The world and the poet a study of the objective and subjective spaces in the courtly love-lyrics of Bernart de Ventadorn and Heinrich von Morungen

158 Pages·1989·5.349 MB·English

by  Katherine Turner Smy

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UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
"THE WORLD AND THE POET":
A STUDY OF THE OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE SPACES
IN THE COURTLY LOVE-LYR1CS OF BERNART DE VEwTADORN
AND HEINRICH VON MORUNGEN
BY
KATHERINE TURNER SMY
A THESIS
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS
DEPARTMENT OF COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
EDMONTON, ALBERTA
FALL 1989
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THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
RELEASE FORM
NAME OF AUTHOR: KATHERINE TURNER SMY
TITLE OF THESIS: "THE WORLD AND THE POET": A STUDY OF THE
OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE SPACES IN THE
COURTLY LOVE—LYRICS OF BERNART DE
VENTADORN AND HEINRICH VON MORUNGEN
DEGREE: MASTER OF ARTS
YEAR THIS DEGREE GRANTED: 198 9
Permission is hereby granted the THE UNIVERSITY OF
ALBERTA LIBRARY to reproduce single copies of this thesis
and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or
scientific purposes only.
The author reserves other publication rights, and
neither the thesis nor extensive extracts from it may be
printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's
written permission.
#2 8408 105st
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
Date: October 10, 1989
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THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH
The undersigned certify that they have read, and
recommend to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
for acceptance, a thesis entitled "The World and the Poet":
a Study of the Objective and Subjective Spaces in the
Courtly Love-Lyrics of Bernart de Ventadorn and Heinrich
von Morungen, submitted by Katherine Turner Smy, in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Arts.
/
Date: October 5, 1989
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ABSTRACT
This study deals with the problem of objectivity
and subjectivity in the courtly love lyrics of Bernart
de Ventadorn and Heinrich von Morungen. The problem of
objectivity and subjectivity in courtly love lyric has
been dealt with before, notably by Alois Kircher in
his book Dichter und Konvention (1973). In this
thesis, however, I will analyse this problem as a
function of literary space. My point of departure is
Gaston Bachelard's concept of the "dehors" and the
"dedans", as formulated in his La Poetique de 1'Espace
(1957). My principle contention is that in these lyrics
one may isolate an "objective space" (i.e. space of
objectivity) which correlates, roughly, with
Bachelard's "dehors" and a "subjective space” (space of
subjective values), which is more or less the equiva­
lent of Bachelard's "dedans".
In the Introduction I will attempt to show how
this particular approach relates to other methods of
enquiry in courtly love lyric scholarship. In Chapter
One I will describe the basic textual features which
constitute an objective space. Chapter Two also deals
with the objective space, specifically, with the way
iv
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in which the evocation of "other people" serves to
create a "space of the real" within the lyric. In
Chapter Three I will discuss those features *nich con­
stitute a subjective space. In the Conclusion I will
attempt to relate my findings concerning the objective
and subjective spaces to the larger historical context
which governs the production of courtly love lyric.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It i:> a pleasure to thank my supervisor, Dr. E.D.
Blodgett, who first introduced me to the world of
Provencal and Middle K jh German lyric. I would also like
to thank Dr. Milan Dimic, whcse cogent criticism was of
at assistance, as well as Dr. Eugene Egert, who helped
i' , with seT e translations from Middle High
Germa t.
My sincere thanks to Dr. E. Mozejko, for his
encouragement. I would also like to express my undying
gratitude to Shelagh Henderson, for her moral support and
expertise with bureaucratic procedure.
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Tab]! .0 o f Coiiferat-'J
Page
Introduction 1
Chapter One: The Objective Space - World,
Time, God and Myth. 16
Chapter Two: The Objective Space -
"The others" 52
Chapter Three: The Subjective Space 93
Conclusion 133
Bibliography 143
vi i
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INTRODUCTION
One of the most fundamental assumptions about
lyric poetry is that it represents a harmonious
totality emanating from the still point of the centered
"I”.1 This assumption may be helpful in our
interpretation of Romantic^ and post-Romantic lyric,
and it may even assist us in our reading of post-
Petrarchan lyric. It is not likely to aid us,
however, in our attempt to understand the courtly
love-lyric of the 12th century.
The main contention of this thesis is that the
principle of duality is basic to the structure of
courtly love-lyric.^ in fact, this principle has been
isolated on many levels. Moshe Lazar, for instance,
has observed it at ^.he heart of the "love" which con­
stitutes the subject of these lyrics. With reference
to Bernart de Ventadorn he claims that
Cet amour est source de souffrance et
de joie. II est tantot sensuel, tantot
spirituel et imaginaire. Cette dualite
constitue le climat dans lequef se
developpent tous les motifs amoureux de
Bernard de Ventadorn. (emphasis mine)
Leo Spitzer and Pierre Bee have also perceived the
1
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