Hartmann von Aue, Gregorius

Maria Dobozy (University of Utah)
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Gregorius (c. 1190), Hartmann von Aue’s story of sin and grace, is probably the most discussed medieval German work. Its double incest, a universal taboo, continues to fascinate readers and avoid classification. Although the Oedipus myth was known in the Middle Ages, it has little similarity with this Christian text that examines the social and ethical ramifications of incest within an Augustinian framework. Hartmann probably used versions of the twelfth-century French saint’s legend La vie du pape Grégoire to build his creative reinterpretation. A re-evaluation for a modern audience, Der Erwählte (1951), has been written by Thomas Mann.

2023 words

Citation: Dobozy, Maria. "Gregorius". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 31 March 2005 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=13998, accessed 29 March 2024.]

13998 Gregorius 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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