| Der Ackermann aus Böhmen | |
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Der Ackermann aus Böhmen (Blatt 2v der Handschrift UB Heidelberg |
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| Type | Poetry |
| Language(s) | German |
| Author(s) | Johannes von Tepl |
Der Ackermann aus Böhmen (The Ploughman from Bohemia) is a poetry manuscript by Johannes von Tepl.[1] It was written around 1401 and first printed in 1460. It is considered one of the most important works of late medieval German literature.
It is a dialogue of Death and the Ploughman, whose wife Margaretha recently died. Central themes of the book are their opposing views on life, mankind, and morality. It represents a concept of marriage as a communion of love. The work consists of 34 chapters. In odd-numbered chapters of the Ploughman accuses death of robbing him of his beloved wife, in the even chapters death answers. Against the emotions of death he puts logic, as well as cynicism. In Chapter 33, God praises the Ploughman because of his love for his wife, because God has made this arrangement, but he blames him for his appearance. Chapter 34 is a lyrical prayer of the Ploughman for the soul of his deceased wife.
The work was a precursor of early humanism in German literature. The work is remarkable for its high vocabulary. It is not determined whether it is the author's own, or whether it is an exercise in courtly style.