Gawain was seen as the perfect Arthurian knight and this image of him can be found in the works of Middle High German writers as well as Middle English ones. But is Gawain depicted in exactly the same way in those two cultures or do the authors focus on different aspects of his personality? Where are the differences and similarities in the nouns and adjectives used to describe the protagonist? Do some expressions only occur for a distinct user, like the narrator? And additionally, are there nouns and adjectives which only appear before or after a certain event? In order to find an answer to this question, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" by the Gawain-Poet and "Parzival" by Wolfram von Eschenbach were analyzed.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Method
- Choice of Works
- Choice of Word Classes
- Collection of Data
- Evaluation of Data
- Summaries for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Parzival
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- Parzival
- Gawain in Middle English
- Overview of Expressions in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- Expressions Used by Gawain
- Expressions Used by Other Characters
- Expressions Used by the Narrator
- Gawain in Middle High German
- Overview of Expressions in Parzival
- Expressions Used by Gawain
- Expressions Used by Other Characters
- Expressions Used by the Narrator
- Discussion
- Differences and Similarities in Both Works
- Discussion of the Advantages of a Lexico-Semantic Analysis
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This bachelor thesis analyzes the depiction of Gawain in Middle English and Middle High German literature, focusing on the use of nouns and adjectives. The main objective is to determine the differences and similarities in how Gawain is characterized in these two languages, exploring possible reasons behind specific word choices.- Cross-linguistic comparison of Gawain's characterization in Middle English and Middle High German
- Analysis of the use of nouns and adjectives in describing Gawain
- Exploration of differences and similarities in word choices across languages
- Possible reasons for variations in language use to depict Gawain
- Insights into the potential of a lexico-semantic approach for character analysis
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introductory chapter presents the background of Gawain as a prominent Arthurian knight, highlighting his perceived ideal qualities and contrasting his established image in French literature with potential variations in Middle English and Middle High German. The chapter also discusses the limited existing research on the topic and identifies specific gaps in the existing scholarship. The second chapter outlines the methodology employed in the study, detailing the selection of works, the chosen word classes, the data collection process, and the evaluation of the gathered data. The third chapter provides a summary of the main themes and narrative elements in the chosen works, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and "Parzival," focusing on their depictions of Gawain. The fourth and fifth chapters examine the expressions used to describe Gawain in Middle English and Middle High German, respectively, separating them into three distinct categories: expressions used by Gawain himself, expressions used by other characters, and expressions used by the narrator. The sixth chapter presents a discussion of the findings, analyzing the differences and similarities in the depiction of Gawain across the two languages. The chapter also explores the potential advantages of a lexico-semantic analysis in understanding the characterization of Gawain.Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This study focuses on the depiction of Gawain in Middle English and Middle High German literature, analyzing the use of nouns and adjectives in the two languages. The key themes and concepts explored include: cross-linguistic comparison, semantic features, lexico-semantic analysis, characterization, Arthurian literature, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," "Parzival," Gawain-Poet, Wolfram von Eschenbach, and cultural influences.
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- Bettina Breitenberger (Author), 2014, Gawain in Middle English and Middle High German. A Cross Linguistic Study of Nouns and Adjectives in Regard to Semantic Features, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/283107
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