THE MIDDLE AGES: GERMANY
Epic Poems: _Nibelungen_. Popular Poems. Very numerous Lyric Poems.
Drama.
FIRST LITERARY WORK.--The most ancient monument of German literature is
the _Song of Hildebrand_, which goes back to an unknown antiquity,
perhaps to the ninth century, and a very beautiful fragment of which has
been preserved by a happy chance. We are entirely ignorant of works
written in German between the _Song of Hildebrand_ and the
_Nibelungen_, except for some religious poems such as the
_Heliand_ in low German and the _Book of the Gospels_ in high
German.
THE NIBELUNGEN,--The _Nibelungen_ form a vast poem, written probably
in the thirteenth century (or, at that epoch, formed by juxtaposition of
more ancient popular songs). It is a great national monument wherein are
collected the legendary exploits of all the ancestors of the Germans,
Huns, Goths, Burgundians and Franks especially. Portions possess
admirable dramatic qualities. The analogy with the _Iliad_ is
remarkable, and the comparison may be made even from the literary point
of view.
VARIOUS PRODUCTIONS.--Then come productions less national in type,
imitations of French poems. _Song of Roland_, _Alexander_, songs of
the _Cycle of Arthur_ or of the _Round Table_, imitations of
Latin poems: for instance, the _Aeneid_, etc. Here, too, was spread
the _Story of Renard_, as in France, and even now the question is
unsettled whether the first poem of _Renard_ is French or German.
Religious and satiric poems were abundant in the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries, but what is highly characteristic is the large
number of lyrical poets (Dietmar of Ast, Kürenberg, Frederic of Hausen,
the Emperor Henry VI, etc.) produced by the Middle Ages in Germany. This
poetry was generally amorous and melancholy, sometimes full of the
warlike ardour which is found among our own troubadours. The poets who,
as in France, wandered through Germany, from court to court and from
castle to castle, called themselves minnesingers (singers of love). The
one who has remained most famous is Tannhäuser. A fantastic and touching
legend has formed about his name.
Germany, like France, possessed a popular drama, less prolific possibly,
but very similar. Among the most ancient popular tragedies now known may
be cited _The Prophets of Christ_ and the _Game of Antichrist_,
which are curious because of the juxtaposition of biblical acts and
contemporaneous events. Later came _The Miracles of the Virgin_,
_The Wise and Foolish Virgins_, dramas more varied, with more
numerous characters, more elaborate mounting, and with the interest
relatively more concentrated.
COMEDY.--Comedy, as a rule very gross in character, enjoyed wide esteem,
especially in the fourteenth century. What were performed under the title
of _Carnival Games_ were generally nothing but _fables_ in
dialogue, domestic scenes, incidents in the market, interludes at the
cross-roads. Here was the vulgar plebeian joy allowing itself full
licence. The literary activity of Germany in the Middle Ages was at least
equal to that of the three literary western nations.