Neidhart von Reuental
Neidhart von Reuental was a prominent court poet active during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, often regarded as one of the earliest known German lyricists. His work, which spans from approximately 1210 to 1240, is characterized by a blend of romantic themes and a unique use of sarcasm and humor. Born into a modest aristocratic family, Neidhart served under Duke Otto II of Bavaria and participated in the Crusades before relocating to Austria in 1232. It is believed that "Neidhart von Reuental" may be a pseudonym, translating to "Grimhart of Lamentvalley," which reflects the poet's literary style.
As a minnesinger, a term for German lyricists who drew inspiration from the French troubadour tradition, Neidhart's works often juxtapose rustic content with courtly forms, distinguishing him from his contemporaries. His most famous piece, "Meienzît" (May time), showcases a sudden shift from idyllic spring imagery to biting commentary on friendship and betrayal. Neidhart's influence extended beyond his lifetime, inspiring later poets, known as pseudo-Neidharts, who emulated his style. The Minnesang tradition, to which he contributed significantly, eventually transitioned into the Meistersinger tradition by the 1400s, reflecting changing societal values. Notably, his work continues to resonate in modern cultural expressions, including operas inspired by the Minnesang tradition.
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Neidhart von Reuental
Poet
- Born: c. 1180
- Died: c. 1245
Biography
Neidhart von Reuental was a famed court poet of the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries and is speculated to be the earliest German lyricist whose work is still in existence. He wrote in the period from 1210 to 1240, and the oldest manuscripts of his songs (at least seventeen of them are considered legitimately his and not the work of contemporaries or imitators) date back to the late fourteenth century. He was born to an aristocratic, but not wealthy, family, and he served under Bavaria’s Duke Otto II in Lansdhut, fighting in the Crusades from 1217 to 1219. He left his native country to live in Austria in 1232. There he received a fiefdom from Friederich der Streitbarer.
Scholars speculate that Neidhart von Reuental as likely a pseudonym; its meaning is “Grimhart of Lamentvalley,” which corresponds seamlessly with the poet’s literary tendencies and topics. Neidhart von Reuental was one of Germany’s minnesingers, writers and performers of twelfth to fourteenth century German lyrics and song. Von Reuental was the younger contemporary of Walther von der Vogelweide.
The minnesang is thought to be derived from the French troubadour tradition. Like the troubadour, the minnesang tradition typically focused on romantic love, but Neidhart von Reuental often penned his works with a different tone, often infusing his songs and poems with sarcasm or humor. Von Reuental is also credited with first providing contrast between the rustic content and the traditionally courtly form. Because of his knightly status, he did not make reference to himself in his works that focused on the life of the peasantry.
Minnesingers who in later years mimicked Neidhart von Reuental’s style came to be known as pseudo-Neidharts. The legendary minnesinger’s best-known work is Meienzît, meaning May time, in which the introductory scene of a peaceful spring suddenly takes a sharp turn, with the poet’s attack and insults toward his enemies and toward friends who had betrayed him. Neidhart von Reuental also composed more lighthearted lyrics that recounted peasant life.
The Minnesang tradition faded out by the 1400’s, giving way to the Meistersinger tradition, which replaced the focus on the court and aristocracy with concerns of the growing merchant class. Two operas, Richard Wagner’s Tannhauser and Richard Strauss’s Guntram are about the Minnesang tradition.
More specific to von Reuntal is the c. 1400 Veilchenschwank, a fresco in Vienna’s Tuchlauben, part of the first cycle of Austrian secular paintings. The painting is based on one of von Reuental’s poems in which the speaker notices the first flower of spring, but a peasant ruins the scene by putting some of his own fecal matter next to the flower before the speaker can show his discovery to his girlfriend.