Knightly literature of the Middle Ages: a list and overview

Knight literature is a major direction of creativity, which has developed in the Middle Ages. Her hero was the heroic feudal warrior. The most famous works of this direction are the "Song of Roland" created in France by Gottfriedath of Strasbourg, Tristan and Isolde (Germany) in verse (verse romance) and "The Song of the Nibelungs", in Spain - "Rodrigo" and "The Song of My Side" " and others.

At school, the theme "Knightly literature" (class 6) is compulsorily covered. Students go through the history of its origin, the main genres, get acquainted with the main works. However, the theme "Knightly literature of the Middle Ages" (Grade 6) is disclosed concisely, selectively, some important points are missed. In this article, we would like to expose it in more detail, so that the reader has a more complete idea of it.

Knightly poetry

Knightly literature includes not only novels, but also poetry, which sang fidelity to a certain lady of the heart. For her sake, knights at risk for life subjected themselves to various tests. Glorified this love in songs, poets-singers were called minnesinger in Germany, troubadours - in the south of France, and truers - in the north of this country. The most famous authors are Bertrand de Born, Arno Daniel, Jaufre Rudel. In English literature of the 13th century, the most important monument is the ballads dedicated to Robin Hood.

Knightly literature in Italy is represented mainly by lyrical poetry. He founded a new style that glorified love for a lady, Guido Gvinicelli, a Bolognese poet. Its largest representatives are Guido Cavalcanti and Brunetto Latini, Florentines.

The image of a knight and a beautiful lady

The word "knight" means in translation from the German "rider". Remaining a warrior, he must at the same time have fine manners, worship a lady of the heart, be cultured. It was with the cult of the latter that courting poetry arose. Representatives of her praised nobility and beauty, and noble ladies treated favorably to this art form, which extolled them. Knightly literature was sublime. The pictures presented in this article confirm this.

Courtesy love, of course, was somewhat conditional, since it was completely subordinate to court etiquette. The chanting lady, as a rule, was the suzerain's wife. And the knights in love with her remained only respectful courtiers. Therefore, courtly songs that flattered female vanity surrounded the feudal court at the same time with the radiance of exclusivity.

Courteous Poetry

Courteous love was a secret, the poet did not dare to call his lady by name. This feeling looked like a trembling adoration.

Created at that time, poetic texts are very many, and the authorship of most of them is lost. But among the many colorless poets there were also memorable, bright figures. The most famous troubadours were Giraut de Bornale, Bernart de Ventadorn, Markabryn, Jaufre Rudel, Peyrol.

Types of courtly poetry

There were many kinds of courtly poetry in Provence, but the most common were: alba, kansona, pastorel, ballad, crying, tenson, sirventes.

Canson (in translation - "song") presented in a narrative form a love story.

Alba (which means "morning star") was dedicated to divided, earthly love. It said that lovers after a secret meeting parted at the dawn, her servant or a friend standing guard on her approach approached them.

Pastorela is a song in which the story of a meeting of a shepherdess and a knight is told.

In weeping, the poet grieves, mourning his own share, or mourns the death of a person close to him.

Tenson is a kind of literary dispute, in which either two poets take part, or the Beautiful Lady and poet, poet and Love.

Sirventes is a song where social issues are touched upon, the most important of which is: who is worthy of love more than an inglorious baron or courteous commoner?

This is in short a knightly courteous literature.

The troubadours, of which we have already mentioned, are the first courteous poets of Europe. After them there were German "singers of love" - minnesingers. But the sensual element in their poetry played a smaller role than in the Romance, the moralistic tone predominated.

Genre of the Knightly Novel

In the 12th century knightly literature was marked by the emergence of a knightly novel - a new genre. Its creation involves, besides the creative perception of the surrounding world and inspiration, and extensive knowledge. Knightly and urban literature are closely related. Its authors were mostly scientists who tried to reconcile the ideals of equality of all before God with the customs and customs of the era that existed in reality. As a protest against the latter, ideals of courtesy came forward. This morality, which reflects knightly literature in the Middle Ages, was utopian, but it is shown in the novel.

French Knightly Novel

Its heyday marks the Breton cycle. The most famous of the novels of this cycle are: "Brutus", "Erek and Enid", "Klizhes", "Tristan and Isolde", "Evaine", "Beautiful Stranger", "Parzifal", "Roman about the Grail", "Wicked Graveyard "," Perlesvaus "," Death of Arthur "and others.

In France knightly literature of the Middle Ages was widely represented. Moreover, she is the birthplace of the first knightly novels. They were a kind of fusion of late-antique retellings of Ovid, Virgil, Homer, epic Celtic legends, as well as stories about the unknown countries of the Crusaders and courtly songs.

Chrétien de Troyes was one of the creators of this genre. The most famous of his works is "Ivein, or Knight with a Lion". The world that created de Troyes, is the embodiment of chivalry, because the heroes who live in it, strive for feats, for adventure. In this novel, Chrétien showed that the feat itself is meaningless, that any adventures should be purposeful, filled with meaning: it could be the defense of some slandered lady, the deliverance of a girl from a fire, the salvation of her friend's relatives. Self-denial and nobility of Ivey is emphasized by his friendship with the king of beasts-a lion.

In the "Tale of the Grail" this author used even more complex techniques that reveal the character of a person. The feat of the hero's "difficulties" condemns him to asceticism. However, this is by no means a Christian austerity for the salvation of one's soul, for inner self-motivation is deeply egoistic, but great purposefulness and concentration. Percival, the hero of the work, leaves his friend, not because of the religious mystical impulse, but as a result of a whole complex of feelings, in which the sadness of the abandoned mother was mixed, with the desire to help King Fisher, the hero's uncle.

Knightly romance in Germany

Another famous medieval novel, Tristan and Isolde, has a completely different tonality. It was based on Irish tales, describing the unhappy love of beautiful young hearts. There is no knightly adventure in the novel, the conflict between the universally accepted norms and motivations of beloved ones is brought to the forefront. The passion of Queen Isolde and the youth of Tristan pushes them to trample on the marital and vassal duty. A tragic tinge is acquired by the book: the heroes become a victim of fate, fate.

In Germany, the knightly novel was represented mainly in the translation of French works: Henry von Feldeke ("Aeneid"), Gottfried Strasbourg, Hartmann von Aue ("Ivein" and "Erek"), Wolfram von Eschenbach ("Partial"). They differed from the latter in deepening the religious and moral problems.

Knightly romance in Spain

In Spain, the knightly novel was not developed until the 16th century. Known in the 14th century, only one named "Knight of Sifar." In the following, in the 15th century, "Curial and Guelph" and "Tyrant White" appear, written by Joanot Marturale. In the 16th century, Montalvo created the "Amadis Gali", also an anonymous novel "Palmerin de Olivia" appeared, and others, more than 50 in all.

Knightly romance in Italy

Knightly literature of the Middle Ages of this country was characterized mainly by borrowed plots. Italy's original contribution is the poem "Entry into Spain," written by an anonymous author in the 14th century, as well as "The Taking of Pamplona", its continuation, created by Niccolo from Verona. The Italian epic is developed in the works of Andrea da Barberino.