Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Followers (62)

Wolfram von Eschenbach

Born

in Germany

December 25, 1169

Died

December 25, 1219

Genre

Poetry

edit data

Wolfram von Eschenbach was a German knight and poet, regarded as one of the greatest epic poets of his time. As a Minnesinger, he also wrote lyric poetry.

Little is known of Wolfram's life. There are no historical documents which mention him, and his works are the sole source of evidence. In Parzival he talks of wir Beier ("we Bavarians") and the dialect of his works is East Franconian. This and a number of geographical references have resulted in the present-day Wolframs-Eschenbach, previously Obereschenbach, near Ansbach in Bavaria, being officially designated as his birthplace. However, the evidence is circumstantial and not without problems - there are at least four other places named Eschenbach in present-day Bavaria, and Wolframs-Esche Wolfram von Eschenbach was a German knight and poet, regarded as one of the greatest epic poets of his time. As a Minnesinger, he also wrote lyric poetry.

Little is known of Wolfram's life. There are no historical documents which mention him, and his works are the sole source of evidence. In Parzival he talks of wir Beier ("we Bavarians") and the dialect of his works is East Franconian. This and a number of geographical references have resulted in the present-day Wolframs-Eschenbach, previously Obereschenbach, near Ansbach in Bavaria, being officially designated as his birthplace. However, the evidence is circumstantial and not without problems - there are at least four other places named Eschenbach in present-day Bavaria, and Wolframs-Eschenbach was not part of Bavaria in Wolfram's time.

The arms shown in the Manesse manuscript come from the imagination of a 14th-century artist, drawing on the figure of the Red Knight in Parzival, and have no heraldic connection with Wolfram.

Wolfram's work indicates a number of possible patrons (most reliably Hermann I of Thuringia), which suggests that he served at a number of courts during his life. In his Parzival he claims he is illiterate and recorded the work by dictation, though the claim is treated with scepticism by scholars.

Wolfram is best known today for his Parzival, sometimes regarded as the greatest of all German epics from that time. Based on Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, le Conte du Graal, it is the first extant work in German to have as its subject the Holy Grail. In the poem, Wolfram's narrator expresses disdain for Chrétien's (unfinished) version of the tale, and states that his source was a poet from Provence called Kyot. Some scholars believe Wolfram might have meant Guiot de Provins (though none of the latter's surviving works relate to the themes of Parzival), however others believe Kyot was simply a literary device invented by Wolfram to explain his deviations from Chrétien's version.

Wolfram is the author of two other narrative works: the unfinished Willehalm and the fragmentary Titurel. These were both composed after Parzival, and Titurel mentions the death of Hermann I, which dates it firmly after 1217. Wolfram's nine surviving songs, five of which are dawn-songs, are regarded as masterpieces of Minnesang. ...more

Combine Editions
Wolfram von Eschenbach’s books

Average rating: 3.72 · 4,639 ratings · 296 reviews · 178 distinct works • Similar authors

	Parzival 3.73 avg rating — 3,972 ratings — published 1215 — 230 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Parzival & Titurel by Wolfram von Eschenbach, Cyril Edwards (Translator), Richard Barber (Introduction) 3.67 avg rating — 141 ratings — published 2004 — 60 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Willehalm 3.43 avg rating — 150 ratings — published 1220 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Parzival: Band 1 3.58 avg rating — 139 ratings — published 1953 — 41 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Parzival Volume 2 3.72 avg rating — 106 ratings — published 1955 — 36 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Titurel: [Text - Übersetzung - Stellenkommentar] (De Gruyter Texte) by Wolfram von Eschenbach, Helmut Brackert 3.64 avg rating — 33 ratings — published 2000 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Waltharius & Ruodlieb by Wolfram von Eschenbach, Dennis M. Kratz (Translator) 4.29 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 1984	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Willehalm: The Middle High German Poem really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 1977 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Parzival with Titurel and the Love Lyrics 4.17 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2004 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Parzival: nach Wolfram von Eschenbach neu erzählt von Wolf Wiechert mit Auszügen aus dem mittelhochdeutschen Roman. by Wolfram von Eschenbach, Wolf Wiechert (Contributor) liked it 3.00 avg rating — 6 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Wolfram von Eschenbach…

Quotes by Wolfram von Eschenbach (?)

“Then the King of Arragon pushed old Utepandragun over his horse’s tail down on to the meadow – the King of Britain! – where he lay in a bed of flowers!”
― Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival

2 likes

“Let mercy keep company with courage. Follow my advice in this: if in battle you win a man’s surrender, then unless he has done you such grievance as amounts to heart’s sorrow, accept his oath, and let him live.”
― Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival

tags: mercy

2 likes

“If doubt is near neighbor to the heart, that may turn sour on the soul. There is both scorning and adorning when a man’s undaunted mind turns pied like the magpie’s hue. Yet he may still enjoy bliss, for both have a share in him, Heaven and Hell. Inconstancy’s companion holds entirely to the black colour and will, indeed, take on darkness’s hue, while he who is constant in his thoughts will hold to the white.”
― Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival

tags: doubt

2 likes

See all Wolfram von Eschenbach's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Meggie & Mo's Boo...: * Book List	3	208	Sep 29, 2009 11:56PM
Arthuriana -- all...: The Fisher King...	19	41	Apr 07, 2012 10:54PM
Ancient & Medieva...: SEPTEMBER 2013 (Group Read 2): The Road to Jerusalem by Jan Guillou	154	107	Sep 27, 2013 05:04AM
BR #5 "Bloodline" - start 13/10	125	23	Oct 17, 2014 11:39AM
Classics for Begi...: King Arthur/Merlin	18	276	Aug 25, 2018 03:59PM
Goodreads Librari...: Clean Up II	1006	538	Jun 30, 2019 08:44AM
The History Book ...: ARCHIVE - PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF ~	3364	3969	Aug 29, 2019 10:38AM
The Reading For P...: * THE WORDSMITHS' JOURNAL - RFP's DIARY of Bookish Events 2020	1576	190	Jan 07, 2021 04:11AM

More…