#iwein

[matrose]

lunete as knight:)

[glitterlessgold]

similarities between Mu Qing and Sir Kay from Arthurian legends... hmm... the thoughts are percolating...

[queer-ragnelle]

Sir Launfal by Thomas Chestre | More quotes at Arthuriana Daily

[rauchendesgnu]

Reading medieval fiction is so funny to me because I look at this Frankenstein's creature of a story and think to myself, you should write a retelling but make Laudine and Lunete make out like the lesbians they so clearly are. Also Iwein and Gawein must kiss. And then I realise that it's such a niche interest that nobody would read it and then I'm sad.

[halfabird]

Barbara Iweins, Katalog

[neil-gaiman]

Mr Gaiman, I'm a really big fan of your work and so was my mum, and she even named me Yvaine after your character in stardust. However, after coming out as a trans man this name no longer resonated with me and I want a similar but more masculine name. I was wondering if you had any suggestions. Thank you so much for your amazing stories.

Well, one of the main inspirations for the name Yvaine was Yvain, one of Arthur's knights, famed for his pet lion. Lots of spellings to choose from "

Ywain /ɪˈweɪn/, also known as Yvain and Owain among other spellings (Ewaine, Ivain, Ivan,[1] Iwain, Iwein, Uwain, Uwaine, Ywan, etc.),

[morrigan-reads]

Some Freely Available Arthurian Content

in my ongoing endeavour to dive down the rabbit hole that is arthuriana, i've been in pursuit of as much free and easy to access stuff as i can find. (shoutout to @fuckyeaharthuriana's big list, which has made this way easier!)

i haven't necessarily seen links to everything i have managed to put hands on, so i'm going to link a few things here in case they're helpful to anyone else. (plus then i can come back to this post in a few weeks when i've forgotten which things i've already tracked down, i have gone to download jaufry three times in the past month, before realising i already grabbed it. this should help, but probably not.)

Free to Download:

Geraint filius Erbin: [x] no idea the pedigree of this translation, but i think this is the one.

Tristan (Gottfried von Strassburg): Part 1: [x] Part 2: [x] an older prose rendering, but check below for a more modern one.

Jaufre: [x] this has sweet gustave dore art (hence my trying to download it so often.)

Vulgate Cycle: [x] an abridged version of the lancelot, grail, and morte. an unabridged translation of the grail quest is here: [x] unabridged morte below.

La Pulzella Gaia: Part 1: [x] Part 2: [x] a fan translation. very readable tho.

Cantare di Astore e Morgana: [x] another fan translation.

Eachtra an mhadra mhaoi/Eachtra Mhacaoimh-an-iolair: [x] some irish stories!

Layamon's Brut: Part 1: [x] Part 2: [x] Part 3: [x] an older translation, but most of the widely available translations though more modern are only the arthurian portion.

Open Library:

so, these aren't free to download, but if you make a free archive.org account you can check them out digitally for an hour. just be sure not to read this thread on reddit, because it'll tell you how to break the DRM and download them permanently.

there's a tonne more stuff on there, and you can check it out for free! just like a library. i'm a fan. here are just a few bits and pieces.

Erec/Iwein (Hartmann von Aue): [x]

Tristan (Gottfried von Strassburg): [x] includes fragments of the tristan of thomas of england.

Lanzelet: [x]

Vulgate Morte: [x]

Lancelot do Lac: [x] an abridged translation of the non-cyclic lancelot.

Prose Tristan: [x] an abridged translation.

Diu Crône: [x] my fave, not gonna lie.

The Knightly Tales of Sir Gawain: [x] this is a collection of gawain stories (my beloved ladies' knight.) contains the carl of carlisle, the adventures at tarn wadling, golagros and gawain, the avowing of arthur, and dame ragnell - plus some more!

Bonus: Le Morte d'Arthur: Norton Critical: [x] Armstrong: [x] Lumiansky: [x] i know everyone knows how and where to read some version of malory. but these three are my personal faves. the norton critical is, by my understanding, the standard edition of the text. the armstrong and lumiansky are modern english versions, but translations unlike the retellings of most people. i have the lumiansky in print (because it was, like, ten dollars second-hand) and i quite enjoy it, and the dorsey armstrong is also very good (i haven't actually read it cover to cover yet, but i have enjoyed all i have read of it!)

i will come back and add anything new and interesting i find links to! currently trying to find a clearnet link to some dissertations that i have institutional access to through my uni that contain translations, and i'm actually working on some translations of my own that i plan on releasing for free somewhere eventually.

[milkywayan]

hi. could you recommend medieval literature? thank you :)

uuh, yes i can but that really depends on the fact if you can understand german! i dont know if there are english translations of it (i read them in dual language editions, with middle high german and new high german) - i only have read one book that is not german

But in case you can, here are the ones i read in the past year (the not german one is the last one):

Collection of poems by Walther von der Vogelweide - one of the most famous german speaking minnesänger, lived from 1170 - 1230, and has stolen my heart with his diss tracks to the pope; author of the Famous 'Palästinalied' written as propaganda during the crusades

Collection of poems by Neidhart von Reuental - another important german speaking minnesänger, born around 1180/90, so a younger contemporary of Walther, sings a lot about the 'stupid peasants' and how they try to emulate life of the nobles (great fun, the peasants hated him); the Neidhart persona was very self depricating, depticting an unlucky knight; my favourite song of his is 'Meie din liechter schin'

Der Ackermann by Johannes von Tepl - probably one of my absolute favourite books ever, written in the early 15th century as a story for a friend of Johannes von Tepl, who himself was an educated man from northern bohemia; technically already early new high german and not middle high german; the story is a dialogue between a man and death - the mans wife has just died and he starts insulting death, demanding to bring her back. it goes back and forth, and they discuss life, death, humanity creation, god and grief. i loved it

Ein kurtzweilig Lesen von Dil Ulenspiegel - written around 1515 by an anonymous author in early new low german; german speaking people are more familiar with the modern name Til Eulenspiegel. I grew up with the modern adaptations of the story, but the late medieval ones are so, so much more crude. it is a collection of short stories, telling the tale of Dil Ulenspiegel, a silly boy/young man who does silly things. a medieval comedy, nothing profound. the original print has nice wood cut illustrations. it was widely popular, because medieval people could read (although they couldn't necessarily write)

Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach - written around 1200-1210 in southern germany, picks up athurian legend. i am half way through and have personal beef with wolfram. but it is good, a lot of depictions of noble life and medieval morals and ideas. makes A LOT of references to other writers of the time, including Walther von der Vogelweide, Gottfried von Straßburg (see next book) and Hartmann von Aue (see below)

Tristan by Gottfriend von Straßburg - written around 1210, is the german adaptation of the tale of Tristan and Isolde. I have not read it yet, but the books are on my shelf to be read as soon as I am done with Parzival

Erec by Hartmann von Aue - written around 1180/90 is said to be the first arthurian story written in german and an adaptation of the old french Erec et Enide - same as above have not read it yet

Iwein by Hartmann von Aue - second arthurian story, written around 1200, also adaptation of the old french story - same as above i have to still read it

The tale of the two lovers by Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini (future Pope Pius II) - written in latin (there are english translations!) in the mid 15th century for a friend while at the court of Vienna, this is the most famous medieval erotic novel we have! It is about a married woman falling in love with one of the holy roman emperors men while they visit the town in italy she lives in, and the spicy affair they end up having, probably based on a similar story that happened. Aeneas lived a wild life and was old beyond his age, having 2 kids with two different women in two different countries out of wedlock and being a well travelled poet. he also hated women, like, A LOT. after he became pope he wanted to supress the circulation of the book, but is was a best-seller so it didnt work evidently, as i have read it in the 21st century

In addition to that, as a historical fencer I also read the sources, but these will be boring to people who dont care, but here are some anyways:

The Art of Swordsmanship by Hans Lecküchner - most famous source for Langes Messer techniques

Das Fechtbuch by Albrecht Dürer - yes, THE Dürer wrote a fencing book, completely in verse with nice illustrations!

Jude Lew - his fencing manuals are also nice, no illustrations only text

Hope this helps in a way.. again, i read mostly german medieval literature, so idk if this is useful as idk if any of these books have been translated

[matrose]

laudine + lunete (iwein - hartmann von aue)

[viviane-lefay]

Fandom Meme

I guess this here needed an update. It’s been a while ... several years to be precise.

If you want to do this, too, feel welcome to. ^^

—

FAVOURITE …

LITERATURE

Fantasy & Sci-Fi

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, etc.

M.Z. Bradley’s Avalon-Novels & Firebrand

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter

Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles

Medieval & Antique Literature, Myth & Folklore

Ovid’s Metamorphoses

The Edda

Nibelungenlied

works of Walther von der Vogelweide

Arthurian Romances - like Erec, Iwein, Parzival, etc.

Gregorius

Aeneasroman

Iliad & Odyssee

Murasaki Shikibu’s “Genji Monogatari” (the language is really beautiful, but I can’t stand the protagonist, old philanderer that he is)

some Classics

Pride & Prejudice

Wuthering Heights

The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

The Picture of Dorian Grey

Dracula

Faust I+II

Macbeth

The Life and Opinions of Tomcat Murr

works of the Brothers Grimm

Siddharta

some “regular” novels

Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist”, “Brida”

Nobara Takemoto’s “Shimotsuma Monogatari”

some fanfiction

“Father’s Heart” & “Process of Elimination” by Fern Withy

“Antiquity’s Corollary” by gonnabefamous

biographical books

Mineko Iwasaki’s “Geisha of Gion”

Paramahansa Yogananda’s “Autobiography of a Yogi”

Baird T. Spalding’s “Life and Teachings of the Masters of the East”

interesting non-fiction

such as science-related books / websites

those of a more metaphysical & occult subject matter

or those about more controversial topics, such as Extraterrestrials, so-called “conspiracy theories”, and the like (Problem!? Your loss. I don’t see why I shouldn’t look into these topics. It certainly is interesting, and it’s quite arrogant to assume we have it all figured out. Besides, no one says you have to believe anything you read, but it sure can’t hurt to approach things with a more open mind, and to just look where evidence leads us, when it presents itself.)

SHOWS

Fantasy

Game of Thrones (until D&D started messing things up)

Princess Fantaghiró

Buffy

Wednesday (it`s not too bad, but still quite entertaining)

Sci-Fi

Star Wars - The Clone Wars

The Mandalorian

Star Trek TOS

Doctor Who

some Asian dramas

Gou - Himetachi no Sengoku

Atsu-Hime

Ryomaden

Neko Samurai

some Animé

Avatar - The Last Airbender

several works of Hayao Miyazaki

Leiji Matsumoto’s “Queen Millenia” & “Maetel Legend”

Sailor Moon

Naruto  (not anymore, but I still keep it here, for nostalgia reasons)

FANDOM QUESTIONS

DO YOU PREFER REAL-LIFE OR ANIMATED SHOWS?

Both, although there is a definite bias towards the former.

With the latter it greatly depends on the overall quality of the show, as well as the style in which it is presented.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FANDOM?

As a child I had quite some:

Disney Ducks, Pippi Longstocking, Ronja Rovarsdóttir, Princess Fantaghirò, Queen Millenia, and The Addams Family.

While I never was a gamer myself, I very much loved to watch others play games - especially the classic Sonic games, as well as the Super Mario ones … which you can (somewhat) call a childhood fandom of mine, too.

WHAT’S THE LONGEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN IN A FANDOM? WHAT FANDOM WAS IT?

I'm in the Star Wars fandom since the age of twelve, which, in fact, was some years before the prequels came out. (yes, I'm a little older than most of you here, just in case you were wondering ... the same age as RotJ to be precise)

WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING YOU EVER CONTRIBUTED TO A FANDOM?

A drawing of Princess Leia, if I remember correctly.

A PERSON WHO GOT YOU INTO A FANDOM. WHAT FANDOM DID THEY PULL YOU INTO?

@mikeilo got me interested in Prince Phobos (W.I.T.C.H.) several years ago, but to say that I was “involved” in the fandom is a bit too much. It was more about this particular character, though.

NAME A FANDOM YOU DIDN’T CARE / THINK  ABOUT UNTIL YOU SAW IT ALL OVER TUMBLR.

No idea.

Tbh, I hardly search for fandom stuff on Tumblr - given experience showed me that the majority here and I don’t get along, taste-wise.

HAS TUMBLR CAUSED YOU TO STOP LIKING ANY FANDOMS? IF SO, WHICH AND WHY?

No, why should I let a community affect my love for a fandom!? It’s not the fandoms’ / characters’ / authors’ fault that some people are just plain disagreeable and obtrusive.

If anything, it has just reinforced my aversion against the things I disliked from the get-go - especially if there is some “activist” fanaticism, connected with aggressive, proselytizing behaviour involved.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR CURRENT FANDOM(S)?

Ambivalent.

There are some obnoxious brats, which should be ignored at best. Drama is a waste of time and energy!

Then again, there are also some very nice people out there.

Most of the time I prefer to have just a few contacts, anyway - i.e. like-minded ones I, my preferences & convictions get along with. Those, I do appreciate greatly, though.

5 FAVOURITE CHARACTERS FROM 5 DIFFERENT FANDOMS.

Star Wars

Darth Vader / Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa, Padmé Amidala, Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade-Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Satine Kryze, Bo-Katan Kryze, Merrin, Asajj Ventress, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Dagan Gera, Santari Khri, Cal Kestis, Arc Trooper Fives, Captain Rex, Hondo Ohnaka, Greez Dritus, Firmus Piett, Chewbacca, R2D2

Tolkien

Mairon / Sauron (my headcanon version, that is), Nienna, Aulë, Olórin, Aiwendil, Rúmil of Tirion, Finrod, Glorfindel, Maglor, Thranduil, Tauriel, Lúthien, Galadriel, Nerdanel, Haleth, Eowyn, Faramir, Aragorn, Kili, Samwise

Harry Potter

Severus Snape, Luna Lovegood, Fred & George Weasley, Hagrid, Andromeda Tonks, Regulus Black, Leta Lestrange, the genuinely nice Slytherin students that JKR forgot to mention, Queenie Goldstein, Newt Scamander

Avatar - The last Airbender

Ozai, Ursa, Zuko, Iroh, Katara, Toph, Suki, Sokka, Ty Lee, Aang, Kyoshi, Roku, Master Piandao, Cabbage Guy, Appa

Legend of Zelda

Link, Zelda, Midna, Impa, Purah, Robbie, Urbosa, Riju, Patricia, Revali, Teba, Tulin, Kass, Mipha, Sidon, Yona, Dorephan, Daruk, Yunobo, Bludo, Deku Tree, Terrako, Epona, some Koroks & Bokos (they're a bit annoying, but cute)

Only five characters per section, wasn’t it!? … Nevermind.

A CHARACTER YOU USED TO DISLIKE BUT EVENTUALLY LIKED

Jaime Lannister (book version)

A CHARACTER YOU USED TO LIKE BUT EVENTUALLY DISLIKED

Loki

THE CHARACTER EVERYONE ELSE LOVES THAT YOU DON'T

Melkor

James Potter

Sheldon Cooper

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE FEMALE / MALE SHIPS?

Mairon & Morvanië (an OC of mine - the “Vani” I happen to mention sometimes)

Finrod Felagund & Amarië

Beren Erchamion & Lúthien Tinúviel

Aragorn Elessar & Arwen Undómiel

Anakin Skywalker & Padmé Amidala

Dagan Gera & Santari Khri

Cal & Merrin

Obi-Wan Kenobi & Satine Kryze

Spock & Uhura

Ivo Robotnik & Adelia Sigrún Sharpe (another OC)

Ozai & Ursa

Zuko & Katara

Link & Zelda

King Boo & Hellen Gravely

Hades & Persephone

Vlad Dracula & Mina Harker

Gomez & Morticia Addams

Rhett Butler & Scarlett O'Hara

Mr. Darcy & Lizzie Bennett

Spike & Buffy Summers

Severus Snape & Lily Evans

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE MALE / MALE OR FEMALE / FEMALE SHIPS?

Albus Dumbledore / Gellert Grindelwald

Willow Rosenberg / Tara Maclay

I can’t say that I’m all that emotionally involved in any of these, though, other than finding them somewhat interesting regarding the dynamic between the characters.

If these weren’t canonical pairings already, I would probably never even have thought of them as a romantic shipping constellation at all, as it’s a theme that neither concerns, nor interests me when it comes to the dynamic between characters of the same sex.

Friendships are an entirely different matter, though. But that wasn’t the subject of this question here, was it!?

DO YOU HAVE ANY 3-WAY SHIPS? IF SO, WHAT?

No! I don’t like this theme at all.

A PAIRING YOU SHIP THAT YOU DON’T THINK ANYONE ELSE SHIPS.

My OC / canon ones … alas. T_T

WHAT’S A SHIP THAT YOU WANT TO SHIP PUBLICLY, BUT EVERYONE ON TUMBLR HATES IT, SO YOU KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ABOUT IT?

I’m just doing my thing. If anyone doesn’t like it then that isn’t my problem.

EXAMPLES OF NON-SEXUAL/-ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS THAT YOU LIKE

PARENT & CHILD

Darth Vader & Leia Organa - The father / daughter dynamic between these two has always fascinated me a lot.

Mairon & Alcanis - The "vaniron" kid, also a complicated case. (OC headcanon)

Ozai & Zuko - Dramatic ...

Severus Snape & Harry Potter - I love the snily ship, so I headcanon Snape as Harry's biological father, because why not ... it's interesting.

CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS

Anakin & Obi-Wan & Ahsoka

Luke & Han

Cal & Cere & Greez & BD-1

Cal & Dagan

Frodo & Sam

Finrod & Beren

Fingon & Maedhros

Ratbag & Ranger (from the Tolkien-based "Shadows of War" game - the only known orc friendship)

YOUR FAVOURITE THEMES / FANDOM TRENDS.

fantastical / mythological elements

As someone who has always been fascinated by ancient myths, I can’t help but love this stuff.

occult / magical elements

Given I am interested in these subjects, I very much like to see, and incorporate, these themes in the fictional universes and characters I like.

anachronistic elements / fusion of different historical period styles

For example, say, Cyber Victorian (garments that combine Victorian era designs with a Matrix style twist, plus futuristic technology, and a setting in a likewise futuristic world)

scientifically sound elements and reasoning

I think this is a quite important aspect, especially in sci-fi.

philosophically inspiring + visionary elements

Such as caste-free social structures & natural law anarchy (not to be confused with the “rule of force” one, let alone the woke version).

scientists, explorers, philosophers & (martial) artists

I just happen to enjoy seeing these types of characters.

sarcasm, dry humour & banter

It certainly adds some “spice” to the mixture.

characters with a scorpionic & virgoan influence

Many of my faves have this, especially the scorpionic one.

depth and complexity in character portrayal & a well thought-out backstory

Should be a given, but unfortunately isn't, more often than not - especially these days. Shame!

complicated, long and well thought-out redemption arcs

If not canon, I’ll do it myself.

I've always been fascinated by the concept of redemption.

In connexion with my favourite villains, it is a theme I am quite obsessed with and can't do without, as I find evil as such not appealing at all.

In fact, what makes these characters attractive to me is their power & potential, and not their misuse of it. The process of redemption finally brings said potential out and puts it to good use, which I find deeply satisfying.

Plus there is also the element of defying the forces of darkness, who always twist and pervert - and this is the ultimate solution to it, making everyone and everything whole again. Redemption arcs are a great "f**k you" to said forces & I love them all the more for that!

happy developments & outcomes for my faves

Because I simply can't have it otherwise.

villain/anti-hero & (anti-)heroine pairings (or vice versa)

It’s a dynamic that I find particularly intriguing - always have - also regarding the redemption theme.

partners that are of equal rank in a relationship - plus healthy relationships, for a change

Especially where you least expect it (see pairing constellation), and where both partners had to work on themselves to achieve it (i.e. realism doesn’t hurt, now does it!?).

happy and loving (not to mention enduringly passionate) committed relationships / marriage

Just like Morticia & Gomez ... *sigh*

monogamous unions + fidelity

Guys as committed as Anakin, Snape, and Gomez are the best!

eternal love / twin flames / soulmates / however you want to call it

Regarding OTPs this theme is an absolute must!

het content

Why yes, that’s just my personal preference, as that is something I can actually relate to.

not overly sexualized portrayals of relationships

I just don't want to see the explicit content (graphic description of genitals, for instance). Most of the time it's enough when it's just hinted at.

Or if you want to write about the sexual act, then at least express yourself in a more pleasant manner - it doesn't always have to be this crude, pornified language.

If anything, make the characters make love - with all the emotional intensity, intimacy, and tenderness that should be there - and not just plain fuck, like mere beasts.

portrayal of female characters where being badass and being feminine isn’t mutually exclusive

Because it is NOT!

physical beauty / perfection + humility

I can't stand it when people are smug about something such as winning the genetic lottery - be proud of your actual achievements, but not about something like this ... if anything be grateful for your luck.

the apotheosis theme

Mortality sucks ... and who wouldn’t want to ditch everything awful that comes with it!? Like diseases, aging - begone!

INVENT A RANDOM AU FOR ANY FANDOM (WE ALWAYS NEED MORE IDEAS).

Star Wars

Darth Vader doesn’t die and gets the chance for an actual redemption arc, atoning for his ill deeds as the Dark Lord - as an act of purification and reclaiming his original, true name - as well as helping the Alliance free the galaxy. (given how powerful he is, his contribution would be immense)

more importantly - he finally has the opportunity to make up with and actually get to know his children - especially Leia. That has always bugged me a great deal. Ani didn’t even get the chance to talk to his daughter. There is just too much focus on the father-son dynamic anyway. Nothing against Luke – love him, but it’s just not right that Leia was being left out of it almost entirely. Plus she is the one that resembles her father more (personality-wise) after all. I’d so have loved to see a confrontation of these two. (not to mention some cute father-daughter moments, eventually)

~*~

I also made an AU for an OTP of mine (Dagan Gera & Santari Khri) from the Jedi : Survivor - Game

[queer-ragnelle]

Iwein, Knight with the Lion by Hartmann von Aue | More quotes at Arthuriana Daily

[miss-miaumiau]

TAG GAME - FAVOURITES

Colours

black, grey pastel black, bordeaux, purple, violet, navy, teal, dark green, antique silver, antique gold

Gemstones

emerald, malachite, lapislazuli, amethyst, ruby, garnet, rose-quartz, moonstone, opal, amber

Flowers

rose, lily, lavander, orchids, sunflower

Animals

felines, wolves, spitz dogs, birds of prey, corvides, cetaceans, cephalopods, tube worms, tardigrades

Mythical Creatures

Ainur, Elves, Sphinxes, Phoenixes, Mermaids

Food

asian & mediterranean cuisine, spicy food

Beverage

still water, tea (preferably green), coconut juice

Music

Don’t take the listed “genres” too seriously. All those categories, sub-categories and sub-sub-categories seem quite redundant to me - imho, they’re just unnecessarily confusing … but, then again, I’m no music-nerd, after all.

Actually, there is just “Like” or “Don’t Like”, but this list might give you an idea:

Medieval, Renaissance & “Classical”

Walther von der Vogelweide, Guillaume de Machaut, Cantigas, John Dowland,Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Vivaldi, Rachmaninov, Tschaikovsky, Smetana, Schubert, Chopin, Rossini, Wagner, Sissel Kyrkjebo, Hayley Westenra, Sarah Brightman, Sumi Jo, Vanessa Mae, Thomas Bergersen, Two Steps from Hell, Audiomachine, Howard Shore, Soundtracks, …

(Neo-)Folk

Joan Baez, Esther Ofarim, Ofra Haza, Loreena McKennit, Nolwenn Leroy, Eivør Pálsdóttir, Gudrid Hansdóttir, Cecile Corbel, Enya, Celtic Women, Blackmore’s Night, Versengold, Sumerluft, Annwn, Anois, Garmarna, Arany Zoltan, Noel McLoughlin, Luc Arbogast, Patty Gurdy, Psalteria, Estampie, Dead Can Dance, Faun, Omnia, Skáld, Wardruna, Heilung, Vàli, In Gowan Ring, Hagalaz’ Runedance, Sonne Hagal, Of the Wand & the Moon, Gae Bolg & the Church of Fand, …

“Goth”

Sopor Aeternus, Helium Vola, Qntal, Dargaard, Arcana, Artésia, Ataraxia, Die Verbannten Kinder Evas, Trobar De Morte, Triarii, Wolfsheim, Deine Lakaien, Faith & the Muse, In my Rosary, Kirlian Camera, The Frozen Autumn, The Crüxshadows, VNV Nation, She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Joy Division, The Cure, Clan of Xymox, The Sisters of Mercy, AlienSexFiend, Bauhaus, Lene Lovich, Depeche Mode, …

Metal & Rock

Van Canto, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, Wisdom, Therion, Nightwish, Edenbridge, Within Temptation, Apocalyptica, Equilibrium, Kamelot, Sabaton, Finntroll, Dimmu Borgir, Ghost, Metallica, HIM, The 69 Eyes, Mono Inc, Subway to Sally, Evanescence, Garbage, Muse, …

Other

Kanon Wakeshima, The Brilliant Green, Onmyou-za, Rin’, Kalafina, Yuki Kajiura, Akiko Shikata, Kokia, Alan Dawa Dolma, Malukah, ShadowCa7, Erutan, Alina Gingertail, Karliene, Peter Hollens, Andra Ariadna, Minniva, Aurora, Lana Del Rey, Cher, The Doors, The Beatles, The Seekers, ABBA, ...

Literature

Fantasy & Sci-Fi

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, etc.

M.Z. Bradley’s Avalon-Novels & Firebrand

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter

Medieval & Antique Literature, Myth & Folklore

Ovid’s Metamorphoses

The Edda

Nibelungenlied

works of Walther von der Vogelweide

Arthurian Romances (like Erec, Iwein, Parzival, etc.)

Gregorius

Aeneasroman

Iliad & Odyssee

Murasaki Shikibu’s “Genji Monogatari” (the language is really beautiful, but I can’t stand the protagonist)

some Classics

Pride & Prejudice

Wuthering Heights

The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

The Picture of Dorian Grey

Dracula

Faust I+II

Macbeth

The Life and Opinions of Tomcat Murr

works of the Brothers Grimm

Siddharta

some "regular" novels

Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist”, “Brida”

Nobara Takemoto’s “Shimotsuma Monogatari”

some fanfiction

“Father’s Heart” & “Process of Elimination” by Fern Withy

“Antiquity’s Corollary” by gonnabefamous

biographical books

Mineko Iwasaki’s “Geisha of Gion”

Paramahansa Yogananda’s “Autobiography of a Yogi”

Baird T. Spalding’s “Life and Teachings of the Masters of the East”

interesting non-fiction

such as science-related books / websites

those of a more metaphysical & occult subject matter

or those about more controversial topics, such as Extraterrestrials, so-called “conspiracy theories”, and the like (Problem!? Your loss. I don’t see why I shouldn’t look into these topics. It certainly is interesting, and it’s quite arrogant to assume we have it all figured out. Besides, no one says you have to believe anything you read, but it sure can’t hurt to approach things with a more open mind, and to just look where evidence leads us, when it presents itself.)

~*~

I'm tagging:

@aikoiya, @monkey-li, @mikeilo & @chattegeorgiana

[saa-na]

something i would do

[brutish-impulse]

#ref: Sir Galahad by Goerge Frederic Watts

Ooh, I've seen the painting that this is referencing on my copy of Iwein. I never knew that it was meant to be a different knight!

Laios, devourer of all things horrible.

[konsonantenstadl]

Eine Anekdote zum Normalisieren

Ein bekanntes sprachgeschichtliches Problem tritt uns in älteren Textausgaben entgegenen, nämlich die Praxis des „Normalisierens“. Kennzeichnend für diese Praxis, die übrigens nirgendwo explizit festgelegt war, war die Vereinheitlichung von Graphievarianten, teilweise sogar die Glättung morphosyntaktischer Variation, die auf Basis einer nur kleinen Zahl von kanonisierten Texten (v.a. der sogenannten „Staufischen Klassik“) vorgenommen wurde (siehe dazu grundlegend Bein 2011: 76–84). So finden sich – um ein bekanntes Beispiel zu erwähnen – die Zirkumflexe, die als „typischen“ Längebezeichnungen mittelhochdeutscher Texte gelten (z.B. hûs ,Haus‘, gân ,gehen‘, wîse ,weise‘ usw.) zwar systematisch bei den Notker-Handschriften und insbesondere in der Gießener Iwein-Handschrift [Gießen, Universitätsbibl., Hs. 97], aber nirgendwo sonst sind sie in jener Konsequnz durchgeführt.1 In analoger Weise tritt uns die graphematische Bezeichnung der Auslautverhärtung in den Einzelhandschriften in weit geringerem Maße und nicht so systematisch entgegen, wie dies die Editionen suggerieren. So heißt es etwa in der Mittelhochdeutschen Grammatik (Paul et al. 2007: 132 [§ L 72]) zu diesem Thema:

Nur ⟨d⟩ – ⟨t⟩ (kleides – kleit) gilt nahezu durchgängig für das gesamte Mhd. Die Alternanzen ⟨b⟩ – ⟨p⟩ (kalbes – kalp) und ⟨g⟩ – ⟨c/k/ch⟩ (tages – tac/tak/tach) werden dagegen graphisch nur in wenigen osto[berdeutschen] H[andschriften] vom späten 12. bis zur Mitte des 13. Jh.s weithin konsequent bezeichnet [...]. Anonsten gibt es erhebliche regionale, teils auch schreiberabhängige Unterschiede

Diese Praxis, für die insbesondere die von Karl Lachmann (1793���1851) besorgten Editionen sozusagen stilprägend war, hat sich als Fluch und Segen gleichermaßen erwiesen, denn einerseits bildeten Normalformen (nicht selten sind es derer mehrere) eine wichtige Grundlage für die lexikographische Erschließung älterer Sprachstufen (Lexer, BMZ, you name it) und eine normalisierte Textschicht ist auch in den modernen Referenzkorpora zu den älteren Sprachstufen des Deutschen, wie sie unter dem Dach von Deutsch Diachron Digital [DDD] verfügbar sind.

Andererseits verstellten die so frisierten Editionen den Blick auf die Komplexität und Vielgestaltigkeit der Handschriften als Überlieferungsträger, so dass sich mitunter bizarr anmutende Divergenzen ergeben. Das vielleicht spektakulärste Beispiel in diesem Zusammenhang stellt der Erec Hartmanns von Aue dar: Dessen einzige vollständige Handschrift stammt vom Beginn des 16. Jahrhunderts – sie ist im Ambraser Heldenbuch [Wien, Österr. Nationalbibl., Cod. Ser. nova 2663| überliefert; die gängigen Leseausgaben (z.B. Cramer 2003) gaukeln uns indes einen Sprachstand vor, der wenig mit dem Textträger zu tun hat. Nehmen wir als Beispiel das Intro, zuerst in der normalisierten, dann in einer zeitgenössischen diplomatischen Edition (die Übersetzung stammt aus der ersteren Quelle, siehe Cramer 2003: 7):

bî ir und bî ir wîben diz was Êrec fil de roi Lac, der vrümekeit und sælden phlac, durch den diu rede erhaben ist. (Erec, V. 1–5, ed. Cramer 2003: 6)

bey jr vnd bey jr weyben ditz was erech Vlderoilach der baiden frumbkait vnd salden phlag Durch den die rede erhaben ist (Erec, V. 1–5, ed. Klarer 2022: 55)

„bei ihr und ihren Hofdamen. Das war Erec, der Sohn des Königs Lac, der tüchtig und von Fortuna begünstigt war; er ist der Held dieser Erzählung.“

Owê, wohin sind die schönen Langvokale verschwunden, die sich nun als zeitgenössische Diphthonge präsentieren (bey, weyben)? Was ist aus der schriftlich fixierten Auslautverhärtung geworden (phlac)? Und aus der hehren, mit Umlaut und Pipapo verzierten frümekeit ,Tüchtigkeit‘ wird die banale frumbkait. Später im Text (V. 21, ed. Cramer 2003: 6) tritt gar die „typische“ mhd. Doppelnegation bei die vrouwe des niht enwolde ,[d]ie Herrin ließ es jedoch nicht zu‘ in Erscheinung, diplomatisch heißt es aber: die fraw des nicht wolte (V. 21, ed. Klarer 2002: 57).

Dass sich ältere Ausgaben mittelhochdeutscher Texte so weit von der sprachlichen Realität, wie sie sich auf der Ebene der Handschriften bietet, entfernen, hängt sicherlich auch mit der in der älteren Germanistik favorisierten „autororientierten Textkritik“ zusammen, deren erklärtes Ziel es war, aufgrund verhandener Überlieferungsträger einen „Originaltext“ zu rekonstruieren. Dadurch entsteht freilich das Problem des „argumentativen Teufelskreises“ (vgl. Bein 2011: 131), denn der „originale Wortlaut“ ist textimmanent nicht bestimmbar. Friedrich Wilhelm, das Mastermind hinter dem Corpus der altdeutschen Originalurkunden, bedachte dieses so entstandene Philologen- Kunstprodukt mit der abschätzigen Kennzeichnung „Esperantomittelhochdeutsch“ (Wilhelm 1932 [Vorwort]: VIII–IX), und man kann ihn durchaus als Pionier einer diplomatischen Editionspraxis ansprechen, indem er sich von Beginn an mit deutlichen Worten gegen die gängige Praxis des Normalisierens wendet und eine möglichst Wiedergabe der Urkundentexte als Leitbild seines „Corpus“ benannte:

Gerade das „Normalisieren“ also mußte bei diesem Corpus, das in erster Linie dem Sprachforscher dienen soll, vermieden werden. Ein möglichst genauer Abdruck, soweit ein solcher überhaupt das Original einer Urkunde ersetzen kann, war das erste Erfordernis, das erfüllt werden mußte. (Wilhelm 1932 [Vorwort]: LX–LXI)

Nur langsam gelang es der Mediävisitik und der Sprachgeschichts-Forschung, sich von dieser traditionsverschuldeten Unmündigkeit zu lösen und heute gehen wir sowohl in der Sprachgeschichsforschung als auch in der Mediävistik mit mehr Fingerspitzengefühl an die Sache heran. Wer etwas mehr zum Thema erfahren will, dem empfehle ich etwas unbescheiden Kap. 4 aus Fleischer und Schallert 2011, eine lesenswerte, kritische Bestandsaufnahme hat mein Erlanger Kollege Florian Kragl (2015) in der ZfdA unternommen.

Zum Thema „normalisiertes Mittelhochdeutsch“ möchte ich hier eine Beobachtung nachschicken, die ich Klaus Klein (Uni Marburg) verdanke und schon länger dem Papier dem digitalen Äther anvertrauen wollte. Es geht um folgenden Vers des Nibelungenlieds, der in der normalisierten Edition von Karl Bartsch und Helmut de Boor folgendermaßen lautet (Bartsch et al. 2002: 204):

Sîfrit der leit sich nâhen der juncvrouwen bî. ([Av. 10] 666, 1)

Werfen wir zur kritischen Überprüfung einen Blick in die diplomatische Edition von Batts (1971), die die drei Haupthandschriften A–C im Paralleldruck bietet (siehe dazu Batts 1971: 201–202):

Sifrit sich leite do der kvniginne bi. ([A] 614, 1) Sifrit der leit sich nahen der ivnchvrowen bi. ([B] 663 (666), 1) Der helt sich leite nahen der iuncfrowen bi. ([C] 671, 1)

Abgesehen von kleiner Unterschieden, die man zwischen den Handschriften ausmachen kann, gibt es also keine Überraschungen. Interessant wird es allerdings, wenn man die bei Batts zu findende Lesartenverzeichnis berücksichtigt, das – jeweils auf den Text der Handschrift B bezogen – die sonstigen erhaltenen Textträger berücksichtigt und inhaltliche sowie die meisten morphosyntaktischen Abweichungen verzeichnet (vgl. Batts 1971: VIII). In Handschrift D [München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek: Cgm 31; 14. Jh.] findet sich statt nahen das Adjektiv nacket, Handschrift b [Berlin, Staatsbibliothek der Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz: Fol. 855 und 854; 1437–1444] gibt Seifrid sich nachent legt der frawen bey. Diese Form kann angesichts des Umstands, dass diese Quelle laut Handschriftencenus in „ostschwäb.“ Schreibsprache verfasst ist, durchaus als nackt interpretiert werden, da im Bairischen und Alemannischen das Graphem ⟨ch⟩ auch für die Affrikate /kx/ aus germ. /k/ und /kk/ stehen kann (Paul et al. 2007: 160 [§ L 108]).

Literatur

Batts, Michael S. (1971) [Hg.]: Nibelungenlied (A, B, C): Das Nibelungenlied. Paralleldruck der Handschriften A, B und C nebst Lesarten der übrigen Handschriften. Tübingen: Niemeyer.

Bartsch, Karl, Helmut de Boor und Siegfried Grosse (Hg.) (2002): Das Nibelungenlied. Mittelhochdeutsch / Neuhochdeutsch. Nach dem Text von Karl Bartsch und Helmut de Boor ins Neuhochdeutsche übersetzt und kommentiert von Siegfried Grosse. (Reclams Universal- Bibliothek; 644.) Stuttgart: Reclam.

Bein, Thomas (2011): Textkritik. Eine Einführung in Grundlagen germanistisch-mediävistischer Editionswissenschaft. Lehrbuch mit Übungsteil. Frankfurt a.M. [u.a.]. 2. Aufl.

Cramer, Thomas (2003) [Hg.]: Mittelhochdeutscher Text und Übertragung von Thomas Cramer. Frankfurt am Main: Fischer. 25. Aufl.

Fleischer, Jürg und Oliver Schallert (2011). Historische Syntax des Deutschen – eine Einführung. (Narr Studienbücher). Tübingen: Narr.

Klarer, Mario (2022) [Hg.]: Ambraser Heldenbuch. Gesamttranskription mit Manuskriptbild. Teilband 3: Hartmann von Aue ,Erec‘. ,Der Mantel‘. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter. Open Access: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110719130/html [Stand: 04.11.24].

Kragl, Florian (2015): Normalmittelhochdeutsch. Theorieentwurf einer gelebten Praxis. In: Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum und deutsche Literatur 144: 1–27.

Paul, Hermann et al. (2007): Mittelhochdeutsche Grammatik. 25. Auflage, neu bearbeitet von Thomas Klein, Hans Joachim Solms und Klaus-Peter Wegera, mit einer Syntax von Ingeborg Schröbler, neubearbeitet und erweitert von Heinz-Peter Prell. (Sammlung kurzer Grammatiken germanischer Dialekte – Hauptreihe; 2). Tübingen: Niemeyer.

Wilhelm, Friedrich [et al.] (1932) [Hgg.]: Corpus der altdeutschen Originalurkunden bis zum Jahr 1300. Bd. 1. Lahr: Schauenburg.