Iwein is a Middle High German verse romance by the poet Hartmann von Aue, written around 1203.[1] An Arthurian tale freely adapted from Chrétien de Troyes' Old French Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, it tells the story of Iwein (Ywain), a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. It was written after Hartmann's Erec, and may have been his last work.[1]
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Hartmann von Aue, because of his novel Erec, written around 1180, is considered the founder of German Arthurian Legend.
Iwein is his second courtly novel; on the basis of stylistic evidence, it is considered to be the last of Hartmann's total of four works. Between Erec and Iwein he created his two legendary stories Gregorius and Der arme Heinrich. Iwein must have been produced by 1205, as Wolfram von Eschenbach makes mention of it in his "Parzival". The earliest possible creation date is usually taken to be the year 1190. Linguistic investigations seem to suggest that Iwein was begun shortly after Erec, but that Hartmann's work on it was interrupted after approximately 1000 verses. It is possible this is the result of the death of the patron. According to this theory, Hartmann only finished the poem at a later date. It is not known who commissioned Iwein, but the Zähringer, the Staufer and the Welfen have all been considered as possible patrons.
As in other courtly epics, all of Hartmann's works are written in four-footed rhyming couplets.
Hartmann's immediate source was the Old French epic Yvain, le Chevalier au Lion by Chrétien de Troyes, which was created either around 1177 or between 1185 and 1188. In contrast to his rather free version of Erec, Hartmann's translation of Iwein remains much closer to the French original. As the themes of the courtly epic had in the meantime become common knowledge for his German listeners, he was able to avoid lengthy explanatory digressions.
The subject matter of King Arthur belongs to the matière de bretagne, originally orally transmitted Celtic materials, which found entry to European literature through Chrétiens' reworkings.
As was normal for medieval epics, Hartmann begins the tale with a Prologue (V. 1-85)- A reference to the literary genre of Arthurian epics, and programmatic statements about the morality of the poetry .Arthur is praised as an example of chivalry whose name is eternal. Thereto Hartmann adds a self-proclamation, which is written in much the same way as in Der arme Heinrich:
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A knight, he was learned |
The novel begins with a Whitsun celebration at the court of Arthur, the epitome of courtly festivities. While there, Iwein hears the story of the Knight Kalogrenant, which is structured by Hartmann as a sort of novel in the novel. Kalogrenant reports how he happened across a clearing full of wild beasts on his way from a hospitable castle. In the middle of these beasts had stood a giant,ugly and uncultivated Wildman, who nevertheless singled himself out not as a brute or fiend, but as a peaceful herdsman. Kalogrenant's attempt to figure out the secret of a magic well-idyll in the Woods, whereof he spoke to the wild man, failed utterly however. With the watering of a stone, he unleashed a powerful thunderstorm, which thereby aided the defence of the spring by Askalon, the territorial Lord, and protector of the magic fountain. He was defeated by him, and had to return home without horse and armour.
The misbegotten adventure of the Arthurian knight Kalogrenant gives the court of Arthur a legitimate challenge - that of avenging the dishonour. Iwein, who as a relation of Kalogrenant's is doubly hit by the scandal, rides ahead of a procession of the entire court and heads secretly into the Fountain-Kingdom. The adventure repeats itself, but with deadly consequences for Askalon. Iwein chases the mortally wounded, fleeing Askalon into his castle. The falling portcullis cuts Iwein's horse in two; though he himself remains uninjured, he is sealed in the gatehouse.
Only with the help of Lunete, the confidante of the mistress of the castle, Laudine, does Iwein succeed in escaping the castle guards. Out of thankfulness for earlier assistance at the court of Arthur he receives from Lunete a ring which makes him invisible. The dead Askalon is mourned by his beautiful wife Laudine. Iwein sees the castle-mistress through a window and becomes inflaimed with love (Minne) for her.
The wounds of the dead man begin to bleed again, due to the presence of the killer, and thus a burlesque search for the invisible man begins. Once again Lunete solves the paradoxical situation and convinces Laudine that the victor over Askalon would be a worthy successor as husband, Lord of the land and protector of the fountain. In a comedic enactment (as all the parties are already aware of the intentions of the other) Iwein and Laudine come together under the mediation of Lunete. Soon thereafter the wedding is celebrated.
Then the court of Arthur arrives at the source, and Iwein must try out his role as fountain-protector for the first time. This succeeds against Keie, the exemplarily resentful knight of the court of Arthur. The entire court now celebrate the marriage of Iwein and Laudine. Thereby the plot arrives at a temporary ending - as well as the êre of victory Iwein has, unlooked for, achieved a wife and Lordship.
On the urging of his friend Gawain, who uses the verligen (long-term idleness) of Erec as an example, Iwein leaves Laudine shortly after the wedding, and goes in search of Tournaments and âventiure. Laudine extracts from Iwein a promise to return after a year and a day. This timeframe implies a legally effective deadline after which his claims against possible usurpers would have lapsed. (This knowledge is left to the reader, and is not made explicit in the text).
The painful parting of the lovers is characterised by 'Minneharmonie'. In a dialogue between the narrator and Lady Love it is stated that Iwein and Laudine have swapped their hearts, which will lead to momentous consequences.
Iwein gives himself to the excitement of Tournaments and notices only too late that he had already missed the pre-appointed deadline by six weeks. Lunete sues him before the Table Round for betrayal and takes the ring from him. All his honour is lost in Arthur's court and Laudine breaks off all connections with him. Thus Iwein loses his identity. Gripped by madness he rips the clothes from his body and becomes a wildman in the woods. His only social attachment is a silent exchange agreement with a hermit. Only through the help of the Lady of Narison and her companion, who treat his madness with a fairy-salve, can Iwein return to proper consciousness. His earlier identity as a knight seems to him as a dream. He must recognise that he no longer belongs to courtly society
Iwein freed the land of the lady of the Earl of Narison Aliers who asserts a claim to it. The lady of the land Narison and wish him the sovereign, but he does not want this and breaks up in a hurry. Two more times, he rejected in the course of history of loyalty to Laudine marriage.
Iwein rescues a lion from a dragon. This remains to be faithful to his side and gives Iwein a new identity as the knight with the lion.
The accident leads him back to the source where it can bring down the memory of his loss of fainting from his horse. Iwein is the verge of losing his mind again. Because he finds the source Lunete, because of their role in marriage and infidelity Iwein (untriuwe) is sentenced to death. Only a court battle may yet prove their innocence, the deadline for starting the following day. Iwein acknowledges his guilt and assures Lunete defense.
Immediately thereafter, he committed his host but also to help in the fight against the giant Harpin and thereby gets the next morning in a meeting conflict. Iwein there but in time with the lions fight with the giants, so that it can successfully defend Lunete. The fighters of the prosecution suffered the one punishment that would actually Lunete been intended: they are burned at the stake. Laudine, the knights will not recognize the lion in his new identity, learns it, that this Knight of the Lion, the grace of a lady had been withdrawn. It condemns it - unaware that she herself is this lady.
Because the relationship is not yet clear both leaves again Iwein Laudine. He now takes over the defense of the younger daughter of the Earl from the Black Thorn in a dispute over inheritance from her older sister. Together with the girl Iwein makes his way and arrives at the castle for the worse adventures, where he may have to fight two giants to three hundred prisoners and imprisoned in a workhouse liberate noble ladies.
Then Iwein rides with his companion to Arthur's court, where it arrives at the court martial. The defense of the nurse has calculated Iwein friend, the exemplary Arthurian knight Gawain accepted. Undetected Iwein Gawain and fight each other, that no one can defeat the other. When the darkness falls and the fight is postponed until the next day, Gawain Iwein and recognize each other in conversation again. King Arthur brings the older sister by a trick question to himself to betray and helps the younger sister to her right. Now there Iwein to identify themselves and will happily resumed in the Arthurian.
Although Iwein has gained great honor, he is sure that he will die of a broken heart. Again in camouflage as Knight of the Lion, he returns to the court Laudine wins this but not return for a comedic intrigue Lunete: Laudine committed under oath, which help to lion knight the stone watered at the well, to return the favor of his lady to obtain. So forgive must Laudine Iwein who protested his repentance and promises to never again lose their grace. Both renew their marriage and their love.