Element und mache m i r einen u b e r s p r u d e l n den L i e b e s j u n g e n z u r e c h t , wie e r m u t a t i s mutandis auch
34
allenfalls
heut zu Tage noch zur Welt kommen konnte."-^
An example of Immermann's treatment of the m a t e r i a l
on these l i n e s i s Melot the dwarf, whom, he p o r t r a y s w i t h
a c e r t a i n fondness.
To him, Melot i s a funny,
c r e a t u r e , evoking sympathy
jolly
i n s p i t e of h i s s p i t e f u l
character:
E i n Mannlein war's von sondrer K r a f t .
Er t r u g e i n Flickenwam.slein s c h e c k i c h t ,
Den Kolben, und d i e Kappen e c k i c h t .
Er s c h l u g e i n Rad, s c h n i t t eine F r a t z *
Und r u t s c h t ' umher, schmiss urn Gefasse,
War auch schon d r e i s s i g Jahr'^am. P l a t z ,
Und machte s t e t s d i e s e l b e n Spasse,
Der Konig h a t t e s i c h gewohnt
Zu l a c h e n , wenn er g r e i n t und hohnt'.
Der Fratzenhans, der P o s s e n r e i s s e r ,
Der Rutscher, der Gefassumschmeisser,
Das war e i n Zwerglein, h i e s s Melot,
Der k l e i n e Schurk von leichtem. S c h r o t .
Die Hexe hat i h n e i n s t gezeuget
Mit einem M e i s t e r schwarzer Kunst,
Er ward mit Hexenmilch gesauget
Und stand bei'm T e u f e l sehr i n Gunst. . . .
(P. 57)
An example of Immermann's change of o r g a n i z a t i o n
and m o t i v a t i o n i s I s o l d e ' s attempt t o have
murdered.
Immermann i s here f u l l y
dramatic moment.
Brangaene
aware of an i n h e r e n t
With G o t t f r i e d , I s o l d e wishes t o get
r i d of Brangaene, s i n c e she i s the only p e r s o n who knows
her
s e c r e t , and the Queen i s a f r a i d of b e i n g exposed
7^
one day;
-
there i s no other reason g i v e n f o r h i r i n g
murderers.
the
Immermann, however (according to h i s s k e t c h e s ) ,
intended to i n s e r t a heated
argument between the
two
women d u r i n g which Brangaene would get c a r r i e d away w i t h
accusations against Isolde.
Brangaene's c h a r a c t e r would
thereby become r a i s e d from, a r a t h e r p a s s i v e one
and
the
then f o l l o w i n g s i t u a t i o n p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y motivated.
Immermann's v e r s i o n captures our i n t e r e s t f u r t h e r
through the f l u e n t , v i v i d and e n t h u s i a s t i c language,
and by h i s d e l i g h t f u l l y s a t i r i c a l and humorous s t y l e
Ach John! Du armer R i t t e r !
Es geht durchs E i s e n e i n G e z i t t e r .
Dein F l e i s c h i s t morsch, d i e Muskel bebt,
Dein Muth i s t , was an d i r noch l e b t :
Es h i n g urn d i e verschrumpften G l i e d e r
Der B e i n h a r n i s c h u n s c h l i e s s e n d , l o s ' ,
Der Helm, sank b i s zur S c h u l t e r n i e d e r ,
Die Schuhe waren v i e l zu g r o s s ,
E r stand und konnte s i c h n i c h t riihren
In diesem Schmuck von Z e i t e n , f r i i h ' r e n .
Doch hob er auf das Schwert zum Haun,
Wie e i n s t im. S t r a u s s von Dunbar-Town;
A l l e i n dem. Arme diirr und s a f t l o s
E n t g l i t t ' s ; er s t r a u c h e l t e und k r a f t l o s
Vom. L u f t h i e b f o r t g e r i s s e n , f i e l
Der a l t e R i t t e r n i e d e r p r a s s e l n d ;
Zum. Schutz und T r u t z das W a f f e n s p i e l
Klang iiber seinem. Leibe r a s s e l n d ;
Er l a g am Boden, s c h l u c h z t e schwer,
E i n B i l d v e r j a h r t e r Waffenehr'.
The
d e s c r i p t i o n of the s e a s i c k Lords a f f o r d s
opportunity f o r r e a l i s t i c
another
satire:
Doch aus dem. t i e f e n Raum. des S c h i f f s
Wankten empor, hochst schwach, B e g r i f f s ,
G e f u h l s , Bewusstseins f a s t e n t b l o s s e t ,
Die s c h l a f f e n Ziige a u f g e l o s e t ,
G r i i n g e l b l i c h e n G e s i c h t s , verdorben
Im C o l o r i t , so s c h i e n ' s , auf l a n g ,
Abscheu urn Lippen, wo gestorben
Fur ewig d i e T r i e b e nach S p e i s ' und Trank,
Der Welten ganze Noth i n s i c h :
Wankten d i e Lords, sehr jammerlich.
(P.
185)
-
75
-
Although b e t t e r v e r s e d i n the dramatic form,
Imm.ernia.nn was able t o f r e e h i m s e l f
from, too great an
i n t e r e s t i n a r a p i d development of the a c t i o n and concentrated
i n s t e a d on i t s m o t i v a t i o n s and the circum-
stances l e a d i n g up t o the c o n f l i c t s .
istic
of Immermann's poem, i s the great
A special
character-
emphasis on the
d e s c r i p t i o n s of nature and landscape where the personages
are only of secondary importance.
he
creates
With these
descriptions
the mood necessary f o r the ensuing a c t i o n
and
increases
the t e n s i o n of the n a r r a t i v e .
for
example, the p r e p a r a t i o n
He
describes,
of the love p o t i o n by the
Queen at h i g h noon i n the midst of n a t u r e , p a n t i n g
the
s t i l l heat of the midday sun:
der Pan" (p. 157).
zauber."
under
"Wenn M i t t a g s traumt
a p t l y e n t i t l i n g the scene
Other d e s c r i p t i o n s are there
"Mittags-
t o evoke sensuous
impressions through the c o l o u r i n g of h i s "word-paintings."
H i s love of nature i s conveyed i n the e x q u i s i t e m i n i a t u r e s
and
d e t a i l e d p o r t r a y a l s of p l a n t and animal l i f e
(e.g.,
Mark's S p r i n g
F e s t i v a l , the d e s c r i p t i o n of the s t a g t o
be hunted £p.
3 3 J » or the seashore i n the s e c t i o n c a l l e d
"Sanct P a t r i c k ' s
Schiff").
We can best d e t e c t
the Romantic i n f l u e n c e i n Immer-
mann's e p i c by t r a c i n g the i d e a and e f f e c t of l o v e .
first
love
example s t i l l
The
reminds us of G o t t f r i e d ' s c o u r t l y
ideal:
.
. . Denn L i e b e , sagt man, i s t nur H o f f e n ,
Und w i r d gewahrt, vom Tod b e t r o f f e n . (P. 1 8 3 )
- 76 but Immermann s w i f t l y changes t o the Romantic d o c t r i n e
of l o v e :
Nun
kam d i e Z e i t zu Melodein
(P. 227)
Fur T r i s t a n auch b e i Sonnenschein
i n c o n t r a s t t o an e a r l i e r
statement:
T r i s t a n sang n i e b e i Sonnenscheine,
(P. 62)
Er h i e l t das nur f u r Z e i t v e r s c h l i s s .
Immermann views the l o v e experience
I s o l d e as p r o g r e s s i v e , b e g i n n i n g
of T r i s t a n and
at T a n t r i s - T r i s t a n ' s
s i c k bed i n I r e l a n d and r e a c h i n g i t s e r u p t i v e
through the l o v e p o t i o n .
climax
A jealous, inebriated I r i s h
c o u r t i e r , S i r Donegal, mentions w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o T a n t r i s T r i s t a n " m a t t v e r l i e b t e B l i c k g e b l i n k e l " (p. 1 3 0 ) , and i n
c o n n e c t i o n with I s o l d e the Romantics' d i v i n i n g " S i l b e r b l i c k " of the beloved
i s introduced:
In ihrem. Angesichte bliihte
Wie S i l b e r b l i c k , d i e r e i n s t e Gute.
J a , kiihn s e i d i e Barmherzigkeit
G e p r i s s e n £sic3 g l e i c h dem. S i l b e r b l i c k e .
(P. 133)
When T r i s t a n l a t e r on, i n order t o save h i s l i f e ,
has
t o r e s o r t t o the i n v e n t e d t a l e about b e i n g Mark's
envoy t o request
I s o l d e i n marriage, she i s s h a t t e r e d
by the sudden t u r n of events.
I t i s only n a t u r a l that
her growing a f f e c t i o n f o r T r i s t a n i s outwardly changed
i n t o resentment and animosity,
h e a r t with sorrow.
y e t s e c r e t l y weighing her
The Queen has no doubt been aware
of the s i l e n t bond between the two young people and
contemplating
the impending marriage of h e r daughter t o
an o l d man, "Mark i s t e i n G r e i s , I s o l d ' i s t jung,/Da
muss i c h s t i f t e n F e s t i g u n g "
(p. 157) > she r e s o l v e s t o
- 77
-
t u r n the s i t u a t i o n i n t o a bearable f a t e and prepares
magic p h i l t r e .
the
As proof t h a t no dark f o r c e s have any
p a r t i n t h i s undertaking, the Queen e x p l a i n s to Brangaene
t h a t she concocts
i t i n b r i g h t d a y l i g h t under the' "Flam-
m e n s c h r i t t der hohen Sonne im Z e n i t h " (p. 157)
to
inject
i n t o i t the spark,
"Das
In order
hochste Wunder, dessen
K r a f t / e i n i n n e r l i c h e s Herz e n t b i n d e t " (p. 157).
who
Brangaene,
becomes the " v e s t a l keeper" of the p h i l t r e , i s awed
by t h i s " h e i l ' g e n Zauberwein" (p. 173)
it
in. the casket on board
at
it:
and b e f o r e
storing
s h i p , decides to have a peek
". . . B l i t z e n d t r i f f t / I h r Aug"
ein gottliches
173).
Gefunkel,/Rasch deckt s i e zu d i e Wunder-GIft" (p.
On board
s h i p , the s t i l l
stunned
I s o l d e has
with-
drawn i n t o h e r s e l f , gazing e i t h e r h i g h towards heaven
or t r y i n g to penetrate the depths of the ocean.
"Sie
war wie g o t t l i c h e s Entsagen,/An Wunsch und Hoffnung
und Klagen"
" T r i s t a n war
(p. 176).
As f o r T r i s t a n , he too was
arm.
changed:
auch wie umgekehrt./Sein Scherz v e r s i e g t e . . . .
E r nahte nur mit scheuem Zaudern,/So v i e l d i e H o f l i c h k e i t befahl,/Dem S e s s e l der P r i n z e s s i n , . . . indessen
s t a h l / E r s i c h , s o b a l d es g i n g , b e i S e i t e , / g r i f f
einen
e i n z e l n e n Accord,/warf dann d i e Laute wleder f o r t . "
It
for
i s only now
176)
t h a t T r i s t a n r e a l i z e s the consequences
him. and the whole impact
the p e a c e f u l l i f e
ation:
(P.
of h i s own
action.
on the s h i p t h a t brought the
"Ruh'/der Meerfahrt
It
was
realiz-
t r u g ' s der Seele zu" (p.
T r i s t a n t e l l s the w o r r i e d Brangaene i n a v e i l e d conf e s s i o n t h a t he had decided t o make a p i l g r i m a g e to
180).
- 78 Jerusalem t o atone f o r h i s s i n s :
Ich habe sprach T r i s t a n , begriindet
Auf Schwanke, Ranke, t o l l e n Trug
Den a l t e s t e n Bund, den unser Buch
Mit h e i l ' g e r Zeugenschaft v e r b r i e f e n d ,
Vom. Herren s e l b e r h e i s s t g e s e t z t l
So hat d i e L i p p e l u g e n t r i e f e n d
Der Wahrheit Uranfang v e r l e t z t ,
Das
L i c h t , das nimmer u n t e r s i n k e t ,
S t e t s wie der P o l s t e r n droben b l i n k e t .
A
(P. 181)
Brangaene
sympathizes w i t h both of them., e s p e c i a l l y w i t h
her young
mistress:
'S i s t zu entschuld'gen, dass i h r graue
Das Rosenroth, das L i l i e n w e i s s
Zu k a l t e n an des G r e i s e n E l s .
(P. 182)
I s o l d e t r i e s t o be brave and d e c i d e s t o l i v e a l i f e of
duty and s e r v i c e f o r the s i c k and needy.
She i s not
a f r a i d of Mark and hopes t o have a s i s t e r l y
s h i p w i t h him., " W i e ^ e s J
Brangaene
relation-
seinem A l t e r ziemt" (p. 184).
admires such h i g h and s e l f l e s s
aspirations,
"Und k l a g t ' im Still»n, dass nur b e i Hofe/erwachse e i n
so schoner S i n n , / i n
abtodte Lust an-
i h r e m
Stande n i e Entsagen/
Kusses Plagen" (p. 184).
I n s p i t e of t h e i r self-imposed s e l f - c o n t r o l ,
and I s o l d e are very much drawn t o g e t h e r .
Tristan
The b r i e f scene,
where the ship had docked en route to get some f r e s h
s p r i n g water and everybody had disembarked f o r a short
s t r o l l 6n the i s l a n d , i l l u s t r a t e s t h i s v e i l e d
love-
seeking admirably:
Herr T r i s t a n war der L e t z t e , der
Das S c h i f f l i e s s zogernd, menschenleer.
Er g i n g nur, w e i l Isolden's Auge
Ihm. sagte, dass k e i n Zeug' i h r tauge
Zur A u f h e l t r u n g . Doch a l s er stand
Mit ernstem. Gruss noch an der Brvicke
Da sah e r , dass s i e s i c h gewandt,
- 79 A l s suchten Entbehrtes i h r e B l i c k e .
E r t r a t zu i h r und f r u g : Was f e h l t ?
Kann i c h es s c h a f f e n , so b e f e h l t .
S i e sprach: Ich mag den Wunsch auch missen,
Mich d i i r s t e t , wenn I h r ' s w o l l e t wissen. . . .
at the same time p r o v i d i n g a l i n k f o r the Love P o t i o n
scene.
A c t u a l l y there i s no such scene d e s c r i b e d
at a l l , we
are only witnesses of i t s e f f e c t s .
The
method used by the author i s that of the reader
f o l l o w i n g Brangaene back onto the s h i p , w h i l e the r e s t
of the p a r t y s t i l l
island.
enjoys the p e a c e f u l n e s s of the
Brangaene i s w o r r i e d f o r having l e f t I s o l d e
alone so l o n g and h u r r i e s back.
She cannot
see her
on deck and searches below i n the c a b i n ; here
she
d i s c o v e r s w i t h h o r r o r t h a t the casket i s open and
s i l v e r c o n t a i n e r with-the magic p o t i o n gone.
the
In
panic she runs a g a i n on deck and f i n d s the l o v e r s
i n an embrace behind the s c r e e n i n g of some sheets
put up as make-shift f o r a t e n t .
. . .Da bliiht das Wunder, gross und machtig,
Leer s t e h t der Becher auf dem T i s c h ,
Und, d i e entsagend und b e d a c h t i g
Jerusalem, gesucht, der P f l i c h t
S i c h widmen w o l l t e n i n V e r z i c h t
Auf Meer und L i c h t , Natur und Sonne,
Die p f l e g e n Lust und fanden Wonne.
Das h e i l i g e gelobte Land
Zwei r o t e Lippen s i n d ' s , erkannt
A l s Gnadentrost von Jiinglingsmunde,
E i n Kranker w i r d da weich g e p f l e g t
Von Weibesarmen, d i e zum, Bunde
Zum. engsten, s i c h urn i h n g e l e g t !
Unlosbar, B r u s t an Brust gedrungen,
Stehn T r i s t a n und I s o l d ' umschlungen.
(Pp. 197/8)
They are o b l i v i o u s t o t h e i r surroundings, t o
Brangaene's lamentations, to the r e s t of the p a r t y ,
so t h a t Brangaene, h i g h l y alarmed,
decides to draw
80
-
the a t t e n t i o n to h e r s e l f by t e l l i n g some s t o r i e s to the
others.
Immermann d e s c r i b e s i n t y p i c a l l y romantic terms
the l o v e r s ' b l i s s :
. . . Es
Ich
Wie
Und
f a s s t e mich mein l i e b e s Mein,
f a s s t e , was mir war entwunden,
konnt' es jemals anders s e i n ?
anders w i r , a l s so verbunden?
(P.
199)
. . . Er mit mir und i c h mit ihm.
Ich b i n i n d i r
zerschmelzt, verronnen,
Und
i c h
i n d i r e r g l i i h t , entbronnen.
(P.
199)
. . . Das s e l ' g e Leide
Durchdrang mit s o l c h e r Macht s i e ^ s c h o n ,
Dass s i e e i n Schau'r des Todes k i i h l t e ,
Wenn e i n s s i c h n i c h t am andern f i i h l t e .
202)
(P.
They d e l i g h t e d i n gazing at each other even i n darkness:
. . . N i c h t herniate s i e des L i c h t e s Pehlen,
K l a r sahen s i c h d i e beiden
Even nature
and
Seelen.
(P.
203)
i s a f f e c t e d by the love p o t i o n :
War es das Tropfchen, so noch drinnen,
Was Leben schuf und p f l a n z t e Sinnen
Im ungefuhl'gen Element,
Dass Nasse g l a n z e t , Kuhle brennt?
Sobald d i e Nacht hereingedunkelt,.
Ziehn h e l l e S t r e i f e n schmal heran,
Dann immer b r e i t e r g l u h t ' s - es f u n k e l t
B a l d W e l l ' auf W e l l ' im. Ocean,
B i s e n d l i c h i n dem. S t i l l e n , Feuchten
E i n
Glimmern 1st, e i n
S t r a h l e n , Leuchten!
(P. 202)
compared w i t h the l o v e r s :
I s t Meereswoge worden Brand,
Wer w i l l ermessen, hat erkannt,
In welchen h e i s s e n I n n i g k e i t e n
Zwei Herzen Wunder s i c h b e r e i t e n ?
A f u r t h e r i n n o v a t i o n by Immermann i s the
(P.
202)
ring
exchange of the l o v e r s marking t h e i r engagement, "Also
v e r l o b t e s i c h das Paar/bel Meergeleucht' und
klar"
(p. 204).
Sternen
T r i s t a n g i v e s I s o l d e h i s mother's
81
-
r i n g , and
-
I s o l d e p a r t s w i t h the r i n g Mark had
as h i s b r i d e !
sent
They only e x i s t f o r each other
"lebten i h r e r Phantasei"
(p. 2 0 6 ) ,
gazing
i n t o the p l a y f u l waves, i n which they saw
S c h a u s p i e l wachst und
and
enchanted
"ein gottlich
s t e i g t / i n Stammen, i i s t e n , Fachern,
Dolden, K l e i n o d i e n , paradiesesbunt/empor i n dem
s t a l l n e n Sund" (p. 207).
them, and
her
Nature i s f u l l
Kry-
of wonders to
I s o l d e ponders the mirage i n the waves.
T r i s t a n , / w e i l es d i e r e i n e Wog'
"Mein
umspiilet,/dle k l a r e
F l u t i h r Werk gethan/ . . . drum, triumph!ert' s i n
solcher Pracht,
. . . es hat s i c h g o t t l i c h ausgegossen/
d i e h e i l ' g e F l u t urn. unser S e i n , / . . . zur G l o r i e im.
Meer der L i e b e ! "
(p. 2 0 9 ) .
She wants to s i n k i n t o the
depths of t h i s shiny watery element, "Verschwimmen i n
dem. siissen G l e i c h n i s s ! " (p. 209) > and while
to each other become f r e e .
the l a n d i n g i n Cornwall,
L a t e r on,
belonging
s h o r t l y before
the sea becom.es " e i n kiihl
E r r e t t e n , / d i e Zeugin unsres Bund's, d i e F l u t ! "
(p.
"Fass mich und
211)
and
I s o l d e takes the i n i t i a t i v e :
und
l a s s ' uns wahren/die Treue b e i der T i e f e Schaaren,
. . . hiiten w i r vor Schmach/die treuen Seelen,
Leiber!"
dich,
reinen
T r i s t a n throws h i s b e r e t i n t o the water,
I s o l d e her v e i l , when Brangaene stops them..
In great
d e s p a i r she o f f e r s another s o l u t i o n , which I s o l d e
g l a d l y accepts,
"...
denn das L e b e n / i s t
Minneglanz umgeben" (p.
In the sketches, we
schon
vom.
212).
f i n d t h a t Immermann had
planned
t h a t T r i s t a n should send h i s sword to I s o l d e when he
feels
82 death approaching, and t h a t she had promised t o come
and j o i n him; Rual was t o be T r i s t a n ' s messenger.
Imm.erm.ann intended t o p o r t r a y I s o l d e Whitehand sympathetically:
"Die Sache muss so g e f a s s t werden, dass
i h r Benehmen a l s o n a t i i r l i c h , i n ihrem Charakter zu e n t schuldigen, erscheint.
Fur d i e rechtmassige Frau i s t
I s o l d e nur d i e B u h l e r i n , und s i e g l a u b t f u r T r i s t a n ' s
H e i l zu sorgen wenn s i e d i e s e von ihm. a b h a l t . Vor
a l i e n Dingen d a r f a l s o T r i s t a n n i c h t e r f a h r e n , dass d i e
K o n i g i n naht."
Concerning the f i n a l scene, the f o l l o w i n g
are found f o r "Rose und Rebe":
thoughts
"Es g i b t Menschen, d i e "
n i c h t s t e r b e n konnen, w e i l s i e e i n Geheimniss
druckt,
was s i e noch Jemand o f f e n b a r e n mils sen; d i e e i n V e r b r e chen b e l a s t e t , was s i e e r s t b e i c h t e n w o l l e n .
Auch unge-
s t i l l t e s Liebessehnen kann zwischen Tod und Leben f e s t h a l t e n " (p. 2 ^ 7 ) .
T h i s must not be construed t o mean
that Immermann c o n s i d e r e d T r i s t a n ' s and I s o l d e ' s l o v e
" e i n Verbrechen," but as t h e i r l o n g i n g f o r each other
had not been appeased
is s t i l l
completely w h i l e on e a r t h , there
some unconsumed energy extant which craves
m a n i f e s t a t i o n i n the m a t e r i a l world.
branches
The entwining
of a rose and a v i n e on t h e i r graves would thus
s y m b o l i c a l l y d e p i c t t h i s u n f u l f i l l e d d e s i r e f o r an e t e r n a l
l o v i n g embrace.
I n c o n c l u s i o n , one can quote R. B e c h s t e i n ' s summary
of Immermann's work which seems t o be an adequate
a p p r a i s a l of h i s achievement:
-
83
-
Immermann• s T r i s t a n und I s o l d e i s t . . . k e i n
Epos i n strengem Sinne.
Es i s t s e l b s t n i c h t eine
Romanzendichtung wie etwa^Herder•s C i d , sondern eine V e r e i n i g u n g erzahlender und l y r l s c h e r
P o e s i e , eine V e r e i n i g u n g von N o v e l l e und I d y l l e ,
von Genre und Landschaft.
Darum i s t eine
p r i n c i p i e l l e V e r g l e i c h u n g und a s t h e t i s c h e Abschatzung zwischen d i e s e r neuen Schopfung
und dem. c l a s s i s c h e n Werke G o t t f r i e d ' s von
S t r a s s b u r g n i c h t moglich, wenn auch im.
E i n z e l n e n d i e Betrachtung auf eine abwagende
Gegeniiberstellung fiihren musste.
( B e c h s t e i n , p. 7 2 )
t<
I n r e v i e w i n g a l l the T r i s t a n v e r s i o n s produced by
the Romantics, we have to come to the s u r p r i s i n g , i f
not d i s a p p o i n t i n g , c o n c l u s i o n t h a t the Romantics have •"
not done anything worthwhile w i t h the so promising
l o v e s t o r y of T r i s t a n and I s o l d e .
b e l i e v e and one
explanation.
i s at f i r s t
It i s d i f f i c u l t
to
at a l o s s f o r an adequate
But by a n a l y z i n g the v a r i o u s e f f o r t s of
the Romantics once more and by a s k i n g o u r s e l v e s what
c o u l d have p o s s i b l y been t h e i r m o t i v a t i o n f o r t a c k l i n g
the legend i n the f i r s t
to
p l a c e , i t i s perhaps p o s s i b l e
o f f e r a t e n t a t i v e answer.
C a r l P h i l i p p Conz chose to f o c u s h i s i n t e r e s t
only one
episode of G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c :
T r i s t a n ' s Death.
Since death meant to the Romantics only the
of
beginning
the " r e a l l i f e " and the l i m i t l e s s expansion
the Romance by Conz c e n t e r s around
on
of
self,
death—healing—love.
These three m o t i f s are key p i l l a r s f o r the " m i s s i o n f o r
s a l v a t i o n " of the Romantics, yet Conz f a i l e d to
them, i n t o anything s i g n i f i c a n t .
i s t y p i c a l l y romantic
H i s treatment
and very s e n t i m e n t a l , but
no more than a c o n v e n t i o n a l account
develop
of l o v e
offers
of the l a s t moments
84
i n the l o v e r s '
The
scanty
-
life.
and
e r r a t i c p l a n of Wackernagel*s seven
Romances, without the s l i g h t e s t t r a c e of a f f i n i t y f o r
the s u b j e c t , suggests t h a t he had
used the theme of
the
T r i s t a n legend only as a mental e x e r c i s e i n the wave
of enthusiasm, f o r the r e v i v a l of medieval m a t e r i a l ,
s i n c e Riickert's planned T r i s t a n and
grow beyond i t s f i r s t
whole o u t l i n e ) , we
abortive
A. W.
valent
I s o l d e e p i c d i d not
stage ( i n s p i t e of the a v a i l a b l e
can only c o n s i d e r
t h i s attempt
S c h l e g e l wanted to " r e s u r r e c t " the then p r e -
"Erstorbenheit
der P h a n t a s i e "
by u t i l i z i n g
out,
understand the o l d poetry
i n i t s t r u e inherent
only e m b e l l i s h
i t was
e s s e n t i a l to
meaning
i t w i t h the more s p l e n d i d garments
of more h i g h l y developed language and p o e t i c
at the d i s p o s a l of the Romantics.
seem, to be
older
imagination.
As he h i m s e l f had p o i n t e d
now
an
one.
l i t e r a r y works f o r the enrichment of p o e t i c
and
and
e s s e n t i a l and
t r u e inherent
The
artistry
keywords
meaning—and
these words are the a c t u a l crux of the matter.
have seen, even today q u i t e a few
As
we
approaches are
p o s s i b l e towards an I n t e r p r e t a t i o n and
understanding of
the romance, w i t h r e s u l t s that l i e In p l a i n o p p o s i t i o n
t o each other.
i g n o r i n g any
S c h l e g e l takes the legend
symbolism, and
literally,
deeper meaning, out of neces-
s i t y then coming t o the c o n c l u s i o n t h a t T r i s t a n i s a
s t o r y about immoral l o v e , an e x t r a m a r i t a l r e l a t i o n s h i p
t o be condemned by the m o r a l i s t , i n s p i t e of the
great
- 85 innocence of f e e l i n g and the f i n a l r e l i g i o u s t r e n d o f
the l o v e .
T i e c k had h i s doubts about the r e l i g i o u s tone and
d i s a g r e e d with S c h l e g e l r e g a r d i n g the b a s i c
a t t i t u d e of the l o v e r s i n the e p i c .
innocent
To him, T r i s t a n
was no more than a c o m p i l a t i o n of f r i v o l o u s ,
passionate
adventures i n anecdote form.
Immermann's work I s the only l a r g e r e f f o r t
a b l e , although
avail-
i t a c t u a l l y belongs a l r e a d y to the gener-
a t i o n f o l l o w i n g the Romantics, a f a c t f u l l y
evident not
only i n the s p i r i t and language of the e p i c , but a l s o
in
i t s form..
The key t o Immermann's work i s c o n t a i n e d
i n h i s l e t t e r t o T i e c k and i n h i s renewed i n t e r e s t i n
G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c through a " r e v i v a l of h i s own h e a r t "
later i n l i f e .
one
By r e a d i n g Immermann's T r i s t a n und I s o l d e ,
i s c a r r i e d away as i f on waves of a c h e e r f u l , b u b b l i n g
brook, making a " s c e n i c t o u r " through nature, w i t h i t s
beauty and moods b e i n g p o i n t e d out t o us, peopled by
romantic but n e v e r t h e l e s s very human and n a t u r a l
ters.
charac-
Joy and happiness p r e v a i l throughout, mixed w i t h
humour and i r o n y .
motto:
One c o u l d take I s o l d e ' s words as i t s
" . . . denn das Leben i s t schon vom Minneglanz
umgebenj" (p. 212). To R. B e c h s t e i n ,
" K a r l Immermann's
Schopfung i s t d i e P e r l e unter den T r i s t a n d i c h t u n g e n der
Neuzeit,
und i n m i t t e n der gesamm.ten epischen
risch-epischen Literatur t r i t t
leuchtend hervor"
oder l y -
s i e n i c h t minder h e l l
( B e c h s t e i n , p.
54).
- 86 -
I t might toe of i n t e r e s t here t o mention H e i n r i c h
Heine's o p i n i o n about G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n , as
i n h i s D i e romantisohe Schule.
expressed
Heine f i n d s t h a t
Gott-
f r i e d had thrown o f f the f e t t e r s of a b s t r a c t C h r i s t i a n
v i r t u e s and s e l f - c o m p l a c e n t l y descended i n t o " d i e Genusswelt d e r v e r h e r r l i c h t e n S i n n l i c h k e i t . "
While one
i s f r e e now t o p r a i s e G o t t f r i e d ' s epic as perhaps the
most b e a u t i f u l of the Middle Ages, Heine i s convinced
t h a t i n G o t t f r i e d ' s time i t was bound t o be c o n s i d e r e d
blasphemous, i f not downright dangerous.
S c h l e g e l , T i e c k and Heine are the only Romantics
I have found who v o i c e d an o p i n i o n on G o t t f r i e d ' s
T r i s t a n ; o t h e r s , l i k e Uhland, t a c i t l y
wonders why.
for this.
ignored i t .
One
No doubt there must have been v a l i d reasons
Without c l a i m i n g t o o f f e r a d e f i n i t e answer,
the f o l l o w i n g c o n j e c t u r e s are o f f e r e d as a b a s i s f o r
further
study.
Since the Romantics appear t o have understood G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c only l i t e r a l l y and seen i n i t only an
account e x t o l l i n g s e n s u a l i t y , i t must have met with the
same r e j e c t i o n as S c h l e g e l ' s Lucinde,
although the
l a t t e r was supposed t o have been the v e h i c l e f o r S c h l e g e l 's d o c t r i n e of e l e v a t e d womanhood, l o v e , marriage,
and
s p i r i t u a l i z e d r e l a t i o n s h i p of the sexes.
I t created
i n f a c t a s c a n d a l , because i t was misunderstood.
Heine's comments on Lucinde
quoted above.)
(Cf.
This •
one
scandal i n t h e i r midst was enough f o r the Romantics
and
on account of i t they may have become
exceedingly
- 87
a l e r t and
c a r e f u l not
Then there
and
God
to p r e c i p i t a t e another
i s a l s o the q u e s t i o n
i n Gottfried's Tristan.
t i c s took themselves and
and
value'
and
religion
know, the Roman-
was
to them, a h i g h l y
Since they read G o t t f r i e d only
'at
face
understood h i s e p i c i n the t h i n k i n g of t h e i r
time, they c o u l d not p o s s i b l y have r e c o n c i l e d G o t t -
the e p i c w i t h t h e i r own
mysticism..
any
regarding
As we
f r i e d ' s comments concerning God
out
one.
t h e i r p h i l o s o p h y very s e r i o u s l y
the quest f o r a nearer God
important one.
own
-
T h e i r God
more.
was
and H i s image through-
b e l i e f s rooted
not
the same as
While G o t t f r i e d drew a m a j e s t i c
the power of God
sentimental
one
as r e v e a l e d
as He
F l o r e t e , when they are dead,
uses the name of God
sometimes v o i c e
are h i s own.
p i c t u r e of
i n a. tempest, or a more
lightly
c o n t e x t s or makes a mere n a r r a t i v e device
characters
Gottfried's
s e t s heavenly crowns on the heads
of the happy p a i r Rual and
he n e v e r t h e l e s s
i n pantheistic
i n other
of i t .
sentiments which most
A case i n p o i n t
i s Tristan's
His
likely
facile
assumption of the r o l e of David to M o r o l t ' s G o l i a t h ,
p r i o r to t h e i r d u e l .
For T r i s t a n t r i e s to assuage
Cornishmen's f e a r s by the argument t h a t i f a
who
stakes h i s l i f e
death and
i n a good cause f a l l s ,
t h a t God
warrior
then a s w i f t
a people's long-drawn agony are r a t e d
f e r e n t l y i n Heaven and
on e a r t h .
dif-
In the sequel we
d i d come to T r i s t a n ' s a i d only at the
but
one
a l l y among t h r e e .
learn
last
moment a f t e r a sharp reminder from. G o t t f r i e d , and
then was
the
even
88
-
A f u r t h e r example Is G o t t f r i e d ' s alarming comment
on the outcome of I s o l d e ' s
j u d i c i a l ordeal
Heaven seems to uphold her
innocence),
( i n which
when G o t t f r i e d
observes t h a t C h r i s t i n H i s great v i r t u e i s " p l i a n t as a
windblown sleeve; He
ever way
one
falls
t r i e s Him.,
i n t o p l a c e and
c l o s e l y and
The
c o u r t l y God
the
s i d e of the c h a r a c t e r s ,
f a c t t h a t was
i s apparently
considered
The
smoothly" (15
733
an anthropomorphic God
ff.).
on
out of sheer c h i v a l r y , a
blasphemous not
Romantics, but by c r i t i c s
c l i n g s which-
only by
i n the twentieth
the
century!
Romantic d o c t r i n e of l o v e , i n which l o v e becomes
the d e c i d i n g f a c t o r f o r growth and
s o n a l i t y i n a r e c i p r o c a l a c t i o n and
e v o l u t i o n of a p e r r e a c t i o n upon the
l o v e r s , c e r t a i n l y c o u l d have been g a i n f u l l y a p p l i e d to
Gottfried's Tristan.
I t c o u l d have been even deepened
s i n c e love becomes a r e l i g i o u s experience w i t h the
mantics.
I t seems almost i n c r e d i b l e to have overlooked
this possibility.
I s o l d e d i d not
to t h e i r own
Obviously
the l o v e of T r i s t a n and
seem to the Romantics even remotely near
concept of l o v e , s i n c e they saw
only the main c h a r a c t e r s
of a p a s s i o n a t e l y
to be read merely f o r the t i t i l a t i o n of the
(cf.
amorous romp,
senses
In
t h a t f o l l o w s the Romantics d i d
shy away from, eroticism, f o r i t s own
and we
He
i n them,
Heine's comments on T r i s t a n quoted above).
c o n t r a s t , the g e n e r a t i o n
not
Ro-
sake any
more,
can see t h i s q u i t e w e l l i n Immermann's v e r s i o n .
takes every o p p o r t u n i t y
w i t h p l a y f u l humorous joy.
to underscore these aspects
- 89
The
-
Romantics cannot be blamed e n t i r e l y f o r not
hav-
i n g done more w i t h G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n , because not many
s c h o l a r l y works d e a l i n g w i t h i t were as y e t
and
those s c h o l a r s who
stood I t l i t e r a l l y and
had
available
w r i t t e n about i t a l s o under-
condemned i t s e t h i c s .
It is typical
f o r most of them t o d i s t i n g u i s h between G o t t f r i e d ' s
poetic art s k i l l ,
opinion
the a e s t h e t i c , and h i s e t h i c s .
The
of K a r l Lachmann (1793-1851) i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c
f o r the understanding of T r i s t a n even In the
century.
verstandig
While he acknowledges G o t t f r i e d ' s
geschmiickte D a r s t e l l u n g s w e i s e , "
nineteenth
"gehaltene,
he
cannot
say
more f o r the e p i c than "anderes a l s U e p p i g k e i t oder
Gotteslasterung
boten d i e H a u p t t e i l e
seiner
weiblichen,
u n s i t t l i c h e n Erzahlung n i c h t dar."^'
Georg G. Gervinus (1805-1871) mentions i n h i s
Geschlchte der deutschen Dichtung (^1871) w i t h
reference
to G o t t f r i e d h i s " u n v e r g l e i c h l i c h e D i c h t e r g a b e , " but
regarding
Tristan states:
"was
von nun
an ( i n T r i s t a n )
f o l g t , i s t n i c h t g e e i g n e t , etwas anderes a l s unseren
Abscheu zu wecken" (p. 6 2 9 ) ,
" S o l l e n wir zum
and he sums up as
follows:
Abschluss e i n U r t e i l uber G o t t f r i e d ' s
T r i s t a n b e i f i i g e n , so wiissten wir k e i n anderes iiber
Gedicht a l s Dante iiber solche G e f i i h l e :
damm.en, aber bewundern und
I t need not
man
bedauern" (p. 633
dieses
muss v e r K"^
s u r p r i s e us then when a s c h o l a r
such
as Ludwig Uhland, so thoroughly f a m i l i a r w i t h medieval
l i t e r a t u r e , makes a p o i n t of i g n o r i n g
Gottfried's
- 90 -
Tristan,
although he had t r a n s l a t e d many medieval e p i c s
and myths and a. great d e a l of l o v e p o e t r y ,
some of i t
very e r o t i c i n tone ( v i z . Walther von der Vogelweide).
91
-
CHAPTER IV
T R A N S L A T I O N S
As we have seen, the Romantics
made s e v e r a l
attempts
to b r i n g T r i s t a n t o the a t t e n t i o n of the g r e a t e r p u b l i c
by e i t h e r a d a p t a t i o n s or f r e e v e r s i o n s of the medieval
epic.
However, as we have a l s o seen, a l l of these r e -
mained only fragments.
There i s another approach to the problem, of p r e s e n t i n g the e p i c t o the p u b l i c , namely i n a c c u r a t e t r a n s lation,
and i t i s to these we must now
turn.
In the e a r l y
n i n e t e e n t h century, there are two attempts t o present
T r i s t a n i n a more contemporary
i n t o modern German:
form, by t r a n s l a t i n g i t
one by Hermann K u r t z (1844), and the
other by K a r l Simrock
(1855).
Hermann K u r t z (1813-83) belongs w i t h Morike to the
Swabian poets, but much of h i s time was
spent—from,
circumstances r a t h e r than c h o i c e — i n t r a n s l a t i n g .
He
made e x c e l l e n t v e r s i o n s of the Orlando F u r i o s o (1843)
and of G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n (1844).
was
As a n o v e l i s t , K u r t z
the author of a number of short s t o r i e s and two
excel-
l e n t h i s t o r i c a l romances, S c h l l l e r s Heimat.iahre (1843)
and Der Sonnenwirth
(1855)» the scene of which i s l a i d
i n the Wiirttemberg of S c h i l l e r ' s youth.
The f i r s t
1844,
e d i t i o n of K u r t z ' s t r a n s l a t i o n appeared i n
a second e d i t i o n , now
p r e f a c e d by an e x t e n s i v e
i n t r o d u c t i o n to the h i s t o r y of the legend i n
K u r t z perused Massmann's 1843
1847.
e d i t i o n and enjoyed a l s o
- 92 the a b l e a s s i s t a n c e and advice of the s c h o l a r Franz
Pfeiffer;
consequently,
his t r a n s l a t i o n i s quite
able and a c c u r a t e , b a r r i n g the odd p h i l o l o g i c a l
relimistake.
He was q u i t e s u c c e s s f u l i n r e c a p t u r i n g i n the language
Gottfried's style.
The whole e p i c i s rendered
i n un-
a b r i d g e d form, and as such i s u n r i v a l l e d even today.
H i s Prologue
sources c o n s u l t e d :
g i v e s us a g e n e r a l c l u e as t o the
H e i n r i c h and U l r i c h , Das Buch der
L i e b e , E i l h a r t , S i r T r i s t r e m , and G o t t f r i e d .
Bis h i e r h e r wob des M e i s t e r s Hand
Des L e i d e s und der L i e b e Band.
Es l i e g t v e r w a i s t : eine dunkle Hand
Z e r s c h n i t t zu f r i i h s e i n Lebensband.
These words conclude K u r t z ' s t r a n s l a t i o n of G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c and a t the same time serve as a b r i d g e t o
his
own v e r s i o n of the end.
K u r t z has added about
3,700
To G o t t f r i e d ' s
19,5^8
of h i s own independent
verses,
ending
by f u r t h e r u t i l i z i n g U l r i c h , H e i n r i c h , the German Prose
Romance, S i r Tristrem., as w e l l as some ideas from. Immermann's sketches:
. . . l a s s d i r von ihm^die Briieke schlagen,
Die d i c h s o l i zu^der Mare t r a g e n .
Noch s i n d uns B l a t t e r , r a s c h geschrieben,
Von s e i n e r edlen Hand g e b l i e b e n ,
Nur wenige, ach, und u n v o l l e n d e t ;
Sie s e i e n i n d e i n L i e d verwendet;
Das halbe Wort l a s s im Gedicht
Lebendig werden. . . .
Thus the u n i t y of s t y l e was bound t o s u f f e r , due t o the
conglomeration
of i t s component p a r t s . I n a d d i t i o n ,
K u r t z allows h i s i m a g i n a t i o n f r e e r e i g n , so t h a t the
f i n a l r e s u l t i s a completely
independent v e r s i o n .
93
-
K u r t z begins h i s work w i t h H e i n r i c h ' s eulogy of
G o t t f r i e d , then p r a i s e s a l l other poets who have
attempted
to f o l l o w G o t t f r i e d , but e s p e c i a l l y s i n g l i n g out Immermann.
A f t e r having c o n s i d e r e d a l l h i s f o r e r u n n e r s ,
K u r t z p i c k s up the t h r e a d of the s t o r y :
to I s o l d e Whitehand.
Tristan's
marriage
Immermann's s k e t c h , c e n t e r i n g
around l o v e between men, i . e . , f r i e n d s h i p , as a c o n t r a s t
to l o v e f o r woman, was h i s main guide.
Immermann's own words:
Kurtz
adapts
" E i n g l i i c k l o s e s Mannerherz i s t
wie e i n K i r c h h o f , d i e Wohnung i r r e r Schemen.
Das l i e b e -
l e e r e Leben der F r a u wie der Lauf des Jordans,
und
s c h l e i c h e n d , zwischen
leise
oden U f e r n , an denen doch
h e i l i g e Geschichte geschah," i n h i s c o n t i n u a t i o n , somewhat m o d i f i e d , as f o l l o w s :
G l i i c k l o s e s Frauenleben g l e i c h t
Des Jordans Lauf, der l e i s e s c h l e i c h t "
An U f e r n h i n , d i e ode stehn,
Und i s t doch H e i l ' g e s drauf geschehn.
Da glimmt e i n l e i s e s Lebenswort
Im. Herzen unter der Asche f o r t :
Ich habe geliebt.' Das arme l e i s e
Wort 1st des Herzens Trank und S p e i s e .
Das Mannerherz, des Gliicks beraubt,
Hat ausgelebt und ausgeglaubt:
Es i s t e i n stummes L e i c h e n f e l d ,
Vom spaten Monde triib e r h e l l t ,
Wo Schemen s i c h m i t t e r n a c h t l i c h t r e f f e n ,
Das
Leben mit S c h e i n des Lebens a f f e n .
Thereupon f o l l o w s the p o e t i c p o r t r a y a l of l o v e and
T r i s t a n ' s s e l f - d e c e p t i o n . Through the emptiness i n h i s
h e a r t T r i s t a n f i n a l l y r e a l i z e s h i s mistake
to consummate h i s marriage
p r e t e x t of a vow.
and r e f u s e s
t o I s o l d e Whitehand under the
For a w h i l e , T r i s t a n and I s o l d e White-
hand appear t o others as a happy young married
but the d e c e i t i s brought
to l i g h t :
couple;
- 94 Nun sagt e i n Buch, i n dem i c h l a s ,
Es s e i e i n V o g l e i n , f l i n k und keck,
Auf I s o l d e n ' s S c h u l t e r , i h r zum Schreck
Geflogen und habe s i e gekusst.
T h i s thought
r e g a r d i n g the book o r i g i n a t e s w i t h
Imm.erm.ann, and K u r t z does not want any p a r t of i t .
Instead, s i m i l a r t o G o t t f r i e d ' s polemic
i n connection
w i t h the swallows and the b l o n d h a i r , he c o n t i n u e s :
Wann h a t t e e i n Vogel s o l c h Geliist?
Das miissten gar zahme V o g e l e i n
Dazumalen gewesen s e i n .
Wenn's aber a b g e r i c h t e t war,
Karo's i h r n i c h t neu noch wunderbar.
Die schone Mare decke du
Mit keinem. F e i g e n b l a t t e zu,
Mein L i e d !
es war k e i n Vogel, n e i n ,
Es war e i n keckes W a s s e r l e i n . . . .
. . . d i e erschrockene Schone s c h r i e
Und dann mit Lachen sagte s i e :
"Wasserlein, du b i s t kuhn furwahr,
Kuhner denn je Herr T r i s t a n war."
K u r t z s i m p l i f i e s the r e s t of the s t o r y by o m i t t i n g
the journey t o Cornwall and T r i s t a n ' s r e u n i o n w i t h
I s o l d e , and he motivates t h i s change w i t h the f o l l o w i n g
words:
. . . zu neuem Truggewlnne
Zwischen V e r r a t h und Minne?
0 n e i n , o n e i n , das hat e i n Z i e l :
M i r i s t des A l t e n schon zu v i e l .
I c h glaube auch w a h r l i c h nimm.erm.ehr,
Dass es nach des M e i s t e r s Sinne war'.
Was er d i e L i e b ' i n der Scheidestunde
Aussprechen l i e s s mit bittrem. Munde,
Das sah n i c h t aus nach neuer L u s t ,
Das k l a n g so s t i l l , so todtbewusst:
Nach Reden, d i e so zu Leide stehn,
Soilman s i c h niemals wiedersehn.
S i e waren, echt und herzgebrochen,
<
Auf Nimmerwiedersehn gesprochen.
But then K u r t z i n s e r t s the episode of B e l i a g o g
( f o l l o w i n g S i r T r i s t r e m ) with the H a l l of Statues and
- 95 p o r t r a y s i t i n a very v i v i d and c o l o u r f u l manner.
This
episode a f f o r d s one l a s t o p p o r t u n i t y to r e c a p i t u l a t e
the h i g h l i g h t s i n T r i s t a n ' s l i f e ,
as w e l l as g i v i n g a
b e t t e r m o t i v a t i o n f o r Kaedin's change of mind to d e s i s t
from a journey to Cornwall.
As we know, Kaedin's l a s t adventure
w i t h a married
woman, f o r which he e n l i s t s T r i s t a n ' s h e l p as a f r i e n d ,
r e s u l t s i n T r i s t a n r e c e i v i n g the f a t a l wound.
episode
dramatic
tents.
But
i s somehow out of tune w i t h the otherwise
this
so
a c t i o n and the p o e t i c a l l y so f a s c i n a t i n g conThe E n g l i s h S i r Tristrem. o f f e r s a s i m i l a r yet
much n o b l e r episode by i n t r o d u c i n g another k n i g h t by
the name of T r i s t a n , who
asks the hero T r i s t a n f o r
a s s i s t a n c e i n the attempt to l i b e r a t e h i s kidnapped
beloved.
T r i s t a n consents; but when the young knight
i s k i l l e d i n the adventure,
T r i s t a n wants to avenge him.
and thereby o b t a i n s h i s f a t a l wound.
Immermann had
the s i t u a t i o n a l t o g e t h e r by e l i m i n a t i n g Kaedin's
K u r t z decided to f o l l o w the German t r a d i t i o n .
avoided
episode.
Fully
aware of the u n s a t i s f a c t o r y m o t i v a t i o n s f o r modern
r e a s o n i n g , and of the most unworthy a c t i o n of
stealing
the key and making a d u p l i c a t e i n order to g a i n
entrance,
K u r t z t r i e s to g i v e t h i s whole episode the c h a r a c t e r of
a y o u t h f u l prank, a humorous love adventure.
This gives
the e p i c a somewhat f a r c i c a l q u a l i t y , q u i t e out of
w i t h the o r i g i n a l dramatic
theme.
keeping
96 The
r e s t of the poem, f o l l o w s the t r a d i t i o n a l
except f o r the m o t i v a t i o n
trend-
of the l o v e r s ' reason f o r t h e i r
s i n , s i n c e a modern poet c o u l d not p o s s i b l y a s c r i b e i t
e n t i r e l y t o the l o v e p o t i o n .
To us, l o v e as such i s
a l r e a d y magic and miraculous.
pressed
These thoughts were ex-
by Kurtz a t the outset of h i s c o n t i n u a t i o n :
Zu solchem. B i l d der L e i d e n s c h a f t
Was braucht's noch Zaubertrankes K r a f t ?
Den Trank, den T r i s t a n und I s o l d
Getrunken, s o l c h e i n f l i i s s i g Gold,
I c h wahne, trank auch G o t t f r i e d ' s Mund;
Vom. siissen G i f t im. Herzen wund,
Die brennende Wunde, l a c h e l n d ,
Mit kiihlen Scherzen f a c h e l n d , :0
Drangt er des Minnezaubers Hort,
Den ganzen, i n s e i n Zauberwort,
Und w i r d , verzaubert von Minne,
E i n Zaubrer a l l e r Sinne.
For K u r t z , the key t o the answer l i e s i n Mark's
hands:
He becomes aware t h a t he h i m s e l f has caused
the t r i b u l a t i o n s and e r r o r s of the l o v e r s :
R i e f n i c h t , a l s das h e r r l i c h e Z w i l l i n g s p a a r
Aus dem S c h i f f e t r a t ans Gestade d a r ,
R i e f ' s n i c h t i n meinem Herzen l a u t ?
Das i s t der Brautigam und d i e Braut!
Die s i n d von Gott erkoren,
Sind f u r einander geboren. . . .
. . . das war k e i n Paar,
Wie man's i n l o s e n G e d l c h t e n _ t r i f f t ,
Das w i l l i g g r e i f t nach dem. siissen G i f t .
Des b e s s e r n Rechtes s i c h bewusst,
Der Minne S t a c h e l i n der B r u s t ,
GIng schweigend jedes seine Bahn,
Keusch und kiihl b i s ans Herz hinan,
B i s s i e den Feuerbecher tranken
Und kampfend i n d i e Gluthen sanken,
Ach r e t t u n g s l o s d a h i n g e r a f f t
Vom Zauberrausch der L e i d e n s c h a f t .
Mark's monologue of s e l f - a c c u s a t i o n (which i s an
i n n o v a t i o n by K u r t z ) culminates
with h i s
p l e a t o God t o f o r g i v e him h i s s i n .
passionate
- 97 Denn ihnen hast du schon vergeben:
Sie bussten i h r e Schuld im Leben.
Was blode Menschenaugen sahn,
Das war e i n Schein, das war e i n Wahn.
Du aber sahst den wahren Lauf,
Zu d i r s t i e g nur das Wesen auf.
Die Opfer grausen Menschenspottes
Stehn f r e i vor den G e r i c h t e n G o t t e s .
T h i s s e l f - a c c u s a t i o n by Mark r e v e a l s t o us the message
of
the legend:
the warring between f a i t h f u l n e s s
and
f a i t h f u l n e s s , between honour and honour, i n e v i t a b l y
l e a d i n g t o c o n f l i c t s and a t r a g i c ending.
The
misdeed—
so i n e v i t a b l e i n t r a g e d y — i s not f o c u s s e d on robbery or
murder, but i s out of n e c e s s i t y the s i n of a d u l t e r y ,
s i n c e l o v e i s the theme of T r i s t a n .
The c u l p r i t s
t h e i r death, but f i n d mercy and compassion by the
suffer
one
whom they b e t r a y e d .
Despite a l l the t r i b u t e that we have to g i v e to
K u r t z ' s b e a u t i f u l and ambitious c o n t i n u a t i o n , i t seems
that i t c o u l d have gained by a more f r e q u e n t use of
simple n a r r a t i v e and l y r i c a l
broad use of r a t i o n a l
moods, i n s t e a d of h i s too
justifications.
K u r t z intended a second t r a n s c r i p t of the legend
which would have been more adapted t o the f e e l i n g of
his
time, but only a few sketches remained, i n d i c a t i n g
an o u t l i n e t h a t was
l a t e r on c a r r i e d out by
Wilhelm
Hertz.
K a r l Simrock ( I 8 0 2 - I 8 7 6 ) , born i n Bonn, s t u d i e d
law and German l i t e r a t u r e .
language
He was
p r o f e s s o r of German
and l i t e r a t u r e at Bonn U n i v e r s i t y from. 1850
98 to h i s death in. I 8 7 6 .
He
was exceedingly p r o d u c t i v e as a s c h o l a r ,
l a t o r , e d i t o r and l y r i c poet.
trans-
Based on o l d legends,
he composed h i s own v e r s i o n of the epic Wieland d e r
Schmied ( I 8 3 5 ) , Das Amelungenlied
turned t o the N i b e l u n g e n l i e d
(1843-4-9);
(1827),
Der arme H e i n r i c h
by Hartmann von Aue ( I 8 3 0 ) , Walther von der
( I 8 3 3 ) , P a r z i v a l and T i t u r e l
Heliand
then he
Vogelweide
( 1 8 4 2 ) , Kudrftn ( 1 8 4 3 ) , and
(1856).
In 1855
appeared K a r l Simrock's t r a n s l a t i o n of
G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n und I s o l d e .
t o touch upon the
A short
e p i l o g u e attempted
e t h i c s of the medieval e p i c , t r y i n g
t o present the love s t o r y as m o r a l l y j u s t i f i e d .
He
a l s o mentions r e l a t e d sagas of Hero and Leander, Romeo
and
Juliet;
the motif of the b l a c k and white s a i l s , and
the b u r i a l of the l o v e r s as appearing i n other legends.
The
was
second e d i t i o n twenty years l a t e r , i n I 8 7 5 ,
complemented by Simrock's own a d a p t a t i o n of the
continuation.
While Simrock's knowledge of the
Middle
High German language i s b e t t e r than that o f K u r t z — a s
proven by h i s a d a p t a t i o n s of the bards' h e r o i c
he
songs—
shows no a f f i n i t y whatsoever f o r G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n .
Consequently, h i s t r a n s l a t i o n i s very dry and a f a r c r y
from. K u r t z ' s s o u l f u l empathy f o r G o t t f r i e d ' s
Simrock's own v e r s i o n of the c o n t i n u a t i o n
failure stylistically,
since
i s a complete
i t r e v e r t s t o the l e v e l
of the bards a f t e r G o t t f r i e d ' s l o f t y ,
v o c a b u l a r y and s t y l e — n o t
epic.
courtly
t o mention the
abominable
„
99
-
mixture of Middle High German and New High German.
Simrock's
c o n t i n u a t i o n i s c o n s i d e r a b l y s h o r t e r than
t h a t by K u r t z ; i t i s obvious that he i s not i n t e r e s t e d
i n the f u r t h e r development of the n a r r a t i v e but i n i t s
ending.
F o l l o w i n g K u r t z , he too l e a v e s out the journey
t o C o r n w a l l , but then he a l s o e l i m i n a t e s the Kaedin
episode, through which he avoids an unfavourable t u r n of
events i n the legend, but t h i s f a c t n e v e r t h e l e s s a l s o
robs him of a t r a g i c ending.
Simrock i n v e n t s a p h a n t a s t i c
reason f o r T r i s t a n ' s f a t a l wound:
while l o o k i n g a t the
s t a t u e s i n B e l i a g o g ' s H a l l of S t a t u e s — i n c l u d i n g h i s
own, which d e p i c t s him. l y i n g down wounded by Morholt's
sword and P e t i t c r e i u l i c k i n g h i s wounds—the p a i n i n
h i s o l d wound r e t u r n s and the wound begins t o f e s t e r .
I n t h i s way, T r i s t a n ' s l a s t
s u f f e r i n g i s supposed t o
have i t s o r i g i n i n the emotional impact of an occurrence
i n the p a s t — a n i n c i d e n t of chance.
P e t i t c r e i u becomes"
the symbol of a death-messenger (based on German mythology).
A l l these l a t t e r a l t e r a t i o n s are not only un-
f o r t u n a t e and c o n t r a d i c t o r y t o the e a r l i e r episodes t o
which they r e f e r , but a l s o g r e a t l y weaken the t r a g i c
outcome.
The s h o r t f i n a l p a r t i s i n keeping w i t h the g e n e r a l
o u t l i n e of the s t o r y w i t h the e x c e p t i o n of one d e t a i l :
There are s l i g h t d i f f e r e n c e s i n the v a r i o u s v e r s i o n s as
t o who t o l d King Mark about the power of the l o v e p o t i o n
of which the l o v e r s had partaken.
With U l r i c h von Turheim.
and i n the Prose Romance, i t i s j u s t g e n e r a l l y
stated
100
that the King was
-
t o l d about i t .
With H e i n r i c h , i t i s
K u r v e n a l , w i t h Immermann and Kurtz Brangaene.
But
Simrock i t i s I s o l d e ' s c o u r t maiden Gimele von
der
with
S c h i r n i e l , s i n c e Brangaene had d i e d of a broken heart
when she heard about I s o l d e ' s s u f f e r i n g s .
too, had found her punishment i n death.
So Brangaene,
However, Simrock
had s t i l l another reason f o r chosing Gimele as the b r i n g e r
of these news:
he wanted K i n g Mark a l s o t o f i n d out about
the d e c e i t of the wedding n i g h t i n which Brangaene had
p l a y e d the major r o l e , and t h a t she, i n f a c t , had become
h i s w i f e , w h i l e I s o l d e belonged
death.
to T r i s t a n u n t i l
their
Brangaene h e r s e l f would never have been able t o
confess a l l t h i s , nor would Kurvenal have been a
able informer.
r e f e r to one
suit-
Since both E i l h a r t and G o t t f r i e d only
such s u b s t i t u t i o n , namely on the wedding'
n i g h t , Simrock has taken a g r e a t e r l i b e r t y than
p e r m i s s i b l e f o r a c o n t i n u a t i o n of G o t t f r i e d ' s
was
epic,
e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e t h i s n e c e s s i t a t e d a s e r i e s of other
unfavourable d e v i a t i o n s i n the n a r r a t i v e .
Wilhelm H e r t z i s very l e n i e n t i n h i s judgment of
t h i s weak attempt
when he says:
"Mit Kurtzens
hoch-
p o e t i s c h e r K r a f t h a t t e Simrock s i c h im G r e i s e n a l t e r n i c h t
mehr m.essen s o l l e n . "
N e i t h e r of the two t r a n s l a t i o n s were r e a l l y
f u l attempts
v e r s i o n was
success-
and i t i s only w i t h Wilhelm H e r t z t h a t a
produced
t h a t i s c o n s i d e r e d even today
the c l a s s i c a l t r a n s l a t i o n .
as
I t i s f o r t h i s reason that
- 101 we s h a l l a l s o c o n s i d e r Wilhelm. H e r t z , although he does
not belong t o the Romantics any l o n g e r .
(1835-1902),
Wilhelm. Hertz
who was one of t h e
o r i g i n a l c o n t r i b u t o r s t o G e i b e l ' s D i c h t e r b u c h , continued
the work K a r l Simrock had begun and w i t h a r a r e power
f o r r e p r o d u c i n g the atmosphere of the Middle High German
poets, he t r a n s l a t e d both G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n
and Wolfram's P a r z i v a l
(1877)
(1898);
In the P r e f a c e , Hertz p o i n t s out t h a t among a l l
the poets of the medieval
p e r i o d , G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s -
burg comes c l o s e s t t o present-day
t h i n k i n g and f e e l i n g ,
and although h i s e p i c , the saga of T r i s t a n , c o n s t a n t l y
i n s p i r e s our modern poets t o new a d a p t a t i o n s and i n dependent c r e a t i o n s , he i s by no means duly r e c o g n i z e d
and v a l u e d .
T h i s i s then H e r t z ' s reason f o r p r e s e n t i n g
h i s own t r a n s l a t i o n :
t h i s masterpiece,
he wishes t o w i n new f r i e n d s f o r
i n s p i t e of the m e r i t o r i o u s t r a n s -
l a t i o n s by Hermann Kurtz and K a r l Simrock.
"Es g a i t m i r
h i e b e i vor a l l e m , dem. G e b i l d e t e n von heute einen mogl i c h s t f r i s c h e n und r e i n e n E i n d r u c k des Gedichtes zu
gewahren, und d i e s e n Zweck s c h i e n mir eine f r e i e ,
aber
p i e t a t v o l l e Bearbeitung eher zu e r r e i c h e n a l s eine
p h i l o s o p h i s c h treue Uebersetzung
vom. e r s t e n b i s zum. l e t z -
t e n Wort" ( P r e f . V ) .
H e r t z shortened the unimportant
minimize
story
events which might
or even be d e t r i m e n t a l t o the enjoyment of the
(the Gandin episode, P e t i t c r e i u ) , as w e l l as numerous
102
-
d i s c o u r s e s , o b s e r v a t i o n s , polemics, e t c .
Lengthy-
d e s c r i p t i o n s are a b b r e v i a t e d (hunting episode, the cave
of the l o v e r s , d e s c r i p t i o n s of c l o t h i n g and k n i g h t l y
o u t f i t ) , r e l y i n g e n t i r e l y on h i s ox«i f e e l i n g and
ment, of which, i n h i s own
too l i t t l e
judg-
o p i n i o n , he had done r a t h e r
than too much.
He a l s o f e l t the need t o r e s t r a i n h i m s e l f r e g a r d i n g
the f r e q u e n t thought
and word r e p e t i t i o n s , i n which
G o t t f r i e d r e v e l s , and which are t o our present way
t h i n k i n g somewhat too e b u l l i e n t .
of
By the same token,
French words and v e r s e s were cut down t o a minimum..
Some of G o t t f r i e d ' s tropes were changed, because they
a f f r o n t e d the present-day
good t a s t e . ' "Von m i t t e l h o c h -
deutschen Wortera wurden, abgesehen von den Kunstausdrucken,
nur solche zugelassen, welche unsrem Sprach-
gefiihl noch l e b e n d i g s i n d .
deutschen
Dichtungen
Mischsprache
B e i Uebersetzungen von a l t -
i s t h a u f i g eine eigentumliche
zur Anwendung gekommen, welche aufgehort
hat m i t t e l h o c h d e u t s c h zu s e i n , ohne darum. neuhochdeutsch
zu werden.
Jahrhunderts
Mein Bestreben war,
das Gedicht des
13.
i n d i e D i c h t e r s p r a c h e des 19. zu iiber-
tragen" (Pref. V I I I ) .
In order not to present to the readers only a
t o r s o , Hertz had added some v e r s e s i n f r e e a d a p t a t i o n
of Thomas' poem., G o t t f r i e d ' s own
p e r i o d between T r i s t a n ' s marriage
and h i s death.
source, c o v e r i n g the
t o I s o l d e Whitehand
Thomas' s t y l e needed an even f r e e r
- 103
a d a p t a t i o n than G o t t f r i e d ' s
taste.
Here, too,
to s u i t the
present-day
Hertz proved h i s f i n e a r t i s t i c
S i n c e he i s e q u a l l y
Thomas and
-
independent i n h i s approach to both
G o t t f r i e d , H e r t z succeeds i n p r e s e n t i n g
an a r t i s t i c a l l y u n i f i e d T r i s t a n , i n s p i t e of h i s
sources.
ments, and
sense.
quite
two
Since Thomas' poem, i s only p r e s e r v e d i n f r a g G o t t f r i e d d i d not
a t i o n i s the
f i n i s h h i s , H e r t z ' s adapt-
only complete form of the
e p i c , as c r e a t e d by
Thomas and
courtly
Tristan
adapted i n t o German by
Gottfried.
Apart from, having a most f o r t u n a t e q u a l i t y ,
of temperamental k i n s h i p
H e r t z was
also greatly
and
i n n e r a f f i n i t y to
Gottfried,
a s s i s t e d by h i s thorough knowledge
of Old German and
Old French.
to understand and
follow
the minutest d e t a i l s , and
The
l a t t e r enabled
h i s sources i n the
his poetic
f o r c e f u l e x p r e s s i o n s w i t h which he
the meaning and
that
f e e l i n g of the
talent
him.
original
in
supplied
the
so a d e p t l y conveyed
o l d legend i n a
7
new
attire.
H e r t z ' s T r i s t a n had
and
1901;
latter
three e d i t i o n s :
1&77,
1894,
only minor changes were undertaken i n the
ones.
two
104 -
CHAPTER V
RICHARD WAGNER'S MUSIC DRAMA TRISTAN UND ISOLDE
J u s t as the v e r s i o n s of the Romantics, the earlyt r a n s l a t i o n s a l s o f a i l e d t o produce any l a s t i n g
i n the legend of T r i s t a n and I s o l d e .
But they a t l e a s t
p r o v i d e d m a t e r i a l f o r one very i n f l u e n t i a l
of the s t o r y , namely by Wagner, who perused
translation.
interest
re-creation
Kurtz's
Wagner's T r i s t a n v e r s i o n i s the only one
which has kept the general p u b l i c ' s I n t e r e s t i n the legend
alive.
T h i s has been due as much t o the c o n t r o v e r s i e s ,
d i s c u s s i o n s and w r i t i n g s which the l i b r e t t o provoked,
as t o the music or symbolism.
Our study of the t r e a t -
ment of the legend i n the Romantic p e r i o d and a f t e r would
not be complete without a t l e a s t a b r i e f look a t Wagner's
v e r s i o n , what he had made out of G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c and how
i t was r e c e i v e d .
R i c h a r d Wagner was born on May 22, 1813, a t L e i p z i g .
He r e c e i v e d a sound academic education, but h i s formal
t r a i n i n g i n music d i d not amount t o much more than one
year w i t h competent t e a c h e r s .
He wrote some musical
compositions
and an opera b e f o r e b e i n g appointed as
chorusmaster
a t Wiirzburg.
employed as conductor
F o r a number of y e a r s , he was
i n s e v e r a l p r o v i n c i a l German opera
houses, u n t i l h i s move t o P a r i s i n 1839> where he had
a very t r y i n g time f o r two and a h a l f years while he
sought
t o advance h i s c a r e e r as a composer.
R i e n z i was s u c c e s s f u l l y performed
I n 1842,
a t Dresden, and h i s
- 105
f o r t u n e suddenly Improved.
-
Der f l i e g e n d e H o l l a n d e r
(184-3), Tannhauser (1845) and Lohengrin (1850) f o l l o w e d
and were w e l l r e c e i v e d .
the Dresden May
But a f t e r becoming i n v o l v e d i n
R e v o l u t i o n of 1849
( l e d by a Russian
named Bakunin), Wagner had t o f l e e from. Germany and he
s e t t l e d i n Z u r i c h u n t i l 1859.
h i s Ring and began T r i s t a n .
Here he composed most of
Again i n P a r i s i n
1861,
he saw an e l a b o r a t e l y prepared p r o d u c t i o n of Tannhauser
end i n f i a s c o because
of the machinations of h i s p o l i t i c a l
enemies.
H i s f o r t u n e s d e c l i n e d a g a i n , but s e v e r a l years l a t e r
he found a p a t r o n i n Ludwig I I of B a v a r i a , and h i s f u t u r e
was
assured.
T r i s t a n was
Die M e i s t e r s i n g e r i n 1868.
performed at Munich i n
In 1870
1865,
he married Cosima
L i s z t von Billow, and two years l a t e r e s t a b l i s h e d h i s
r e s i d e n c e i n Bayreuth.
was
performed
i n 1882.
Here, i n I 8 7 6 , the e n t i r e Ring
and P a r s i f a l was
g i v e n at the next
festival
Wagner d i e d i n V e n i c e , at the age of seventy,
on February 13,
1883.
Wagner's p r i n c i p a l prose w r i t i n g s were produced
between the years 1848
and 1851,
a p e r i o d of profound
c r i s i s i n both h i s e x t e r n a l circumstances and h i s development as an a r t i s t , a p e r i o d d u r i n g which he wrote
no music.
derivative.
As a t h i n k e r , Wagner i s both o r i g i n a l
and
But even when h i s b a s i c ideas were borrowed
from, pure p h i l o s o p h e r s — F e u e r b a c h i n h i s e a r l y w r i t i n g s ,
Schopenhauer i n h i s l a t e r work—Wagner a s s i m i l a t e d these
- 106
ideas
-
i n such a manner, that he made them, not
only
of what he had
part
of h i s theory
hut f o r m u l a t i o n s
most deeply
experienced.
What i s more, i n h i s proper sphere as a
c r i t i c and
t h e o r i s t of the a r t s of t h e a t r e and music,.
Wagner was
an exceedingly
thinker.
r e s o u r c e f u l and v e r s a t i l e
He p i o n e e r e d i n the study of symbols, myths
and p r i m i t i v e legends; he was
Beethoven, and
a penetrating
a brilliant
a n a l y s t of the t e c h n i c a l
problems of conducting, a c t i n g , musical
theatre design.
exponent of
declamation
and
.
When i n the e a r l y 1 8 5 0 ' s Wagner stopped t h e o r i z i n g
about the artwork of the f u t u r e and began composing
Nibelungenring,
he
suddenly r e a l i z e d t h a t he was
i n a fundamental p h i l o s o p h i c c o n t r a d i c t i o n .
he was
yet as a p r o p h e t i c
t h i n k e r he had
an o p t i m i s t i c f a i t h i n U t o p i a .
r e s u l t of t h i s r e a l i z a t i o n was
t r e a t i s e , but
artist
life;
committed h i m s e l f
The
to
immediate p r a c t i c a l
not another t h e o r e t i c a l
some s i g n i f i c a n t changes i n the d e s i g n
the f i n a l opera of the Ring.
controversy
involved
As an
i n t e n t on p r o j e c t i n g a t r a g i c v i s i o n of
the
Consequently, the
t h a t has gone on f o r many decades
the r e v o l u t i o n i n Wagner's t h i n k i n g c e n t e r s
nature of these changes and
of
vigorous
concerning
upon the
the motives that prompted
them.
Wagner at f i r s t
h e l d that the e v i l of the world
was
the e f f e c t of an e v i l god
and
righteous world c o u l d be
fear.
Then, a f t e r r e a d i n g
(-Wotan) and
c r e a t e d by new
that a
men
new
without
Schopenhauer ( i n 1 8 5 4 ) ,
- 107
he "began to understand how
-
his essential a r t i s t i c
nature
had f o r l o n g been f u n c t i o n i n g i n o p p o s i t i o n to the w i l l e d
optimism of h i s i n t e l l e c t .
understanding of h i s own
another who
Thus Wagner a r r i v e d at an
a r t works through the h e l p of
had p r o v i d e d i n t e l l e c t u a l concepts that
corresponded t o h i s i n t u i t i v e promptings.
the world, i n t h i s new
view, was
The e v i l of
irremediable.
The
art-
work of the f u t u r e , t h e r e f o r e , c o u l d redeem, the world
only by i l l u s t r a t i n g w i t h i n e v i t a b l e l o g i c the n e c e s s i t y
for
the world's d e s t r u c t i o n .
v a l u e s of l i f e :
a r t i s now
Thus Wagner r e v e r s e d h i s
a "noble i l l u s i o n , a t u r n i n g
away from r e a l i t y , a cure f o r l i f e which i s indeed not
r e a l , which l e a d s one w h o l l y o u t s i d e l i f e but
raises
one above i t . " (Wagner, On Music and Drama, I n t r o d . , p.
22)
Wagner's p h i l o s o p h i c a l problem, stems from the b a s i c
i n c o m p a t i b i l i t y of c l a s s i c a l tragedy and the Romantic
spirit.
Romantic tragedy had been tragedy
inverted:
the heroes go from c o n f l i c t through s u f f e r i n g to u l t i m a t e
triumph and peace.
Wagner aimed, i n c o n t r a s t , a t the
r e v i v a l of the Greek tragedy, and i n a d d i t i o n was
de-
termined to use only those legends t h a t c o u l d be made
to
encompass the s u f f e r i n g s and the moral dilemmas of
the modern world.
L a c k i n g any l i t e r a r y p r e c u r s o r i n t h i s b o l d endeavour, he took h i s warrant from a m u s i c i a n :
Beethoven.
Wagner's hopes f o r a r e b i r t h of tragedy i n the modern
world sprang u l t i m a t e l y from h i s awareness of the great
new
power that had been r e l e a s e d i n t o that world through
108 Beethoven's music.
Beethoven's c o n t r i b u t i o n to the a r t -
work of the f u t u r e was
twofold:
he had demonstrated
the unique c a p a c i t y of music t o p r o j e c t the inmost cont e n t of the t r a g i c m y t h — t h e
myth of the hero's s t r u g g l e s ,
v i c t o r i e s , and d e a t h — a n d he had p o i n t e d the way
i n the
f i n a l movement of h i s N i n t h Symphony t o the use of
language i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h symphonic
music.
Beethoven
had thus i n v e s t e d music w i t h undreamed-of powers of dramatic
and p h i l o s o p h i c i m p l i c a t i o n s .
way
To Wagner, i t p o i n t e d the
f o r h i s artwork of the f u t u r e :
the symphony o r c h e s t r a
would sound the mighty themes of the hero's s u f f e r i n g s ,
triumphs, l o v e s , and death, but i n s t e a d of these themes
c o n j u r i n g up phantasms i n the l i s t e n e r s ' minds, the f i g u r e s
of the hero and the h e r o i n e would a c t u a l l y appear, a c t i n g
out the content of the music i n v e r b a l l y p o i n t e d pantomime.
The music would i n t h i s way be f r e e d to a h i g h
degree from i t s own a b s t r a c t u n i t y through f o r m a l d e v i c e s
of r e p e t i t i o n and r e c a p i t u l a t i o n , and c o u l d flow on i n
endless melody, e n f o l d i n g the e n t i r e drama i n a r i c h
f a b r i c of c l o s e l y woven symphonic
motifs.
As a d r a m a t i s t , dramatic t h e o r i s t and composer,
Wagner s e t h i m s e l f the task of c r e a t i n g a s i t u a t i o n that
would s t i r the audience p r o f o u n d l y , overwhelm i t ,
b r i n g i t to a s t a t e of wider or deeper awareness
and
by
e x p l o r i n g the depths out of which the emotions arose.
Wagner's s o l u t i o n was t o reduce m o t i v a t i o n i n order to
spend most of the time e x p l o r i n g a s i n g l e s t r o n g emotional situation.
R e c o g n i z i n g the power of music t o
-
c r e a t e excitement
to
109
-•
i n s t a n t l y , he r e l i e d upon the o r c h e s t r a
set the mood and prepare the audience f o r the
climaxes to come.
dramatic
However, s i n c e music c o u l d express
only emotion but not the reason f o r t h i s emotion, musical
e x p r e s s i o n and dramatic m o t i v a t i o n had to be made t o
serve each other.
To him. the t r u t h l a y more i n emotions
than i n motives, and he sought
of
the s o u l ;
love i t s e l f
to capture the movements
or j e a l o u s y i t s e l f ,
the complicated a c t i o n s i n everyday
life
and not
t h a t gave r i s e
to i t .
The main s t o r y of Wagner's T r i s t a n opera
on Hermann K u r t z ' s t r a n s l a t i o n of G o t t f r i e d .
i s based
Wagner had
no doubt g i v e n K u r t z p r e f e r e n c e over Simrock not only
because i t was
the s p i r i t
by f a r the b e t t e r r e n d i t i o n and more i n
of G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c , but a l s o because Kurtz
had s t u d i e d thoroughly and compared the a n c i e n t myths,
e x p r e s s i n g h i s views i n the P r e f a c e to h i s t r a n s l a t i o n .
In
the 96 pages of t h i s essay on myths, Kurtz r e f e r s
as f a r back as the E g y p t i a n a r c h e t y p a l myths and t r a c e s
and compares them, through the h i s t o r y and c u l t u r e of nat i o n s , a s c r i b i n g t o them, the very same meaning and v a l u e s
as Wagner.
Only the a r c h e t y p a l s i t u a t i o n c o u l d serve Wagner's
aim of p r e s e n t i n g l i f e as r e s u l t i n g from, e t e r n a l
and
laws,
such a r c h e t y p a l s i t u a t i o n s c o u l d be found only i n
myths.
T h e r e f o r e , Wagner thoroughly s t u d i e d the o l d
myths, not i n order to modernize them., but t o l e a r n from
them., t o share t h e i r wisdom,, and t o p r o j e c t them, i n t o
110
the p r e s e n t .
-
T h i s a t t i t u d e i s the key to an
s t a n d i n g of Wagner's whole system of thought.
the u n i v e r s e was
underFor him.
composed of f o r c e s r a t h e r than of t h i n g s ;
seeing the t r u t h meant understanding these f o r c e s .
In
the depths of our i n d i v i d u a l minds and s o u l s are the
r o o t s that connect with the p r i m o r d i a l u n i t y .
What we
share w i t h every other l i v i n g c r e a t u r e i s the energy
d r i v e s us; whatever produces
that
a c e r t a i n response i n the
depths of one person should produce much the same r e sponse
i n the r e s t of the people.
Thus communion of
f e e l i n g counts more than communications of i d e a s .
Con-
sequently, the Wagnerian drama has the depths of the
s o u l as i t s s e t t i n g .
E x p l a i n i n g the g e n e s i s of T r i s t a n
und I s o l d e , Wagner s a i d :
I too, as I have t o l d you, f e l t d r i v e n to t h i s
"Whence and wherefore?" and f o r l o n g i t banned
me from the magic of my a r t . But my time of
penance taught me t o overcome the q u e s t i o n .
A l l doubt at l a s t was taken from, me, when I
gave myself up to the T r i s t a n . Here, i n p e r f e c t
. t r u s t f u l n e s s , I plunged i n t o the i n n e r depths of
. s o u l events, and from out t h i s inmost c e n t e r of
the world I f e a r l e s s l y b u i l t up i t s outer form..
A glance at the volumen of t h i s poem, w i l l show
you a t once t h a t the exhaustive d e t a i l - w o r k
which a h i s t o r i c a l poet i s o b l i g e d to devote
to c l e a r i n g up the outward b e a r i n g s of h i s p l o t ,
to the detriment of a l u c i d e x p o s i t i o n of i t s
i n n e r motives, I now t r u s t e d myself to apply
t o these l a t t e r a l o n e . L i f e and death, the
whole import and e x i s t e n c e of the outer world,
here hang on n o t h i n g but the i n n e r movements
of the s o u l .
The whole a f f e c t i n g a c t i o n comes
about f o r reason only t h a t the inmost s o u l
demands i t , and steps t o l i g h t w i t h the very
shape, f o r e t o k e n e d i n the i n n e r s h r i n e .
(Page 270, Wagner, On Music and Drama.)
Wagner's most o r i g i n a l c o n t r i b u t i o n to the dramaturgy
of the nineteenth, century was
the p e r f e c t i o n of a drama
Ill
-
where the c h a r a c t e r s are meant to serve as media between
the audience and a l a r g e r , profounder and t r u e r world.
The b a s i s f o r t h i s concept was
g i v e n by combining
and
a m p l i f y i n g the ideas of N o v a l i s , Gorres, S c h e l l i n g ,
the b r o t h e r s S c h l e g e l , who
of
and
a l l agreed that the h e a r t
the u n i v e r s e l a y w i t h i n each man's s o u l , and who
regarded the myths as r e p o s i t o r i e s of e t e r n a l
also
truths.
These concepts too are c r u c i a l f o r an understanding of
the Wagnerian drama.
Wagner always wrote and sometimes p u b l i s h e d h i s
poems b e f o r e he began to compose the music.
But i n the
case of T r i s t a n , the music began to a s s e r t i t s chromatic
p a t t e r n even b e f o r e Wagner had drawn up the dramatic
s c e n a r i o ; i t was
born out of the s p i r i t
of music.
In
a l e t t e r to Franz L i s z t , dated December 1 6 , 1 8 5 4 , Wagner
wrote:
. . . As I have never i n l i f e f e l t the r e a l
b l i s s of l o v e , I must e r e c t a monument to
the most b e a u t i f u l of a l l my dreams, i n which
from, b e g i n n i n g to end, that l o v e s h a l l be
thoroughly s a t i a t e d , I have i n my head T r i s t a n
and I s o l d e , the s i m p l e s t but most f u l l b l o o d e d
m u s i c a l conception; w i t h the "black f l a g "
which f l o a t s at the end of i t I s h a l l cover
myself t o d i e . (Wagneu On Music and Drama, p. 2 7 2 . )
Wagner's Venice D i a r y and h i s l e t t e r s to Mathilde
Wesendonck convey to us the emotional s t a t e and
frame of mind i n which T r i s t a n was
Wesendonck was
set
written.
mental
Mathilde
the author of the f i v e poems which Wagner
to music i n the winter of
p a r t of T r i s t a n .
1857/8,
two
of which became
From the music t o "Traume" evolved i n
Venice the Love-Night
of the second a c t ; the
melodies
112
-
of the "Treibhaus" w i t h i t s heavy,' sad mood, were used
f o r the Overture to the t h i r d a c t .
As f a r as the content of the music drama i s concerned, Wagner d r a s t i c a l l y reduces G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c to
t h r e e a c t s ; i n the f i r s t , we witness I s o l d e ' s journey
as Mark's b r i d e to Cornwall, i n the second, her
secret
meeting w i t h T r i s t a n at n i g h t i n the garden, w h i l e Mark
i s supposedly away h u n t i n g , and i n the t h i r d , the death
of the l o v e r s .
i n the opera:
There are only three main c h a r a c t e r s
T r i s t a n , I s o l d e and Mark, supported by
three minor ones:
Brangaene, Kurvenal and
Melot.
Compared t o G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c , not much i s l e f t
the legend i n Wagner's opera.
There
T r i s t a n ' s p a r e n t s , or h i s youth.
We
of
i s no mention of
l e a r n about
the
T a n t r i s episode when I s o l d e d i s c l o s e s to Brangaene the
reason f o r her tumultuous
d i s q u i e t on boaid s h i p .
Morolt
i s i n Wagner's v e r s i o n I s o l d e ' s b e t r o t h e d , whom. T r i s t a n
had k i l l e d .
I s o l d e d i s c o v e r e d i n T a n t r i s the s l a y e r
of her f i a n c e and rushed to k i l l him but h i s eyes
hers and rendered her powerless:
was
met
i n a f l a s h her h e a r t
empty of hate and an overwhelming l o v e w e l l e d up.
But the f o l l o w i n g t u r n of events which d e s t i n e d I s o l d e
t o become Mark's b r i d e , outraged I s o l d e .
Rejected
l o v e , i n j u r e d p e r s o n a l and n a t i o n a l p r i d e ( f o r she
imagines that T r i s t a n , who
t r i b u t e to I r e l a n d , was
had r e l i e v e d Cornwall from,
now
g r a t i f y i n g h i s ambition by
b r i n g i n g her as I r e l a n d ' s t r i b u t e to C o r n w a l l ) , d e t e s t a t i o n of a l o v e l e s s marriage
to an o l d King, a l l these
-
-
113
f i e r c e emotions are s e e t h i n g in. her h e a r t .
She r e -
s o l v e s t o d i e and t o f o r c e T r i s t a n t o j o i n her.
commands Brangaene t o prepare the p o i s o n .
She
Under the
p r e t e x t of d e s i r i n g T r i s t a n t o ask her f o r g i v e n e s s ,
I s o l d e summons him. and suggests they d r i n k together a
cup
of r e c o n c i l i a t i o n .
T r i s t a n i s aware of her t r u e
reason and consents t o d r i n k .
But Brangaene has d i s -
obeyed I s o l d e ' s i n s t r u c t i o n s and i n s t e a d of p o i s o n , the
cup c o n t a i n s the l o v e - p o t i o n .
A f t e r a moment of be-
wilderment, the two f a t e d ones are in. each other's arms,
pouring
out an ecstasy of p a s s i o n .
Than the maids of honour
robe I s o l d e t o r e c e i v e K i n g Mark, who i s coming on board
to greet h i s b r i d e .
The
second a c t b r i n g s the l o v e r s ' n o c t u r n a l meeting,
t h e i r hope and d e s p a i r , t h e i r love f u l f i l m e n t and e c stasy.
On the King's sudden r e t u r n , T r i s t a n i s accused
of t r e a c h e r y and i n g r a t i t u d e .
From, the King we l e a r n
that he had been f o r c e d i n t o the marriage w i t h
Isolde
by the d i s t u r b e d s t a t e of h i s kingdom., and t h a t he had
not consented t o i t u n t i l T r i s t a n had threatened
p a r t from Cornwall.
t o de-
T r i s t a n ' s only r e p l y t o t h i s i s
h i s p l e a f o r I s o l d e ' s promise to f o l l o w him i n t o the
•wondrous realm, of n i g h t . "
Then he makes a f e i n t of
a t t a c k i n g Melot, but permits
the l a t t e r t o i n j u r e him.
w i t h h i s sword.
Act three i s mournful, f u l l of d e s p a i r and l o n g i n g .
T r i s t a n i s dying i n h i s a n c e s t r a l c a s t l e i n B r i t t a n y
and
i t i s only the hope of s e e i n g I s o l d e a g a i n that keeps
114
him
alive.
She
was
sent f o r by Kurvenal to come
r e s t o r e T r i s t a n to h e a l t h once more.
T r i s t a n ' s l i f e endures only f o r one
word, " I s o l d e ! " and
But
upon her
Isolde
Mark a r r i v e s on a second
t o l d him
p o t i o n and
come to u n i t e the l o v e r s .
he com.es too l a t e ;
the s e c r e t of the
Isolde, ignoring everything,
out her broken heart
and
one
also
s h i p , f o r Brangaene has
the King has
arrival,
short embrace,
he d i e s i n her arms.
f a i n t s over T r i s t a n ' s body.
and
loveBut
sings
expires.
In c o n t r a s t t o G o t t f r i e d , f o r whom the climax
the g r o t t o , Wagner's climax i s the death-scene.
however, has
was
Death,
an e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t c o n n o t a t i o n with
Wagner than i t had w i t h G o t t f r i e d , f o r Wagner's LoveDeath i s the t h r e s h o l d to " u t t e r and
divine oblivion"
(Nirvana) of the
senses, wherein love i s no
personalized
f i n i t e but becomes u n i v e r s a l
eternal.
and
In G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c death was
i t released
The
and
welcome because
the l o v e r s from t h e i r l o v e - s u f f e r i n g s
f i n a l l y permitting
The
longer
them an e t e r n a l , b l i s s f u l
union.
essence of G o t t f r i e d ' s epic i s contained
Love P o t i o n ,
L o v e r s ' Death.
the Cave of the Lovers, and
i n the
the Cave of the
n o n - e x i s t e n t i n order to concentrate e v e r y t h i n g
Love-Death, Wagner's v e r s i o n cannot be
t o represent
in:
Since i n Wagner's opera the meaning of
the love p o t i o n i s d i s t o r t e d and
is,
by
G o t t f r i e d ' s T r i s t a n und
Lovers
on
the
said essentially
I s o l d e at a l l ;
he
i n f a c t , very f a r from i t . Wagner i s much c l o s e r
to the Romantics' concept of love and
uses t h e i r m o t i f s
- 115
of l i f e and
death, n i g h t and
love-death.
day,
the death-wish
and
To enter i n t o a f u r t h e r a n a l y s i s of
the
meaning of Wagner's opera i s not w i t h i n the scope of t h i s
study, but
i t w i l l be r e l e v a n t to mention b r i e f l y
the
e f f e c t of h i s work.
While the deeper meaning of Wagner's T r i s t a n , i n
p a r t i c u l a r i t s symbolism., was
few
contemporaries, the m a j o r i t y was
what p u z z l e d
the music.
opinions.
T r i s t a n was
and
( i n c l u d i n g some c r i t i c s ) ,
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of t h e i r own
fill
recognized
Thus we
by only a very
still
i s some-
o f f e r i n g some
both r e g a r d i n g
the p l o t
and
can observe some q u i t e c o n t r a d i c t o r y
The m a j o r i t y of c r i t i c s seem, to concur t h a t
Wagner's "monument to Love" w r i t t e n to
Schopenhauer's i d e a l .
"Wagner's p r i v a t e
ful-
meditations
on Schopenhauer seem, l i k e s t u d i e s f o r the t e x t of T r i s t a n
without the rhyme" (Zuckermann, p. 4 ) .
Nietzsche
Thomas Mann a l s o belong to t h i s c l a n ; the l a t t e r
and
dis-
courses at q u i t e some l e n g t h about t h i s p o i n t i n h i s
Essay, L e i d e n und Grosse R i c h a r d Wagners (pp.
96-99):
. . . Man f i n d e t i n w a g n e r o f f i z i e l l e n Werken a l i e n
E r n s t e s d i e Behauptung, der T r i s t a n s e i unbeeinf l u s s t von Schopenhauerscher P h i l o s o p h i e .
Das
zeugt schon von sonderbarer U n e i n s i c h t i g k e i t .
Die erzromantische N a c h t v e r h e r r l i c h u n g , d i e s e s
erhaben morbiden, verzehrenden und z a u b e r v o l l e n , i n a l l e schlimmsten und hehrsten M y s t e r i e n
der Romantik t i e f eingeweihten Werkes i s t
f r e i l i c h n i c h t s s p e z i f i s c h Schopenhauerisches.
Die s i n n l i c h - u b e r s i n n l i c h e n I n t u i t i o n e n des
T r i s t a n kommen von we i t e r her:
von dem. i n b r u n s t v o l l e n Hektiker Novalis. . . .
A f t e r t h i s statement, Thomas Mann compares the
influence
of N o v a l i s * Hymnen an d i e Nacht as w e l l as F r .
Schlegel's
116
-
Lucinde on Wagner's T r i s t a n and
concludes:
Wenn nun aber d i e W a g n e r s c h r i f t s t e l l e r e r k l a r e n , ' T r i s t a n und I s o l d e ' s e i e i n Liebesdrama,
das a l s solches d i e hochste Bejahung des W i l l e n s zum Leben i n s i c h s c h l i e s s e und darum
n i c h t s mit Schopenhauer zu tun habe; wenn s i e
darauf bestehen, d i e d a r i n besungene Nacht s e i
die Nacht der L i e b e , "wo Liebeswonne uns l a c h t , "
und s o l l e d i e s Drama durchaus eine P h i l o s o p h i e
e n t h a l t e n , so s e i d i e s e das genaue G e g e n t e i l
der Lehre von der Verneinung des W i l l e n s ,
und darum eben s e i das Werk unabhangig von
Schopenhauers M e t a p h y s i k , — s o h e r r s c h t da eine
befremdende psychologische
Unempfindlichkeit.
E r n e s t Newman's o p i n i o n about the love t r i a n g l e s i t u a t i o n i n t h i s opera i s v o i c e d i n h i s work The
R i c h a r d Wagner, V o l . 3 ,
p.
Life
of
329:
The medieval I s o l d e i s the m i s t r e s s of T r i s t a n
and the wife of Mark. Wagner's I s o l d e i s n e i t h e r .
I t i s p o s s i b l e , of course, to f i n d i n the t e x t
v e s t i g i a l i n d i c a t i o n s t h a t the l o v e r s have met
i l l e g a l l y before t h e i r Night of Love.
But
Wagner's s i m p l i f i c a t i o n of the legend r e q u i r e s
us to t h i n k of t h i s n i g h t as not only a r c h e t y p a l but unique. And here T r i s t a n and I s o l d e
merely s i n g together, at a time when we can
be f a i r l y c e r t a i n t h a t she has not yet shared
the bed of the King of Cornwall.
E l l i o t t Zuckermann has
a s i m i l a r statement (p.
22):
T r i s t a n and I s o l d e never consummate t h e i r union.
Of the two sexual climaxes t h a t are unmistakably
d e p i c t e d i n the o r c h e s t r a , one i s i n t e r r u p t e d
by the entry of Kurvenal on an unnamable d i s c o r d , and the other occurs a f t e r T r i s t a n has
been dead f o r twenty minutes. The s u b j e c t
of T r i s t a n i s unconsummated p a s s i o n .
The legend
t e l l s of p a s s i o n as d e s i r e and p a s s i o n as
s u f f e r i n g — a n d of what Rougemont c a l l s the
"dark unmentionable f a c t " that p a s s i o n i s
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h death. Without the L i e b e s t o d
the s t o r y has no p o i n t .
The Wagnerites A l b e r t Goldman and E v e r t S p r i n c h o r n
the f o l l o w i n g o p i n i o n (p.
28):
are of
-
117
-
T r i s t a n and I s o l d e , the a r t i s t i c product of
Wagner's romance, i s b u i l t e n t i r e l y on the
dualism, of l i f e and death, of t r u t h and i l l u s i o n s with the everyday world b e i n g r e p r e sented as an i l l u s i o n . . . .
At the end of
the f i r s t act the love p o t i o n i s exchanged
f o r the death p o t i o n , suggesting not only the
t r a n s f o r m a t i o n of hate i n t o l o v e but a l s o the
equivalence of love and death.
In the second
and c e n t r a l act of the drama, a. long and exp l i c i t d e p i c t i o n of the sex act i t s e l f , p h y s i c a l
p a s s i o n c a r r i e s the two l o v e r s through the
n i g h t to the p o i n t where the coming of morning
and a r e t u r n to the everyday world of i n d i v i d ual e x i s t e n c e i s unthinkable.
Eternal night,
e t e r n a l l o v e , pure f e e l i n g , unconsciousness
suggest the p r i m o r d i a l u n i t y out of which the
i n d i v i d u a l emerges b r i e f l y to l i v e h i s "strange
i n t e r l u d e " before s i n k i n g back whence he
came. . . .
In the f i n a l , sublime moments of
the drama, I s o l d e , standing over T r i s t a n ' s
body, s i n k s e c s t a t i c a l l y i n t o o b l i v i o n . . . .
T h i s f i n a l scene r e v e a l s a r a d i c a l d i f f e r e n c e
between Schopenhauer's way of d e a l i n g w i t h
the u n i v e r s a l w i l l and Wagner's. Where Schopenhauer advocates withdrawal and noncoopera t i o n i n order to impose one's own meaning on
the e s s e n t i a l meaninglessness of l i f e , Wagner's
l o v e r s rush to embrace t h i s w i l l w i t h such
abandon and v i g o r t h a t i t i s d i f f i c u l t to t e l l
whether the f o r c e i s overcoming the i n d i v i d u a l s
or the i n d i v i d u a l s are momentarily mastering
the f o r c e .
In the o p i n i o n of some very prominent music c r i t i c s ,
such
as Lawrence Gilman, Wagner had not only grasped i n h i s
T r i s t a n the whole depth of t r u e l o v e , but a l s o conveyed
i t through h i s music:
. . . t h i s music i s the l a s t word t h a t any
a r t has spoken about the anguish and the
ecstacy of human p a s s i o n .
But to look upon
T r i s t a n as nothing more than a g l o r i f i c a t i o n
of passionate and t r a g i c human l o v e i s
s c a r c e l y to see below i t s s u r f a c e .
I t i s that,
of course; and one might reasonably f e e l t h a t
t h a t , i n a l l conscience, should be enough
to s a t i s f y anyone. But Wagner happens to
have made T r i s t a n something more than a
l y r i c tragedy of passionate and f a t e f u l l o v e .
He conceived i t as a drama of the inner l i f e
of man; and unless we r e a l i z e t h a t t r u t h and
118
-
are moved by t h a t r e a l i t y , we get only the
e x t e r i o r of the work—overwhelming as i t i s .
In s p i t e of the v a r i a n c e s i n the i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of
the music drama's meaning, or purpose, o r symbolism.,
T r i s t a n e x e r t e d a magic of i t s own on opera l o v e r s and
avowed Wagnerites.
I t became almost a c u l t , which as o f t e n
as not, was based on m i s c o n c e p t i o n s .
In contrast to
'Wagnerism,' however, the ' T r i s t a n i z i n g ' i s based on a d i r e c t
response t o the music.
I t i s the r e s u l t of a p e r s o n a l i n -
f a t u a t i o n r a t h e r than an i d e o l o g i c a l commitment; i t i s an
e n t i r e l y p r i v a t e matter.
While the Wagnerite must l e a r n
t h e o r i e s and c u l t i v a t e h a b i t s , the T r i s t a n i t e only has t o
be overwhelmed.
G a b r i e l e D'Annunzio expressed h i s emotional
experience i n i m p r e s s i o n i s t i c prose p o e t r y .
Gabriel
C h a b r i e r and A r n o l d Schoenberg, t o name only two, found
the music of T r i s t a n r e c u r r i n g i n t h e i r own compositions.
Or an i n f a t u a t i o n w i t h the music c o u l d l e a d t o a ponderi n g of the myth, l a t e r r e s u l t i n g i n the use of i t i n a
w r i t e r ' s own s t o r i e s — a s
i n the case of Thomas Mann.
With him., the legend i s i r o n i c a l l y r e t o l d , and enacted
by c h a r a c t e r s f o r whom, the music i s unwholesomes as w e l l
as overpowering.
I n t h i s r e s p e c t Thomas Mann was r e -
c a p i t u l a t i n g the experience of N i e t z s c h e , who found the
music f a s c i n a t i n g , but a t the same time more dangerous
than
any form, of i d e o l o g i c a l Wagnerism.
Nietzsche recorded
the importance of the T r i s t a n music
i n Ecce Homo (Kauf-
mann, N. I I , p. 6 ) :
- 119
-
A l l t h i n g s c o n s i d e r e d , I c o u l d never have stood
my youth without Wagner's music. . . . When
one wants to r i d s o n e s e l f of an i n t o l e r a b l e
p r e s s u r e , one needs h a s h i s h . W e l l , I needed
Wagner. . . . From the very moment when there
was a piano score f o r T r i s t a n — m y compliments
Herr von B i l l o w — I was a Wagnerian. . . .
To
t h i s day I am s t i l l l o o k i n g f o r a work of
e q u a l l y dangerous f a s c i n a t i o n , of an e q u a l l y
s h i v e r y and sweet i n f i n i t y , as T r i s t a n — - a n d I
look i n a l l the a r t s i n v a i n . . . . T h i s work
i s by a l l means the non p l u s u l t r a by Wagner;
. . . The world i s poor f o r those who have never
been s i c k enough f o r t h i s "voluptuousness of
hell":
i t i s p e r m i s s i b l e , . i t i s almost imp e r a t i v e , to have recourse to a f o r m u l a t i o n of
the m y s t i c s .
A l l t h i n g s c o n s i d e r e d , Tristan, c a s t a strange
and f a s c i n a t i o n ;
spell
some l o v e d i t , some r e j e c t e d i t , some
c a l l e d i t dangerous—but
i t a f f e c t e d them. a l l .
120
-
CHAPTER VI
C O N C L U S I O N
A f t e r G o t t f r i e d , the T r i s t a n legend was
as m a t e r i a l f o r popular
entertainment
Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
only
considered
throughout the
Only w i t h
developing
i n t e r e s t i n the past and p a r t i c u l a r l y through the
manticism was
i t 're-discovered.'
sons, there was
Ro-
But whatever the r e a -
no s u c c e s s f u l r e - c r e a t i o n of the s t o r y
by e i t h e r poets, t r a n s l a t o r s or s c h o l a r s .
of i n t e r e s t i n the Middle Ages was
The
revival
a c t u a l l y more a " r o -
m a n t i c i z i n g " than a genuine approach t o the a r t and
ary t r e a s u r e s of t h a t p e r i o d .
ideas and p h i l o s o p h i e s .
paraphrase C. G. Jung and
search of a S o u l " !
The
say,
liter-
The Romantics were merely
i n search of adequate m a t e r i a l onto which they
g r a f t t h e i r own
later
"The
r e s u l t was
One
could
could aptly
Romantics were i n
t h a t although
the
Romantics found the very t h i n g they needed, they d i d
not recognize
i t as such.
The Romantics c o u l d have found a great d e a l i n G o t t f r i e d which r e l a t e d to t h e i r own
stood h i s e p i c and
i t s symbolism..
ideas i f they had
The
under-
thoughts of both
G o t t f r i e d and the Romantics r e v o l v e around a d o c t r i n e
of l o v e and both c o n s i d e r love a power which becomes the
d e c i d i n g f a c t o r f o r the growth, of p e r s o n a l i t y , r e v e a l s
the i n n e r c e n t r e of s e l f , and enables
mony and partake
of God.
The
one
to o b t a i n h a r -
f o r m u l a t i o n here i s t h a t
of the Romantics, but e s s e n t i a l l y i t i s the same idea.
121
with G o t t f r i e d .
He
-
too a s c r i b e s to l o v e the power of
growth but he sees the d e c i d i n g f a c t o r i n the
of
the s u f f e r i n g brought by l o v e .
The
acceptance
terminology
may
be d i f f e r e n t , but the meaning and the g o a l are the same.
Another p o i n t i n which the Romantics concur w i t h G o t t f r i e d
i s i n the p o s i t i v e a t t i t u d e towards the p h y s i c a l union
of
the l o v e r s , because to such a union i s g i v e n a higher
c o n n o t a t i o n f o r i t s enjoyment becoro.es an e s s e n t i a l element
i n the f u l l expansion
of the i n n e r s e l f , based on harmony
and the complete b l e n d i n g of s o u l s .
such an i d e a l experience
I n order to
extend
indefinitely—'eternally—the
l o v e r s wish f o r death t o g e t h e r .
To G o t t f r i e d death would
r e l e a s e the l o v e r s from, t h e i r s u f f e r i n g and a f f o r d
i d e a l e t e r n a l love f u l f i l m e n t .
To the Romantics
an
death
would f u l l y open the gates to e t e r n a l b l i s s f o r the
lovers,
f r e e d from, b o d i l y f e t t e r s .
G o t t f r i e d ' s G r o t t o alone c o u l d have o f f e r e d a t r e mendous c h a l l e n g e to the Romantics, had they but seen i t
i n the r i g h t p e r s p e c t i v e and sensed the i n h e r e n t p o s s i bility
of i n t e r p r e t i n g i t as a temple—a. Temple of
as they might have c a l l e d i t .
God,
Before b e i n g worthy to
enter the G r o t t o , the l o v e r s have f i r s t
to overcome
c e r t a i n stages of i n n e r development, of
spiritualization
i n the gradual ascent on the path of p e r f e c t i o n .
having entered, s p i r i t u a l harmony reaches an
which i s underscored
nourished.
by t h e i r being only
T h i s e l e v a t i n g experience
Then,
intensity
spiritually
i s to be
considered
as God's grace bestowed upon the d e s e r v i n g l o v e r s f o r a
122
-
short while as a r e s p i t e from s u f f e r i n g .
One
wonders
what N o v a l i s would have done with t h i s theme.
We
general
have seen how
outlook
the Romantics r e v o l u t i o n i z e d the
on marriage:
t h e i r d o c t r i n e of love based
every t r u e marriage on harmony and
partners.
Didn't
s o u l u n i t y of
G o t t f r i e d advocate the same?
the
In h i s
time, of course, he c o u l d only p o r t r a y an i d e a l to be
s t r i v e n f o r , because marriage was
o f t e n only a
social
arrangement, a b u s i n e s s or p o l i t i c a l c o n t r a c t without
c o n s i d e r a t i o n f o r f e e l i n g , something t h a t p e r s i s t e d r i g h t
up
to the RomanticsJ
Although s u p e r f i c i a l l y they seem, to have the same
a t t i t u d e to l i f e , G o t t f r i e d ' s love of l i f e
in
an anecdotal
stood as being
their
f a s h i o n , which the Romantics misundera f a r c e , whereas the Romantics expressed
joy of l i v i n g i n s e r i o u s episodes which had
function.
help
d i d not
the sense i n G o t t f r i e d ' s s e r i e s of
g a l l a n t adventures and h i s manner of n a r r a t i o n .
Romantics saw
meaning and
i n the v a r i o u s
experiences i n l i f e
t h e r e f o r e , i n t h e i r way
love, f u l l y
The
a deeper
an important stage i n the a l l - o v e r e v o l u t i o n
of t h i n k i n g , G o t t f r i e d ' s
T r i s t a n d i d not mean more than a romance about
in
receive
i n t h i s l i n e from, the s c h o l a r s e i t h e r , they
were unable to see
of man,
a
Since the Romantics d i d not have the knowledge
about symbolism i n G o t t f r i e d ' s e p i c and
any
i s expressed
indulged
i n f o r i t s own
a f r i v o l o u s manner.
sake, and
passionate
narrated
- 123 I t was only w i t h Wagner that the legend was r e created
i n a form which has become a r t i s t i c a l l y
important.
While
extremely
i t i s not G o t t f r i e d a t a l l , Wagner's
T r i s t a n has been so i n f l u e n t i a l that i t a f f e c t e d a l l
succeeding attempts
f o r r e - c r e a t i o n of the legend:
Wagner's
music drama has come t o be i d e n t i f i e d with the popular
meaning of romantic
love.
124
-
F O O T N O T E S
"'"The o l d e r French e p i c v e r s i o n .
2 a , b, c, a
wort, S l n n b l l d , Z a h l im. T r i stanroman, S t u d l e n zum Denken und Werten G o t t f r i e d s von
S t r a s s b u r g . P h i l o l o g i s c h e S t u d i e n und Q u e l l e n , H f t . 8
( B e r l i n , 1 9 6 1 ) , p. 5.
p
e
t
r
u
s
w <
T
a
x
>
% a n s F i i r s t n e r , S t u d i e n zur Wesensbestimmung der hof i s c h e n Minne (Groningen/DJakarta, 1 9 5 6 ) , pp. 25 f f ;
T r i s t a n by G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g w i t h the ' T r i s t r a n '
of Thomas, t r a n s . A. T. Hatto, The Penguin C l a s s i c s
(Edinburgh, i 9 6 0 ) , pp. 302 f f .
4
T r i s t a n und I s o l d e , F o r t s e t z u n g U l r i c h s von Turheim.
In: G o t t f r i e d s von S t r a s s b u r g Werke, ed. F r i e d r i c h H e i n r i c h von der Hagen ( B r e s l a u , 1 8 2 3 ) .
^ H e i n r i c h von / F r e i b e r g , F o r t s e t z u n g von G o t t f r i e d s
Tristan.
In: G o t t f r i e d s von S t r a s s b u r g Werke, ed.
F r i e d r i c h . H e i n r i c h von der Hagen ( B r e s l a u , 1 8 2 3 ) .
F r i e d r i c h Ranke, T r i s t a n und
a l t e r s (Munchen, 1925),
p. 253.
I s o l d e , Biicher des
Mittel-
7
'The Buch der Liebe i s a c o l l e c t i o n of Prose Romances
i n t h i r t e e n volumes, p r i n t e d i n 1578 and i l l u s t r a t e d w i t h
crude woodcuts. I t contained mainly c o u r t l y s t o r i e s ,
f r e q u e n t l y i n c l u d i n g those of f o r e i g n o r i g i n ( c h i e f l y
F r e n c h ) , and German medieval e p i c s and b a l l a d s i n prose.
o
"A romantic c o u l d become a C a t h o l i c i f he had been
born a P r o t e s t a n t , but c o u l d h a r d l y be a C a t h o l i c o t h e r wise, s i n c e i t was necessary to combine Catholicism, with
r e v o l t , " s a i d B e r t r a n d R u s s e l l i n h i s essay on The Romant i c Movement, i n A H i s t o r y of Western Philosophy and i t s
c o n n e c t i o n w i t h p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l circumstances from,
the e a r l i e s t times to the present day (New York: Simon
and Schuster Inc., 1 9 4 5 ) , p. 679.
^ I n : Herzensergiessungen eines k u n s t l i e b e n d e n K l o s t e r bruders.
Wackenroder*s a r t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s are the most
t y p i c a l of the Romantic School's t e n d e n c i e s .
Whatever
the b r o t h e r s S c h l e g e l or T i e c k may have added to them,,
they are based s u b s t a n t i a l l y , i n matters of beauty, upon
Wackenroder's t e n e t s .
(Robert M. Wernaer, Romanticism
and the Romantic School i n Germany (New York/London, 1 9 1 0 ) ,
p. 9775
F r i e d r i c h S c h l e g e l had w r i t t e n a number of important
essays on Greek l i t e r a r y s u b j e c t s : Von den Schulen der
g r i e c h i s c h e n P o e s i e , Vom a s t h e t i s c h e n Werthe der g r i e c h i s c h e n Komodie; Ueber d i e Grenzen des Schonen; Ueber
1 0
- 125 d i e w e i b l i c h e n Charaktere In den g r i e c h i s c h e n D i c h t e r n
( a l l i n 1794).
Ueber d i e Diotima. Tin 1795).
August Wilhelm's L e c t u r e s on L i t e r a t u r e and A r t , t r a n s l a t i o n s of Shakespeare's works, as w e l l as those of
I t a l i a n , Spanish and Portuguese w r i t e r s .
Together with
T i e c k , A. W. S c h l e g e l i n t r o d u c e d Calderon to German
l i t e r a t u r e and thus s t a r t e d a g r e a t e r i n f l u e n c e of the
Spanish drama on the German.
"^Thus H a l l e und Jerusalem has as i t s source Andreas
Gryphius' tragedy Cardenio und C e l l n d e embellished with
many p e r s o n a l ^experiences; Die Grafen von G l e i c h e n and
Die P a p s t i n Johanna d e a l w i t h legend m a t e r i a l ; Der S t r a h l auer F i s c h z u g , Die Appelmanner, and o t h e r s are dramatic
"Schwankstoffe" from, the s i x t e e n t h and seventeenth cent u r i e s , revamped, w i t h a very good eye f o r the e f f e c t s of
the 'Puppentheater' and
'Volksbuhnenkunst.'
12
K l o p s t o c k expressed In h i s ode "An G o t t " — a s no
other poet had done b e f o r e him.—a l o n g i n g f o r s p i r i t u a l
and p h y s i c a l union w i t h the beloved c r e a t e d e s p e c i a l l y
f o r him, and implores God to be allowed f i n a l l y to meet"
her. Bodmer s h a r p l y reprimanded K l o p s t o c k and c o u l d not
understand "dass e i n so g r o s s e r G e i s t so s t a r k i n den
Korper v e r l i e b t s e i , " a f f r o n t e d c h i e f l y by the a u d a c i t y
t o be c o n t r a d i c t e d i n h i s own concept of dualism,.
K l o p s t o c k ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Meta M o l l e r (who l a t e r became
h i s w i f e ) was a l s o based on n a t u r a l human f e e l i n g s and
d e s i r e s , which i n f a c t deepened t h e i r bond r a t h e r than
'defiled i t s sanctity.*
They were both of the o p i n i o n
that l o v e was not a matter of chance but founded on the
s i m i l a r i t y of the h e a r t s and v i r t u e s .
T h i s k i n d of l o v e
becom.es to them, marriage even without the s a n c t i o n of the
church.
Goethe d i d not w r i t e t h e o r e t i c a l works about l o v e , he
l i v e d i t and expressed i t s e f f e c t s i n h i s works. He d i d
not set up any d o c t r i n e s , but from, the thoughts inherent
i n h i s works and the c h a r a c t e r s p o r t r a y e d t h e r e i n , e s p e c i a l l y women, i t i s q u i t e obvious that he d i d not subs c r i b e t o the dualism, of h i s time.
Simmel ( i n : Goethe,
1913, pp. 193-209) s t a t e s : " S e i n V e r t r a u e n auf das S i n n v o i l e im. Realen war zu g r o s s , a l s dass er den L e i b a l s
Gegensatz zum G e i s t empfunden h a t t e , und das S i t t l i c h e
vom. S i n n l i c h e n h a t t e absondern, d i e l i e b e n d e n und begehrenden Empfindungen h a t t e s p a l t e n w o l l e n . Fruh denkt er
darum. schon nach uber s i t t l i c h e S i n n l i c h k e i t . "
Goethe's
works as a whole have underscored the c l o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p
of the s p i r i t u a l and p h y s i c a l aspects of l o v e .
^The s p e c u l a t i v e p h i l o s o p h y of the German Romantics
i s based on. the firm., unshakable b e l i e f i n a d i v i n e P r i n c i p l e , the source of the v i s i b l e world about them and of
1
126 the s p i r i t u a l l i f e w i t h i n them.. But they were not seeking
the t r a d i t i o n a l God of C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n , but a pant h e i s t i c God: a nearer God who dwelt
i n nature as
w e l l as i n man, and who would r e c o n c i l e i n h i s own person
the a n t a g o n i s t i c systems of p h i l o s o p h y .
Endowed w i t h the consciousness of s p e c i a l powers, such
as the p h i l o s o p h y of F i c h t e and S c h e l l i n g bestowed upon
man, the Romantics f e l t i n s t i n c t i v e l y c a l l e d upon t o
p e n e t r a t e f a r t h e r i n t o the realms of the u n i v e r s e than
pure r e l i g i o u s f a i t h had h e r e t o f o r e thought p o s s i b l e :
i f not e m p i r i c a l l y , then i n t u i t i v e l y , i f not w i t h the
h e l p of understanding, then w i t h that of f e e l i n g , s p i r i t u a l p e r c e p t i o n , theosophy.
In t h e i r c r e e d there was i n God's mind a humanity without
s e x — a s i t had e x i s t e d b e f o r e i t assumed the form, of man
and woman—and which they hoped would come once more i n t o
b e i n g . When humanity was born i t came i n t o the world
i n the body of man and woman, and while humanity l i v e s
on t h i s e a r t h , i t w i l l and must have t h i s double body.
Whatever may be t h e r e f o r e the s p i r i t u a l endeavours of man,
only by means of h i s p h y s i c a l body can they be c a r r i e d
out; only by the means of the body, by the b o d i l y union
of man and woman, can the r a c e , and w i t h i t the p e r f e c t i o n
of humanity, go on. God c r e a t e d the body of man and woman
as He c r e a t e d the whole v i s i b l e nature which l i e s i n a l l
i t s beauty b e f o r e us. I t must then be h o l y j u s t as much
as man's s p i r i t u a l p a r t i s h o l y , f o r i t i s the d w e l l i n g
p l a c e of the d i v i n e , the temple of the s o u l , and t h e r e f o r e
divine i t s e l f .
T h e r e f o r e , a l l sex r e l a t i o n s are c l e a n
and s a c r e d , and when the two bodies of man and woman
meet, when the two separated halves j o i n , we have i n t h i s
marvellous union a symbol o f , and r e t u r n t o , the d i v i n e
human oneness which was and w i l l ever be. (R. M. Wernaer,
Romanticism, pp. 144 f f . ; pp. 237 f f . )
^Lucinde.
E d i t i o n of 1926,
Berlin/Leipzig (referred
to under L. and page no.), and Die deutschen Romantiker,
Die Bergland B u c h - K l a s s i k e r , 2 v o l s . ( S a l z b u r g / S t u t t g a r t ,
n.d.), I I , 228 f f . ( r e f e r r e d t o under RL. and page n o . ) .
H e i n r i c h Heine's comments on Lucinde i n Die romantische
Schule a r e q u i t e r e v e a l i n g of the o p i n i o n about the book:
"Es hat s e i n e r Z e i t n i c h t an L o b p r e i s e r n d i e s e s Romans
g e f e h l t . . . . Es f e h l t e sogar n i c h t an K r i t i k e r n , d i e
d i e s e s Produkt a l s e i n M e i s t e r s t u c k p r i e s e n und d i e
bestimmt p r o p h e z e i t e n , dass es e i n s t f u r das beste Buch
i n der deutschen L i t e r a t u r g e l t e n werde. Man h a t t e
d i e s e Leute von Obrigkeitswegen f e s t s e t z e n s o l l e n , wie man
i n Russland d i e Propheten, d i e e i n 6 f f e n t l i c h . e s Ungliick
prophezeien, v o r l a u f i g so lange e i n s p e r r t b i s i h r e Weissagung i n E r f i i l l u n g gegangen. Nein, d i e G o t t e r haben
unsere L i t e r a t u r v o r jenem. Ungliick bewahrt; der S c h l e g e l ' sche Roman wurde b a l d wegen s e i n e r unzuchtigen N i c h t i g k e i t
- 127
-
a l l g e m e i n verworfen und i s t j e t z t v e r s c h o l l e n .
Lucinde
i s t der Name der H e l d i n d i e s e s Romans, und s i e i s t e i n
s i n n l i c h w i t z i g e s Weib, O d e r vielmehr eine Mischung von
S i n n l i c h k e i t und Witz. Ihr Gebrechen i s t eben, dass
d i e k e i n Weib i s t , sondern eine u n e r q u i c k l i c h e Zusammensetzung von zwei A b s t r a k t i o n e n , Witz und S i n n l i c h k e i t .
Die Muttergottes mag es dem. V e r f a s s e r v e r z e i h e n , dass
er d i e s e s Buch geschfieben; nimm.erni.ehr v e r z e i h e n es ihm
d i e Musen."
( H e i n r i c h Heine's Werke (Hamburg, I 8 8 7 ) ,
V o l . V I I , p. 16"0~7T
1*5
•^Cf. Schleiermacher:
G r u n d l i n i e n e i n e r K r i t i k der
b i s h e r i g e n S i t t e n l e h r e , and F r i e d r i c h S c h l e g e l : P h i l o s o p h i e
des Lebens.
I n P a r t I I , Appendix ( I V . 4 4 5 B-V.471 C)
l 6
Chapter XV
and
XVI
( I V . 4 4 5 B - V . 4 5 7 B)
of
The
and
Republic.
T r a n s l a t e d with i n t r o d u c t i o n and notes by F r a n c i s MacDonald
C o r n f o r d (New York/London: Oxford U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 6 6 ) ,
pp.
144-168.
17
' F r i e d r i c h S c h l e g e l . Seine p r o s a i s c h e n J u g e n d s c h r i f t e n ,
ed. Minor, 2 n d ed., 2 v o l s . , 1 9 0 6 , V o l . I , p. 2 5 .
In Manuscript of the "Ideen" by F r . S c h l e g e l , i n
Dorothea's handwriting.
Goethe-Schiller Archives.
(As
quoted by P. Kluckhohn, Die Auffassung der Liebe im 18.
Jahrhundert, p. 3 8 5 » s i n c e the o r i g i n a l was not a c c e s s i b l e
to me.)
C f . Nachlassheft:
"Die mystische S y n t h e s i s der
I n d i v i d u e n i n der Liebe besteht im Zusammensterben; das
i s t das Geheimnis des Todes."
(Quoted i n P. Kluckhohn,
Die Auffassung der L i e b e , p . . 3 9 1 . )
1 9
C f . "Abendrote," "Der W a s s e r f a l l , " "Zwei N a c h t i g a l l e n , "
"An d i e Freundin," "An S e l i n d e , " "Der Gluhende," "Der
Ziirnende."
2 0
on
" Dorothea von S c h l e g e l und deren Sonne I. und Ph. V e i t ,
ed. Raich, 2 v o l s . , 1881, p. 1 3 0 .
22
Jakob Bohme, der s c h l e s i s c h e M y s t i k e r , Goldmanns
Gelbe Taschehbucher, No. 5 9 8 (Munchen, 1 9 5 9 ) , PP- 2 0 0 - 2 0 1 .
- ^ I t i s the symbol of the "Divine Feminine," the "UrMutter," I s i s , or Anima, i n man.
T h i s maiden i s the
"Goddess of S a i s , " Rosenbliitchen, i n the n o v e l Die L e h r l i n g e von S a l s ( 1 7 9 8 - 9 9 ) ; I t i s Sophia and J u l i a i n
Hymnen an d i e Nacht ( I 7 9 8 - I 8 O O ) ; M a t h i l d e , Cyane, Zulima,
i n h i s H e i n r i c h von. O f t e r d i n g e n ( 1 7 9 9 - 1 3 0 0 ) .
2
ok
See Bohme, Von den d r e i P r i n z i p i e n , Chapter X I I I ,
S u b d i v i s i o n 24 f f . and Aurora.
To understand the o r i g i n
and growth of these mystic conceptions, i t i s necessary
128
-
to t u r n to Adam, and the c r e a t i o n of the world. When Adam
f e l l i n the garden of Eden, he s u f f e r e d a great i r r e p a r a b l e
l o s s . He l o s t h i s Eve, and w i t h her, so Bohme develops
i n h i s mystic philosophy, h i s s p i r i t u a l l i f e .
Certainly,
another Eve remained w i t h him., but she was not the o l d ,
s p i r i t u a l , d i v i n e l y g i v e n Eve, but the simple, p l a i n ,
earthy, human Eve.
The r e a l Eve withdrew and v e i l e d h e r s e l f and remained i n heaven. Deprived of h i s s p i r i t u a l
l i f e , Adam, went out i n t o the world, and groped about l i k e
a b l i n d man.
But he had, n e v e r t h e l e s s , a m i s s i o n , and
man has the same m i s s i o n even to t h i s day:
Man must f i n d
what he had l o s t , he must r e g a i n h i s former s p i r i t u a l
l i f e — h i s Eve.
How to r e g a i n her i s r e v e a l e d i n Bohme's
philosophy.
( O r i g i n a l not a v a i l a b l e to roe, t h e r e f o r e
quoted i n E n g l i s h . )
^ C f . R a i c h , N o v a l i s ' B r i e f w e c h s e l , pp.
F r . S c h l e g e l , dated A p r i l 13, .1797.)
2
to
29-30.
(Letter
^ C f . Fragment I I , 237:
" A l l e echte M i t t e i l u n g i s t
a l s o s i n n b i l d s a m — u n d s i n d a l s o n i c h t Liebkosungen echte
Mitteilungen?"
2
^ C f . K l e e , Zu T i e c k s germanlschen S t u d i e n
Gymnasium. Programm, 1 8 9 5 ) , p. 8.
2
(Bautzen:
A one-act " f a t e tragedy," Der V e r s c h o l l e n e (1822),
the popular comedy, Das Auge der L i e b e (1824), based on
Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream., Das T r a u e r s p i e l
i n T i r o l (1828), whose hero i s the T y r o l e a n p a t r i o t
Andreas Hofer, and the p l a y i s f u l l of s u p e r n a t u r a l
episodes In the Romantic manner.
2 8
M e r l i n , eine Mythe (1832), which the author himself
c a l l e d "die Tragodie des Widerspruchs," the l a s t of the
attempts which the German Romantics made to adapt to i t s
ends the great s e c u l a r mysteries of the Middle Ages.
M e r l i n , the son of Satan and a C h r i s t i a n V i r g i n , i s a
k i n d of A n t i - C h r i s t who i s racked by the a n t i t h e s e s of
l i f e ; the s p i r i t u a l and the s e n s u a l , r e n u n c i a t i o n and
p l e a s u r e , are at war w i t h i n him,, and he d i e s , b a f f l e d
i n h i s e f f o r t s to r e c o n c i l e them..
2 9
-^Die Epigonen (I836).
T h i s work d e s c r i b e s the r e l a t i o n s i n which a young man of good f a m i l y i n Bremen stands
towards s e v e r a l women, and c o n t a i n s many a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l
elements. Die Epigonen i s w r i t t e n i n the v e i n of Wilhelm.
M e i s t e r , but has a more modern background than Goethe's
n o v e l , being concerned e s s e n t i a l l y w i t h the c o n f l i c t
between the r i s i n g middle c l a s s and the o l d a r i s t o c r a c y .
By b r i n g i n g such problems i n t o debate, i t inaugurated
the s o c i a l novel of the next g e n e r a t i o n .
his
-^Munchhausen ( I 8 3 8 ) , f u l l of s a t i r i c a l a t t a c k s upon
own time; o b v i o u s l y under the i n f l u e n c e of Jean P a u l
- 129
-
or even E. T. A. Hoffmann.
32
Quoted by B e c h s t e i n , p. 55
a v a i l a b l e to me).
(the o r i g i n a l was
not
-^Itomermann s t u d i e d Grimm's Rechtsalterthiimer,
Mythologie und Sagen. The l a t t e r were the source f o r h i s
chapter
"Mittagszauber."
-^Dated May 29, 1840.
.In: K a r l Immermann. S e i n Leben
und seine Werke aus Tagebiichern und B r i e f en an seine
F a m i l i e zusammengestellt, ed, Gustav zu P u t l i t z , 2 v o l s .
( B e r l i n : Hertz, I 8 7 0 ) .
35
• ^ J u s t as f r e e l y as Immermann t r e a t e d h i s c h a r a c t e r s
and s i t u a t i o n s , he a l s o invented some new c h a r a c t e r s w i t h out any p a r t i c u l a r reason.
" R i t t e r John," the "Senes c h a l l " i s such a c h a r a c t e r i n whom, the author spoofs
the knighthood.
^ H e i n r i c h Heine's Sa'mmtliche Werke i n 12 Banden,
V o l . 7, p. 127.
" . . . E n d l i c h sehen wir aber auch
Gedichte i n jener Z e i t , d i e dem. c h r i s t l i c h e n S p i r i t u a l i s mus n i c h t unbedingt h u l d i g e n , ja worin d i e s e r sogar
f r o n d i e r t wird, wo der D i c h t e r s i c h den K e t t e n der abs t r a k t e n c h r i s t l i c h e n Tugenden entwindet und w o h l g e f a l l i g
s i c h hinabtaucht i n d i e Genusswelt der v e r h e r r l i c h t e n
S i n n l i c h k e i t ; und es i s t eben n i c h t der s c h l e c h t e s t e
D i c h t e r , der uns das Hauptwerk d i e s e r Richtung, " T r i s t a n
und I s o l d e , " h i n t e r l a s s e n hat.
J a , i c h muss gestehen,
G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g , der V e r f a s s e r d i e s e s schons t e n Gedichts des M i t t e l a l t e r s , i s t v i e l l e i c h t auch dessen
g r o s s t e r D i c h t e r , und uberragt noch a l l e H e r r l i c h k e i t des
Wolfram, von E s c h i l b a c h , den wir im P e r c e v a l und i n den
Fragmenten des T i t u r e l so sehr bewundern. Es i s t v i e l l e i c h t j e t z t e r l a u b t , den M e i s t e r G o t t f r i e d unbedingt zu
rtihmen und zu p r e i s e n . _Zu s e i n e r Z e i t hat man s e i n Buch
gewiss f u r g o t t l o s und a h n l i c h e Dichtungen, wozu schon
der L a n c e l o t gehorte, f u r g e f a h r l i c h gehalten.
Und es
s i n d w i r k l i c h auch bedenkliche Dinge v o r g e f a l l e n . F r a n ceska da P o l e n t a (= da^Rimini) und i h r schoner Freund
mussten theuer dafiir biissen, dass s i e eines^Tages mit e i n ander i n einem solchen Buche l a s e n ; - — d i e g r o s s t e Gefahr
f r e i l i c h bestand d a r i n , dass s i e p l o t z l i c h zu l e s e n
aufhortenl"
3?In: Auswahl aus den hochdeutschen D i c h t e r n des
13. Jahrhunderts, 1820, p. 159.
Quoted i n : G o t t f r i e d
Weber, G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g , Sammlung M e t z l e r
( S t u t t g a r t , 1 9 5 2 ) , p. 4 5 .
3 G o t t f r i e d Weber, G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g , p.
8
me.)
-^Trans.
Goldman.
(The o r i g i n a l was
46.
not a v a i l a b l e to
- 130
-
B I B L I O G R A P H Y
B e c h s t e i n , Reinhold.
T r i s t a n und I s o l t i n deutschen
Dichtungen der Neuzeit.
Leipzig, I876.
Benz, R i c h a r d .
Bergson, Henry.
Die deutsche Romantik.
Le H i r e .
Alcan,
L e i p z i g , 194-0.
1938.
B i n d s c h e d l e r , Maria.
" G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g und d i e
h o f i s c h e E t h i k , " B e l t r a g e zur Geschichte der deutschen
Sprache und L i t e r a t u r , LXXVI, 1955* PP.
1-39.
.
"Der T r i s t a n G o t t f r i e d s von S t r a s s b u r g , "
Der D e u t s c h u n t e r r i c h t , VI, 1954,
pp. 6 5 - 7 6 .
Boor, Helmut de.
"Die Grundauffassung von G o t t f r i e d s
T r i s t a n , " DVJS, 18. Jhg., 18. Bd., H f t . 3, 19^0, pp.262-306
Capellanus, Andreas. De Amore L i b r i T r e s .
(The a r t of
c o u r t l y l o v e . ) Columbia U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s ,
1941.
C l o s s , August, ed.
T r i s t a n und I s o l t , by G o t t f r i e d von
Strassburg.
B l a c k w e l l ' s German Texts.
Oxford,
1958.
Conz, K a r l P h i l i p p .
1792.
Gedichte.
Erste'Sammlung.
Tubingen,
Ehrismann, Dr. G.
Geschichte der deutschen L i t e r a t u r
b i s zum Ausgang des M i t t e l a l t e r s .
2. T e i l .
2. Absch.
2. H a l f t e .
F i s e r , Emeric.
Le symbol l i t t e r a l r e .
Paris,
194l.
F r e i b e r g , H e i n r i c h von.
H e i n r i c h von F r e i b e r g s F o r t setzung von G o t t f r i e d s T r i s t a n .
I n : G o t t f r i e d s von
Strassburg. Werke. Ed. F r i e d r i c h H e i n r i c h von der
Hagen. B r e s l a u , 1823.
F u r s t n e r , Hans. Studien zur Wesensbestimmung der h o f i s c h e n
Minne. Groningen/DJakarta, 1956.
Gilman, Lawrence'.
1937.
Wagner's Operas.
Glasenapp, C a r l F r . Das
L e i p z i g , 1905^.
New
York/Toronto,
Leben R i c h a r d Wagners.
G o l t h e r , Wolfgang. R i c h a r d Wagner a l s D i c h t e r .
Georg Brandes. Die L i t e r a t u r , 14^
Berlin,
6 vols.
Ed.
n.d.
. R i c h a r d Wagner an Mathilde Wesendonk. £sic]
Tagebuchblatter und B r i e f e , 1853-1887. L e i p z i g ,
1922.
- 131
-
G o l t h e r , Wolfgang. T r i s t a n und I s o l d e i n den Dichtungen
des M i t t e l a l t e r s und der neuen Z e i t . L e i p z i g ,
1907.
.
T r i s t a n und I s o l d e .
der deutschen L i t e r a t u r .
S t o f f - und
1929.
Motivgeschichte
Gundolf, F r i e d r i c h .
"Schleiermachers Romantik," DVJS,
2, H f t . 3, H a l l e ( S a a l e ) , pp. 418-509.
Hatto, A. T., t r a n s .
T r i s t a n by G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g
w i t h the ' T r i s t r a n * of Thomas. The Penguin C l a s s i c s .
Edinburgh, 1 9 6 0 .
H e i n z e l , R i c h a r d . Uber G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g .
K l e i n e S c h r i f t e n von R i c h a r d -Heinzel.
Ed. M.
J e l l i n e k and C. von Kraus. H e i d e l b e r g , 1907*
H e r t z , Wilhelm..
Huch, Ridaarda.
T r i s t a n und
Die
1920.
Isolde.
In:
H.
1923.
Stuttgart/Berlin,
romantische Schule.
Immermann, K a r l .
T r i s t a n und I s o l d e .
Romanzen. L e i p z i g , n.d.
2 vols.
Berlin,
E i n Gedicht i n
Jakob Bohme, der s c h l e s i s c h e M y s t i k e r .
Ed. C h a r l e s
Waldemar. Goldmanns Gelbe Taschenbiicher, 598.
Miinchen,
1959.
J o s t , Walter.
"Von Ludwig T i e c k zu E. T. A. Hoffmann.
S t u d i e n zur Entwicklungsgeschichte des romantischen
S u b j e k t i v i s m u s , " Deutsche Forschungen, H f t . 4,
Frankfurt/M.,
1921.
Kluckhohn, P.
Die Auffassung der L i e b e i n der L i t e r a t u r
des 18. Jahrhunderts und i n der deutschen Romantik.
Tubingen, 19663.
.
Die
K o r f f , H. A.
deutsche Romantik.
Geist
K u r t z , Hermann.
Bielefeld,
der G o e t h e z e i t .
T r i s t a n und
Isolde.
Lewis, C. S.
The A l l e g o r y of Love.
P r e s s . London,
1951.
Mann, Thomas.
Wagner und
4 vols.
1924.
Leipzig,
Stuttgart,
Oxford
unsere Z e i t .
1964.
1847.
University
Frankfurt/M.,
1963.
M a r t i n , A l f r e d von.
"Das Wesen der romantischen R e l i g i o s i t y , " DVJS, 2, H e f t . 3, H a l l e ( S a a l e ) , 1924,
pp.
367-
417.
- 132 Meissburger, Gerhard.
T r i s t a n und I s o l d mit den weissen
Handen. Die Auffassung der Minne, der L i e b e und
der Ehe b e i G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g und U l r i c h von
Turheim.
B a s e l , 1954.
Newman, E r n e s t .
1899.
A Study of Wagner.
London/New
2 vols.
. The L i f e of R i c h a r d Wagner.
Toronto/Melbourne/Sydney,
1937.
York,
London/
Nickel, Erich.
S t u d i e n zum Llebesproblem. b e i G o t t f r i e d
von S t r a s s b u r g . Konigsberg, 1927.
N o v a l i s . H e i n r i c h von O f t e r d i n g e n . I n : Die deutschen
Romantiker, I I . Die B e r g l a n d - B u c h - K l a s s i k e r .
S a l z b u r g / S t u t t g a r t , n.d.
. Hymnen an d i e Nacht. I n : Die deutschen
Romantiker, I . Die B e r g l a n d - B u c h - K l a s s i k e r .
S a l z b u r g / S t u t t g a r t , n.d.
. Samtliche Werke. Ed. C a r l Meissner.
4 vols.
F l o r e n z and L e i p z i g , I 8 9 8 .
( R e f e r r e d t o under:
M, v o l . , p.)
Panofsky, Walter.
Wagner.
London, 1963.
A pictorial
biography.
Ranke, F r i e d r i c h .
"Die A l l e g o r i e ' der'Minnegrotte i n
G o t t f r i e d s T r i s t a n , " S c h r i f t e n der Konigsberger
Gelehrten G e s e l l s c h a f t : Geisteswiss. Klasse,
2. Jahr, H f t . 1, 1925/26, pp. 2 1 - 3 9 .
, ed.
Isolde.
G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g . T r i s t a n und
Text. Z u r i c h / B e r l i n , 1965?.
T r i s t a n und I s o l d e .
Munchen, 1925.
Bucher des M i t t e l a l t e r s .
Raphael, Robert.
"The Redemption from. Love i n Wagner's
T r i s t a n und I s o l d e , " Monatshefte, LV, February 1963,
pp. 113-121.
Rosteutscher, J . H. W. Die Wiederkunft des Dionysos.
Der naturmystische I r r a t i o n a l i s r o u s i n Deutschland.
Bern, 1947.
Rougemont, Denis de.
_______
Love D e c l a r e d .
P a s s i o n and S o c i e t y .
Boston,
1964.
London, 1956.
Ruckert, F r i e d r i c h . Gesammelte p o e t i s c h e Werke. Ed.
H e i n r i c h Ruckert.
12 v o l s . Frankfurt/M., 1868/69.
- 133 S c h j e l d e r u p , Gerhard.
L e i p z i g , 1913.
R i c h a r d Wagner und seine Werke.
S c h l e g e l , August Wilhelm. von.
Samtliche Werke.
18463.
Leipzig,
S c h l e g e l , F r i e d r i c h von.
D i e deutschen Romantiker.
2 vols.
S a l z b u r g / S t u t t g a r t , n.d.
.
Lucinde.
B e r l i n / L e i p z i g , 1926.
S c h u l t z , Franz.
"Romantik und Romantischj,' DVJS, 2,
H f t . 3 , H a l l e ( S a a l e ) , 1924, pp. 349-3557""
Schwietering, J u l i u s .
Der T r i s t a n G o t t f r i e d s von S t r a s s burg und d i e bernhardische Mystik.
Tubingen, i 9 6 0 .
Simrock, K a r l .
Samtliche Werke.
S t e i n , Herbert von.
Dichtung
Wagners. B e r l i n , 1 9 6 2 .
12 v o l s .
L e i p z i g , n.d.
und Musik im Werk R i c h a r d
S t o l t e , Heinz.
"Drachenkampf und L i e b e s t r a n k . Zur Ges c h i c h t e der T r i s t a n d i c h t u n g , " DVJS, H a l l e f S a a l e ) , 1 8 ,
194-0/pp. 250-261.
Tax, Petrus W. Wort, S i n n b i l d , Z a h l im, Tristanroman.
S t u d i e n zum. Denken und Werten G o t t f r i e d s von S t r a s s burg.
P h i l o l o g i s c h e S t u d i e n und Quellen, 8 , B e r l i n ,
T90I.
Tiirheim, U l r i c h von.
T r i s t a n und I s o l d e . F o r t s e t z u n g
U l r i c h s von Tiirheim. I n : G o t t f r i e d s von S t r a s s burg Werke. Ed. F r i e d r i c h H e i n r i c h von der Hagen.
B r e s l a u , 1823.
Tymms, Ralph.
German Romantic L i t e r a t u r e .
London, 1955-
Unger Rudolf.
"Herder, N o v a l i s und K l e i s t .
Studien
iiber d i e Entwicklung des Todesproblems i n Denken und
D i c h t e n vom. Sturm, und Drang zur Romantik," Deutsche
Forschungen, H f t . 9 , Frankfurt/M., 1 9 2 2 .
A
.
"Vom Sturm, und Drang zur Romantik I , " DVJS,
2, H f t . 3 , H a l l e ( S a a l e ) , 1924, pp. 616-645.
Wackernagel, Wilhelm..
B e r l i n , 1828.
Gedichte
Wagner, R i c h a r d . Musikdramen.
L e i p z i g , n.d.
.
My L i f e .
2 vols.
eines fahrenden
Schiilers.
Ed. W.Gblther.
Berlin/
London, 1911.
134 Wagner, R i c h a r d .
On Music and Drama. Ed. AlbertGoldman
and E v e r t S p r i n c h o r n .
New York, 1964.
.
T r i s t a n und I s o l d e . V o c a l score by R i c h a r d
K l e i n m i c h e l . New York, 1906.
Weber, G o t t f r i e d .
G o t t f r i e d von S t r a s s b u r g .
Metzler.
S t u t t g a r t , 1962.
Sammlung
.
G o t t f r i e d s von S t r a s s b u r g T r i s t a n und d i e
K r i s e a des H o c h m i t t e l a l t e r l i c h e n W e l t b i l d e s um. 1 2 0 0.
2 vols.
S t u t t g a r t , 1953.
W e h r l i , Max.
"Der T r i s t a n G o t t f r i e d s von S t r a s s b u r g , "
T r i v i u m , J g . IV, Z u r i c h , 1946, pp. 8 I - I I 7 .
Weigand, Herman J . "Three Chapters on C o u r t l y Love i n
A r t h u r i a n France and Germany," U n i v e r s i t y of North
C a r o l i n a S t u d i e s i n the Germanic Languages and
L i t e r a t u r e s , XVII, Chapel H i l l , 1956, pp. 1 8 - 2 5 .
Wernaer, Robert M. Romanticism, and the Romantic
i n Germany. New York/London, 1910.
Willoughby,
L.
1930.
School
The Romantic Movement i n Germany.
Oxford,
Wolzogen, Hans von. Die Sprache i n R i c h a r d Wagners
Dichtungen. 3 r d e d i t i o n .
L e i p z i g , n.d.
.
Thematischer L e i t f a d e n durch d i e Musik zu R i c h a r d
Wagner s T r i s t a n und I s o l d e .
(Nebst einem. Vorworte
uber den Sagenstoff des Wagner'schen Dramas.)
Leipzig, 1894 .
7
6
Zuckermann, E l l i o t t .
The f i r s t hundred years of Wagner's
Tristan.
Columbia U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , New York/Londonn
1964.