Themes based on the Walther von Der Vogelweide‟s Poetry on courtly love (“Minnesang”) in Medieval Era

Abstract

Walther von der Vogelweide (c.1170-c.1230),who composed and performed courtly love (“Minnesang”), which was a tradition of lyric and songwriting in Germany that flourished in the Medieval Era (5th -15th century), was recognized as the single greatest Middle High German lyric poet before Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This study strives to illuminate “What are the scopes of themes represented in Vogelweide‟s love poetry?” Previous researches based on Vogelweide‟s love poetry have especially focused on courtly love. Primary data for the present research were based on websites and lecture room observations. For secondary data, resource persons such as lecturers of the Modern Language Department were interviewed to test out my hypotheses. His poems which were chosen, are filled with examples of knights setting out on adventures and performing various deeds or services for ladies because of their courtly love.“Loving nobly” was considered to be an enriching and improving social practice in his poems. He moved German courtly love poetry to a fresh personal expression, even inventing the corresponding lyric genre,the “Madchenlieder” (songs to a common-class girl, sometimes also misleadingly called songs of “lower love”). From this research that has been carried out, it is possible to conclude that in Vogelweide‟s love poetry, he is not satisfied with a one-sided platonic relationship or adulation of more external beauty or high social status. The scope of Vogelweide‟s themes and the tone and manner of their treatment make it unmistakably clear that his office as a lyric poet went beyond courtly entertainment and ethical critique, functions which are performed today by the communication media.This study is intended to provide particular themes based on the poem category “Minnesang” written in the Medieval Era.The findings of this study would be beneficial for the novice German specialized undergraduates.