Der verhuhnte Falke. Anmerkungen zu einer möglichen ästhetik der spätmittelalterlichen Liebeslyrik

This essay focuses upon the basic poetological processes within late medieval German love poetry. An analysis of Falkenlieder ("falcon-songs") demonstrates how the texts combine models from different genres. This technique of combination results in a phenomenon which may be termed "textual hybridity". The dominant role played by grotesque motifs is compared with the analogous dominance of marginal motifs in late medieval book art. It is possible to see this "aesthetic of the marginal" as an aesthetic tendency prevalent in the period, which has its own specific cultural significance. Finally the essay considers the position of late medieval German love poetry in the context of the European lyric as a whole.