Sælde und grôze werdekeit? On Editorial Intervention in v. 2438 of Hartmann's ›Erec‹

Abstract

After the nuptials of Erec and Enite in the ›Erec‹ of Hartmann von Aue, a knightly tournament is held on the terrain zwischen Tarebrôn und Prûrîn (v. 2241). The lengthy episode contains the subject of this paper, the phrase sælde und grôze werdekeit (v. 2438). Despite Erec's lack of experience, with the aid of heaven he succeeds beyond all expectation, winning the plaudits of storyteller and courtly society as witness to his triumphs. On the very field of combat Erec visits a place of worship: zuo der kirchen er gie (v. 2490). And, recognizing the need for divine aid in stern combat, he entrusts to God his ritterlîche êre (v. 2499). Subsequent to the visit of the hero to church, the topic of heavenly favor is fully articulated in the text. God, the narrator states in the passage under review here, is the author of Erec's excellence: grôze werdekeit / die hâte got an in geleit (v. 2438f.). Observe that Hartmann's verses on both the church-interlude of the protagonist and on the role of divine grace in societal honor and military victory are absent from Chrétien's romance completely.