Heinrich der Glïchezäre
Encyclopedia
Heinrich der Glïchezäre was a Middle High German
poet from Alsace
, author of a narrative poem, Reinhart Fuchs (Reynard), the oldest German beast epic that we possess.
The date of its composition is about 1180. It is based on a French poem, part of an extensive Roman de Renart, but older than any of the branches of this romance that have come down to us. Of the German poem in its original form entitled Isengrïnes nöt (Isengrin's trouble), only a few fragments are preserved in a mutilated manuscript discovered in 1839 in the Hessian
town of Melsungen
. We possess, however, a complete version made by an unknown hand in the thirteenth century and preserved in two manuscripts, one at Heidelberg
and one belonging to the archiepiscopal library of Kalocsa
. This version is very faithful, the changes made therein pertaining apparently only to form and versification. Its title is Reinhart Fuchs.
In the beginning of this poem the fox is anything but a successful impostor, being generally outwitted by far weaker animals. But later on this changes. Reynard plays outrageous pranks on most of the animals, especially on Isengrin, the wolf, but escapes punishment by healing the sick lion. This the fox accomplishes at the expense of his adversaries. In the end he poisons the lion, his benefactor, and the poem closes with a reflection on the success attending craft and falsehood while honesty goes unrewarded.
The story is told in a plain, straightforward manner; compared with the French model the German poem shows abbreviations as well as additions, so that it is not a mere translation. The order in which the different incidents are related has also been changed, and occasional touches of satire are not wanting. The poem of der Glichezare is the only beast-epic of Middle High German literature. The famous later versions of this material are Low German
. It is on one of these latter that Goethe based his Reineke Fuchs. The complete poem (from the Heidelberg manuscript) was edited by Jacob Grimm
under the title Reinhart Fuchs (Berlin,1834), and together with the older fragments by K. Reissenberger in Paul's Altdeutsche Textbibliothek, VII (Halle, 1886). The Kalocsa manuscript was published by Mailáth and Köffinger (Budapest, 1817). Selections are found in P. Piper's Die Spielmannsdichtung (in Kurschner, Deutsche National literatur, II), pt. I, 287-315.
Middle High German
Middle High German , abbreviated MHG , is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350. It is preceded by Old High German and followed by Early New High German...
poet from Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, author of a narrative poem, Reinhart Fuchs (Reynard), the oldest German beast epic that we possess.
The date of its composition is about 1180. It is based on a French poem, part of an extensive Roman de Renart, but older than any of the branches of this romance that have come down to us. Of the German poem in its original form entitled Isengrïnes nöt (Isengrin's trouble), only a few fragments are preserved in a mutilated manuscript discovered in 1839 in the Hessian
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
town of Melsungen
Melsungen
Melsungen is a small climatic spa in the Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse, Germany.-Geography:Melsungen lies on the river Fulda in the North Hesse Highland. The brooks Pfieffe and Kehrenbach flow into the Fulda here...
. We possess, however, a complete version made by an unknown hand in the thirteenth century and preserved in two manuscripts, one at Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
and one belonging to the archiepiscopal library of Kalocsa
Kalocsa
Kalocsa is a town in Bács-Kiskun county, Hungary. It lies 88 miles south of Budapest. It is situated in a marshy but highly productive district, near the left bank of the Danube River. Historically it had greater political and economic importance than at present.Kalocsa is the Episcopal see...
. This version is very faithful, the changes made therein pertaining apparently only to form and versification. Its title is Reinhart Fuchs.
In the beginning of this poem the fox is anything but a successful impostor, being generally outwitted by far weaker animals. But later on this changes. Reynard plays outrageous pranks on most of the animals, especially on Isengrin, the wolf, but escapes punishment by healing the sick lion. This the fox accomplishes at the expense of his adversaries. In the end he poisons the lion, his benefactor, and the poem closes with a reflection on the success attending craft and falsehood while honesty goes unrewarded.
The story is told in a plain, straightforward manner; compared with the French model the German poem shows abbreviations as well as additions, so that it is not a mere translation. The order in which the different incidents are related has also been changed, and occasional touches of satire are not wanting. The poem of der Glichezare is the only beast-epic of Middle High German literature. The famous later versions of this material are Low German
Low German
Low German or Low Saxon is an Ingvaeonic West Germanic language spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands...
. It is on one of these latter that Goethe based his Reineke Fuchs. The complete poem (from the Heidelberg manuscript) was edited by Jacob Grimm
Jacob Grimm
Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm was a German philologist, jurist and mythologist. He is best known as the discoverer of Grimm's Law, the author of the monumental Deutsches Wörterbuch, the author of Deutsche Mythologie and, more popularly, as one of the Brothers Grimm, as the editor of Grimm's Fairy...
under the title Reinhart Fuchs (Berlin,1834), and together with the older fragments by K. Reissenberger in Paul's Altdeutsche Textbibliothek, VII (Halle, 1886). The Kalocsa manuscript was published by Mailáth and Köffinger (Budapest, 1817). Selections are found in P. Piper's Die Spielmannsdichtung (in Kurschner, Deutsche National literatur, II), pt. I, 287-315.