A study of the women characters in the works of Wolfram von Eschenbach

Abstract

In the three narrative works of Wolfram von Eschenbach there is an exceptionally large number of women characters. This fact in itself prompts investigation, and it becomes apparent that the place which Wolfram gives to woman is a very high one. He was writing in an age which had placed woman on a pedestal, as the object of devotion in the courtly love lyric, but his elevation of woman is based on different reasons. He sees woman as the embodiment of the virtues he prizes most highly. The main task of this thesis is a detailed study of the women characters in Parzival, Titurel and Willehalm. The intention is to show Wolfram's skill in creating vivid and highly individualised heroines. At the same time, such a study reveals that there are striking resemblances among the women and that, taken together, they form a complete picture of womanhood. The picture of womanhood which emerges is an idealized one, and on his concept of the power of virtuous woman depend both the importance which Wolfram places in his women characters, and his notion of the role of woman in society.