University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations 2013 "A Lock Upon All Conduct:" Modesty in German Courtly Literature (c. 1175-1220) Kathryn Ann Malczyk University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations Part of the Comparative Literature Commons, German Literature Commons, and the Medieval Studies Commons Recommended Citation Malczyk, Kathryn Ann, ""A Lock Upon All Conduct:" Modesty in German Courtly Literature (c. 1175-1220)" (2013). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 667. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/667 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/667 For more information, please contact [email protected]. "A Lock Upon All Conduct:" Modesty in German Courtly Literature (c. 1175-1220) Abstract This dissertation examines notions of modesty in behavior and appearance as represented in romance and conduct literature of the German Middle Ages. I look to the Winsbecke poems and Thomasin von Zirclaria's Der Welsche Gast as representative samples of conduct literature, considering them alongside the four core courtly romances: Hartman von Aue's Iwein and Erec, Gottfried von Strassburg's Tristan, and Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival. The project is guided by four central areas of inquiry. First, I investigate the "cleavage" between the two genres of romance and conduct literature, exploring the ways in which they cling to each other as reference points and split off from the other's constructs. Second, I pay close attention to gender differences in the practice of modesty, investigating precisely what they are and how they structure gender roles and courtly identity. My third area of emphasis traces the ways in which sight and the body engage with notions of modesty. Finally, I examine the relevant changes the German romance authors make to their French source material. My analysis relies on three primary keywords in locating medieval modesty (zuht, kiusch, and scham), and explores the intersections between scham "shame" and scham "modesty." I show that, compared to the French originals, the German romances demonstrate a far greater interest in the display of the naked or partially naked body. These scenes, which appear with regularity, follow particular patterns according to gender: for example, a naked man is uncourtly, but a partially-naked woman has a high status. Gender is also a determining factor in the overall importance of modesty, particularly as seen in conduct literature: for a man, it is one of several critical components for knightly success, while for a woman, it provides the fundamental structure for her life. I also find unexpected complexities in the elationshipr between romance and conduct literature. Each genre has its distinct areas of permissiveness and regulation with regard to modest behavior. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Germanic Languages and Literature First Advisor Catriona MacLeod Second Advisor David Wallace Keywords conduct, gender, nakedness, nudity, sexuality, shame Subject Categories Comparative Literature | German Literature | Medieval Studies This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/667 “A LOCK UPON ALL CONDUCT:” MODESTY IN GERMAN COURTLY LITERATURE (C. 1175-1220) Kathryn Ann Malczyk A DISSERTATION in Germanic Languages and Literatures Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2013 Supervisor of Dissertation _____________________________ Catriona MacLeod Professor of German Co-Supervisor of Dissertation _____________________________ David Wallace Judith Rodin Professor of English Graduate Group Chairperson _____________________________ Liliane Weissberg, Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor in the School of Arts & Sciences and Professor of German and Comparative Literature Dissertation Committee Larry Silver, Farquhar Professor of Art History “A LOCK UPON ALL CONDUCT:” MODESTY IN GERMAN COURTLY LITERATURE (C. 1175-1220) COPYRIGHT 2013 Kathryn Ann Malczyk iii Dedicated to Helen Shirley Masseth iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many thanks are due to the outstanding professors I have been privileged to work with during my graduate education. I am especially grateful to Catriona MacLeod, David Wallace, and Larry Silver for their invaluable help in shaping and supporting this dissertation. Catriona MacLeod deserves special thanks for her thoughtful input, abundant wisdom, and illuminating critiques. This project began during my work with Elaine Tennant, who spurred me on with her insight, enthusiasm, and generosity. Ann Marie Rasmussen helped me form my initial ideas into a workable plan through her supportive mentorship and inspiring scholarship. Thanks also to Evelyn Meyer, whose friendship has been a great encouragement. I am indebted to the Exchange Scholar Program for providing a way for my dissertation aspirations to become reality, and enabling me to form friendships with colleagues on both coasts. Both the Graduate Medievalists at Berkeley and Medievalists @ Penn have helped support my academic development and provided a place to indulge medieval nerdishness. Many thanks to all my friends for their encouragement and camaraderie. This dissertation would not exist without the love and support of those closest to me. My parents, Bob and Cheryl, always emphasized the importance of education and made many sacrifices to enable me to pursue my intellectual endeavors. My grandmother, Shirley, has always been relentlessly supportive, believing in me no matter what. This dissertation is dedicated to her. My sister, Lori, inspires me with her hard work and v effortless creativity. And my best friend, Jeremy, has been with me the whole way, eager to hear my ideas, patient with my frustrations, and unfailingly confident in me. vi ABSTRACT “A LOCK UPON ALL CONDUCT:” MODESTY IN GERMAN COURTLY LITERATURE (C. 1175-1220) Kathryn Ann Malczyk Catriona MacLeod David Wallace This dissertation examines notions of modesty in behavior and appearance as represented in romance and conduct literature of the German Middle Ages. I look to the Winsbecke poems and Thomasin von Zirclaria’s Der Welsche Gast as representative samples of conduct literature, considering them alongside the four core courtly romances: Hartman von Aue’s Iwein and Erec, Gottfried von Strassburg’s Tristan, and Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival. The project is guided by four central areas of inquiry. First, I investigate the “cleavage” between the two genres of romance and conduct literature, exploring the ways in which they cling to each other as reference points and split off from the other’s constructs. Second, I pay close attention to gender differences in the practice of modesty, investigating precisely what they are and how they structure gender roles and courtly identity. My third area of emphasis traces the ways in which sight and the body engage with notions of modesty. Finally, I examine the relevant changes the German romance authors make to their French source material. My analysis relies on three primary keywords in locating medieval modesty (zuht, kiusch, and scham), and explores the intersections between scham “shame” and scham “modesty.” I show that, compared to the French originals, the German romances vii demonstrate a far greater interest in the display of the naked or partially naked body. These scenes, which appear with regularity, follow particular patterns according to gender: for example, a naked man is uncourtly, but a partially-naked woman has a high status. Gender is also a determining factor in the overall importance of modesty, particularly as seen in conduct literature: for a man, it is one of several critical components for knightly success, while for a woman, it provides the fundamental structure for her life. I also find unexpected complexities in the relationship between romance and conduct literature. Each genre has its distinct areas of permissiveness and regulation with regard to modest behavior. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ...................................................................................... xi Introduction ...................................................................................................................1 Research Question ...............................................................................................5 Research Design ..................................................................................................8 Overview of Secondary Literature ...................................................................... 12 Courtly tugente ....................................................................................... 12 The Medieval Body ................................................................................ 14 Medieval Conduct Literature .................................................................. 20 Significance of the Study ..................................................................................