The Old and the New Law in Gottfried's "Tristan"

Abstract

In a previous article I suggested that the key to Gottfried's attitude to the love relationship between his hero and heroine in Tristan might be found in the virtue of compassion, to which special emphasis is given in the prologue, emerging clearly in the poet's distinction between the two worlds, ir aller werlt and the world of noble hearts.' New evidence tends to support this argument, which may enable us to reach greater clarity on the question of the guilt or innocence of the lovers. Of all the problems presented by the poem this is undoubtedly the most complex, crystallizing itself in the much-discussed scene of the ordeal by fire and the poet's designation of Christ as wintschaffen alse ein ermel. Although the passage is well-known it is desirable to re-quote it, together with others which lead up to it and have a significant bearing on it: da wart wol goffenbaeret und al der werlt bewaeret, daz der vil tugenthafte Crist wintschaffen alse ein ermel ist: er viieget unde suochet an, da manz an in gesuochen kan, alse gevuoge und alse wol, als er von allem rehte sol. erst alien herzen bereit, ze durnehte und ze triigeheit. (15733 if.)2