Walther von der Vogelweide: a glossary of ethical terms

Abstract

The main part of the thesis is the glossary itself (148 pages) in which the meanings of seventy-seven ethical terms are discussed. In each case all the references are quoted, except those of doubtful authenticity, and are arranged under headings according to the different definitions, or subdivisions of meaning of the word. The definitions themselves are based first on careful study of Walther’s verses with reference to other MHG texts and earlier texts as well as the contemporary social background; then the resulting interpretations were compared with available studies of individual words or word- groups and with definitions and references in dictionaries and glossaries. The introduction (pp.XV-LXII), which attempts to demonstrate the links between various words and different aspects of the words, consists of seven sections. The first is a consideration of the extent to which words which in their modern forms have social intellectual connotations also have ethical implications within the courtly code. The second discusses Walther's concern with personal and moral values beyond the formal requirements of the Code. The third is a summary of the dispute over the Tugendsystem, since this is ultimately relevant for the meaning of MHG ere.. In the fourth section the links between the aesthetic and ethical aspects of the Code are discussed, and in the fifth the social basis of the Code and the extent to which ethical terms had become purely social formulae. The sixth section is a consideration of Walther's rhetoric and love of words with the resulting subtleties and shades of meaning in his vocabulary, while the last is a discussion of realism in Walther's art and the reality of moral concepts in medieval thought.