Der Stricker is the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

of a 13th-century

Middle High German Middle High German (MHG; german: Mittelhochdeutsch (Mhd.)) is the term for the form of German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High German and into Early New High German. High ...

itinerant poet An itinerant poet or strolling minstrel (also known variously as a gleeman, circler, or cantabank) was a wandering minstrel, bard, musician, or other poet common in medieval Europe but extinct today. Itinerant poets were from a lower class than jest ...

whose real name has been lost to history. His name, which means "The

Knit Knitting is a method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile, or fabric. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. Knitting creates stitches: loops of yarn in a row, either flat or i ...

ter," may indicate he was a commoner; he was likely from

Franconia Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch''). The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper Fr ...

but later worked in

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

. His works evince a knowledge of German literature and practical theology, and include both adaptations and works with no known sources.Gürttler, Karin R. (1991). "Der Stricker". In

Lacy, Norris J. Norris J. Lacy (born March 8, 1940 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky) is an American scholar focusing on France, French medieval literature. He was the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor Emeritus of French and Medieval Studies at the Pennsylvania State University ...

, ''The New Arthurian Encyclopedia'', p. 434. New York: Garland. . Der Stricker's oeuvre includes the

Arthurian King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a Legend, legendary king of Great Britain, Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest tradition ...

romance ''

Daniel von dem blühenden Tal ''Daniel von dem blühenden Tal'' (''Daniel of the Flowering Valley'') is an Arthurian romance composed around 1220 by the Middle High German poet Der Stricker,Gürttler, Karin R. (1991). "Der Stricker". In Lacy, Norris J., ''The New Arthurian E ...

'' and the epic ''Karl'', a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

adaptation of the ''

Song of Roland ''The Song of Roland'' (french: La Chanson de Roland) is an 11th-century ''chanson de geste'' based on the Frankish military leader Roland at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 AD, during the reign of the Carolingian king Charlemagne. It is t ...

'', based directly on

Konrad der Pfaffe Konrad der Pfaffe (Conrad the Priest) was a German Catholic epic poet of the twelfth century, author of the ''Rolandslied'', a German version of the famous French ''Chanson de Roland''. We know almost nothing concerning his life. In the epilogue o ...

's earlier German version but updated for his time. However, he was chiefly a writer of

didactic poetry Didacticism is a philosophy that emphasizes instructional and informative qualities in literature, art, and design. In art, design, architecture, and landscape, didacticism is an emerging conceptual approach that is driven by the urgent need t ...

and

exempla An exemplum (Latin for "example", pl. exempla, ''exempli gratia'' = "for example", abbr.: ''e.g.'') is a moral anecdote, brief or extended, real or fictitious, used to illustrate a point. The word is also used to express an action performed by an ...

or bispel, and was one of the early pioneers of the genre. These poems dealt not only with the religious and moral matters typical of the form, but also with the praise of women and

courtly love Courtly love ( oc, fin'amor ; french: amour courtois ) was a medieval European literary conception of love that emphasized nobility and chivalry. Medieval literature is filled with examples of knights setting out on adventures and performing vari ...

. Many of them focus on episodes from everyday life and make heavy use of

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

humor. The best known of these tales is ''Pfaffe Âmis'' (''Priest Amis''), which involves the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

clerk Âmis in the

trickster In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story (god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwi ...

role. These works show an emphasis on theological concerns, and were popular with priests, who used them to animate their sermons. Der Stricker was well known to later poets, being mentioned and commended by

Rudolf von Ems Rudolf von Ems (c. 1200 – 1254) was a Middle High German narrative poet. Life Rudolf von Ems was born in the Vorarlberg in Austria. He took his name from the castle of Hohenems near Bregenz, and was a knight in the service of the Counts of Mon ...

in his ''

Alexander Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

'' and his ''Willehalm von Orlens''.

Der Pleier Der Pleier is the pen name of a 13th-century German poet whose real name is unknown. Three of his works survive, all Middle High German romances on Arthurian legend, Arthurian subjects: ''Garel'', ''Tandareis und Flordibel'', and ''Meleranz''. Littl ...

wrote his Arthurian romance ''

Garel ''Garel von dem blühenden Tal'' ( en, Garel of the Flowering Valley) is a Middle High German Arthurian romance composed by Der Pleier around 1230-40. It appears to have been written in contradiction to Der Stricker's ''Daniel von Blumenthal''. I ...

'' as a reaction to Der Stricker's ''Daniel'', the protagonist of which Der Pleier found to be too brutal and cunning for a hero.Tax, Petrus W. (1991). "Der Pleier". In Lacy, Norris J., ''The New Arthurian Encyclopedia'', pp. 362–363. New York: Garland. . Where Der Stricker's hero exemplifies the warrior ethos of

epic poetry An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. ...

, Der Pleier's Garel is specifically written as an embodiment of the courtly ideal.

References

(Ed.) (1991). ''The New Arthurian Encyclopedia''. New York: Garland. .

External links

* *
Meister Eckhart und seine Zeit – Literatur – Der Stricker
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stricker, Der Writers of Arthurian literature Middle High German literature German male writers 13th-century German poets