GOTTSCHALK
681
GOTTSCHALK
absolutely nothing; even from his poem we tlcrive no
information on this subject. The dates of his birth
and death cannot be accurately fixed, but a passage in
the eighth book of his "Tristan und Isolt" furnishes a
clue to the approximate date of its composition.
There Hartmann and Wolfram are mentioned as still
living, while Reinmar of Hagenau and Heinrich von
Veldeke are spoken of as deceased. From this it may
be inferred that the poem wa.s written about 1210.
The fact that Gottfried is referred to by contempora-
ries as Meister, not Her, has been cited as proof that
he was of the burgher class. But this is not certain.
The title was sometimes given to denote learning, and
might then bo applied even to one of noble birth, and
Gottfried certainly was learned for his time, since he
knew Latin and French. Moreover he shows himself
thoroughly familiar with the life of courtly society.
It would seem that he was in easy circumstances, since
he indulges in no complaints, so frequent with medie-
val poets, about povert)- and lack of patronage. The
supposition that he wa.s a town clerk at Strasburg has
been given up as unsupported by convincing evidence.
His great poem "Tristan und Isolt" is one of the most finished products of Middle High German litera- ture. The storj- is brieflv as follows. Tristan is sent by his uncle King Marke of Kurnewal (Cornwall) to woo for him the princess Isolde. On the home voyage the two young people by mistake drink a love-potion intended by Isolde's mother for King Marke and his bride. As a result they fall madly in love with each other, and their illicit relations continue after Isolde's marriage to Marke. Time and again they know how to allay suspicion, but at last Tristan has to flee. He meets and loves another Isolde, her of the white hands, but finds he cannot forget his former love. Here Gott- fried's poem breaks off. A continuation was written by Ulrich von Tiirheim (c. 1246) and Heinrich von Freiburg (c. 1.300). According to this Tristan mar- ries the second Isolde, but returns to Cornwall to enter on new love-adventures that culminate in the tragic death of the guilty pair.
Whether the Tristan legend is of Celtic origin, as is generally believed, or whether it arose in France, has not been definitely settled. Its literary development certainly took place in Northern France, where it was also loosely connected with the Arthurian C3'cle of romances. It was introduced into Germanj- about 1170 by Eilhart von Oberge, who based his poem on a French jongleur version. Gottfried cities as his source the poem of the trouvere Thomas of Brittany, of which only a few fragments are extant. They begin unfortunately where Gottfried breaks off, and hence do not afford us a clear idea of his original. But Thomas's version is preserved in a Norwegian transla- tion made by a monk Robert in 1226 and in the Middle English poem of "Sir Tristrem". Gottfried followed this version rather closely, and hence the merit of his work lies not in its composition, but in its style. This style is that of the courtly epic in its perfection. The rhyme is well nigh perfect, and the diction is clear and highly polished. Mannerisms are not wanting; an- tithesis, word-play, unnecessary repetitions, and an in- ordinate fondness for allegory foreshadow the decline of the ejiic that was to set in after Gottfried's death.
Gottfried's poem is the most passionate love ro- mance of the Middle Ages. Its wonderful psycho- logic art cannot be questioned, but its morality is open to severe criticism. Its theme is the sensuous love that defies moral law and tramples under foot the most sacred human obligations. That the pair act under the irresistible spell of a magic potion, to be sure, serves in a manner to attenuate their guilt. If Gottfried had lived to finish the poem, it may well be that he wovild have brought out more emphatically the tragic element of the story. In that case the poem would not have appeared to be a mere glorification of gensuous love.
Besides the Tristan nothing Ls preserved of Gott-
fried's poetry except a couple of lyrics. A lengthy
song of praise in honour of the Blessed Virgin was
fornierly attributed to him, but has been proved to be
of different authorship.
Editions of "Tristan und Isolt" have been given by R. Bechstein (.3rd ed., Leipzig, 1890) in "Deutsche Klassikerdes Mittelalters", VII, VIII, and W. Golther in Kurschner's "Deutsche National Litteratur", IV (Berlin and Stuttgart, 1889). A critical edition has been published by K. Marold (Leipzig, 1906). TraiK- lations into modern German with additions to com- plete the story were made bv H. Kurz (.3rd ed., Stutt- gart, 1877) and by W. Hertz (4th ed., Stuttgart, 1904). The legend also furnished to Richard Wagner the theme for his famous music-drama "Tristan und Isolde" (1859).
Consult the introduction and notes to the editions men- tioned. Also BeciisteIiV, Tristan und hnldc in den Dichtungen der Neiueil (Leipzig, 1876); Kufferath, Tristan et Iseult (Brussels, 1S!U); Golther. Die Sage von Tristan und Isolde (Munich, 1.SS71: Bossert, Tristan et Iseult, Pocme de Golfrid de Stra^lxHirg, cajnpare h d'autres pocmes sur le jncme sujet (Paris, 1S6.")); Piquet, L'originalite de Gottfried de Strasbourg (Lille, 190.5); Golther, Tristan und Isolde in den DicfUungen des Mit- telalters und derneuen Zeit (Leipzig. 1907), especially pp. 165-80. Arthur F. J. Remy.
Gottschalk (Godescalcus), Saint, Martyr, Prince of the Wends; d. at Lenzen on the Elbe, 7 June, 1066. His feast is noted for 7 June in the additions of the Carthusians at Brussels to the martjTology of Usuardus. He was the son of ITdo, Prince of" the Abrodites, who remained a Christian, though a poor one ("male christianus", savs Adam of Bremen, Mon. Germ. SS., VII, 329), after his father Mistiwoi had re- nounced the faith. He was sent to the monastery of St. Michael at Lenzen for his education. Udo^^for some act of cruelty, was slain by a Saxon. At the news tiottschalk cast aside all Christian principles; thinking only of revenge, he escaped from the monas- tery, crossed the Elbe, and gathered an arm}- from his own and the other Slavic tribes who then lived on the northern and eastern boundaries of Germany. It is said that thousands of Saxons were slaughtered before they were aware of the approach of an army. But his forces were not able to withstand those of Duke Ber- nard II. Gottschalk was taken prisoner and his lands w-ere given to Ratibor. After some j-ears he was re- leased, and went to Denmark with many of his people. Canute of Denmark employed them in his wars in Norway, and afterwards sent them to England with his nephew SwejTi. In these expeditions Gottschalk was verj' successful. He had now returned to the practice of his faith, and married Sigrith, a daughter, some say, of Canute, others of King Magnus of Nor- way. After the death of Ratibor and his sons he returned to his home, and by his courage and pru- dence regained his princely position. Adam of Bre- men calls him a pious and god-fearing man. But he was more; he was an organizer and an apostle. His object in Hfe seems to have been to collect the scat- tered tribes of the Slavs into one kingdom, and to make that C'hristian. In the former he succeeded well. To effect the latter purpose he obtained priests from Germany. He would accompany the mission- aries from place to place and would inculcate their words by his own explanations and instructions. He established monasteries at CUdenlmrg, Mecklenburg, Ratzeburg, Liibeck, and Lenzen: the first three he had erected into dioceses. He also contributed most gen- erously to the building of churches ancl the supportof the clergy. In all this he was ably seconded by Adal- bert, Archbishop of Hamburg, and numerous conver- sions were the result of their efforts. But a reaction set in. Some of the tribes refused to adojit Christian- ity, and rose in rebellion; Gottschalk and many of the clergy and laity fell victims to their hatred of Christianity.
