''Der Ackermann aus Böhmen'' (German for "The Ploughman from Bohemia"), also known as ''Der Ackermann und der Tod'' ("The Ploughman and Death"), is a work of prose in Early New High German by

Johannes von Tepl Johannes von Tepl (c. 1350 – c. 1415), also known as Johannes von Saaz ( cs, Jan ze Žatce), was a Bohemian writer of the German language, one of the earliest known writers of prose in Early New High German (or late Middle German—dep ...

, written around 1401. Sixteen manuscripts and seventeen early printed editions are preserved; the earliest printed version dates to 1460 and is one of the two earliest printed books in German. It is remarkable for the high level of its language and vocabulary and is considered one of the most important works of late

medieval German literature Medieval German literature refers to the literature of Medieval Germany. It can be subdivided into two main periods: *Old High German literature (750–1050) is the product of the monasteries and is almost exclusively religious in nature *Middle H ...

. It is a spirited dialogue between the ploughman, whose wife Margaretha has recently died, and

Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...

. Central themes of the book are their opposing views on

life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for Cell growth, growth, reaction to Stimu ...

mankind Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...

, and

morality Morality () is the differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions between those that are distinguished as proper (right) and those that are improper (wrong). Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from a code of co ...

. The work also represents a concept of marriage as a communion of love, a notion not generally accepted at the time. The work consists of 34 short chapters. In odd-numbered chapters the ploughman accuses Death of robbing him of his beloved young wife. In the even chapters Death answers, setting logic and cynicism against the emotions of the ploughman. In Chapter 33,

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

appears and judges the dispute: he reminds the ploughman that he owes his life to God, and reminds Death that he owes his powers to God. "So plaintiff, yours is the honour! And Death, yours is the victory! Every man is obliged to give his life to Death, his body to the earth, and his soul to Us." Chapter 34 is a lyrical prayer of the ploughman for the soul of his wife. The work has been seen as a precursor of early

humanism Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and Agency (philosophy), agency of Human, human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical in ...

in German literature, especially by Konrad Burdach. The opposite position, that the work should be viewed in the tradition of medieval literature, was argued by

Arthur Hübner Arthur Hübner (17 September 1885, Neudamm – 9 March 1937, Berlin) was a German philologist. He specialized in research of German literature from the Middle Ages (folk songs and folk tales, study of dialects, etc.). From 1904 to 1909, he st ...

. There is also the question of whether the work is a mere exercise in courtly style or represents the processing of the author's personal experiences. The former is supported by a letter that Johannes von Tepl wrote in Latin to a friend to accompany the work; in it, he exclusively stresses the work's stylistic merits. The latter is supported by the fact that the author's first wife had died in 1400, that the protagonist's plough is described as a feather (i.e. he is a writer), and that the initial letters of the last chapter's prayer spell JOHANNES.

References

Relevant literature in English

*Schneider, Christian. 2014. Divine Wisdom: The Christological Interpretation of Sapientia in Johannes von Tepl’s ''Der Ackermann''. ''The German Quarterly'' 87.3: 277-296.

External links

Der Ackerman von Johannes von Tepl
''Biblioteca Augustana''. Full text (German).
Digital version of an illuminated manuscript, c. 1470
University of Heidelberg
A modern English translation of the ''Ackermann aus Böhmen''
by Michael Haldane {{DEFAULTSORT:Ackermann Aus Bohmen Medieval German poems German literature of the Late Middle Ages Literature of the German Renaissance Books about death 1401 books Dialogues