Welcome to SPACE, our adult continuing education program which offers interactive monthly courses for personal enrichment! Learn more here.
This module, which builds on the skills taught in the previous two Middle High German modules, focuses on the “concluding poem” of the Nibelungen Mythos, Diu Klage (The Lamentation), a 4360-line epic in rhyming couplets devoted to the aftermath of the slaughter in Etzel’s Hall. We will devote ourselves to both a close, philological reading of selected lines (about 20 lines per hour) and a general discussion of the entire work in English translation (German material can be consulted, of course, but the language of instruction is in English).
This session is intended both for veterans of the Middle High German modules and for beginners. If any beginners enroll, the discussion of MHG verse will focus a bit more on foundational grammatical concepts, but there will still be enough to interest and challenge advanced MHG readers.
Discussions of the text will look at it from a variety of perspectives, including: The “Heroic Age” in a High Medieval perspective, investigations of emotion in Middle High German verse, and intertextuality (both within German literature and across Germanic tradition). Students are, of course, welcome to bring their own expertise and interest – feel free to take up contact with the instructor ahead of time with your input!
This session is intended both for veterans of the Middle High German modules and for beginners. If any beginners enroll, the discussion of MHG verse will focus a bit more on foundational grammatical concepts, but there will still be enough to interest and challenge advanced MHG readers.
Discussions of the text will look at it from a variety of perspectives, including: The “Heroic Age” in a High Medieval perspective, investigations of emotion in Middle High German verse, and intertextuality (both within German literature and across Germanic tradition). Students are, of course, welcome to bring their own expertise and interest – feel free to take up contact with the instructor ahead of time with your input!
Required Texts
The Middle High German text will be based on the edition of Das Nibelungenlied und Die Klage from the Deutscher Klassiker Verlag (Ed. Joachim Heinzle; ISBN 9783618680512). Scans of the selected readings will be supplied by a Google Drive folder, but students are encouraged to get the book as well. It is a beautiful book in both its softcover and hardcover formats.
Conversations about entire work from a literary perspective will use Whobrey’s translation, The Nibelungenlied: with The Klage (ISBN 9781624666759). Fluent speakers of German are, of course, welcome to useeither this edition, Heinzle’s Modern German translation, or the Middle High German text.
Conversations about entire work from a literary perspective will use Whobrey’s translation, The Nibelungenlied: with The Klage (ISBN 9781624666759). Fluent speakers of German are, of course, welcome to useeither this edition, Heinzle’s Modern German translation, or the Middle High German text.
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Days and Times
Meeting Fridays at 6:00 PM Eastern for four 2 hour sessions on February 3, 10, 17, 24