Abstract
While the theme of friendship in the Middle Ages has traditionally been associated with the world of courtly literature and the Renaissance of the Twelfth Century, deeply influenced by Cicero, there are also other strands of friendship that determine, contrary to our expectations, the world of heroic epics. As much as the heroic individuals often seem to be wood-cut like figures with no or little feelings, a closer analysis of Beowulf, Le Chanson de Roland, the Nibelungenlied, and Njal’s Saga demonstrates that some of the true tragic elements contained in them are the conflicts among friends or the inability of friendship to avoid the massive killing. This friendship often comes to the surface only in the ultimate situation of death and dying, but the poets of those heroic epics were apparently deeply inspired to elaborate on the profound value of friendship in a bellicose and catastrophic world where human existence was at great risk. One of the greatest strengths of these heroes proves to be their deeply moving effort to reach out to their friends even in the most deadly situations.
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Notes
For the function of laughter, see Pigg (2010, 201–213). Although he emphasizes that Beowulf “is a poem of action” only (210), we might have to differ somewhat from this position insofar as the subtle attempts by the male protagonists to establish friendship, or at least to maintain friendly relationships, point to deeper emotional aspects determining those actions.
Bosworth (1898, 335). Available on-line at: http://beowulf.engl.uky.edu/~kiernan/BT/Bosworth-Toller.htm (last accessed on Oct 28, 2010).
Koch (2006), argues predominantly that crying in courtly romances was a matter of performance and ritual and had little to do with actual emotions. She mentions Diu Klage as an example where the dead warriors in the final battle at the Hunnish court are mourned and ultimately buried (58–59), but she clearly skirted this episode in the Nibelungenlied. Dinzelbacher (2009), rightly criticizes the absolutization of ritual elements as the only noticeable and relevant aspects in the political sphere as reflected in medieval chronicles and other texts. For a diverse approach to crying in medieval German literature, see Classen, “Crying,” (forthcoming). However, there I do not discuss the Nibelungenlied either.
I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Bettie Anne Doebler, Arizona State University, for her willingness and interest to read an early draft and to provide critical comments.
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Classen, A. Friends and friendship in heroic epics: with a focus on Beowulf, Chanson de Roland, the Nibelungenlied, and Njal’s Saga . Neohelicon 38, 121–139 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11059-011-0090-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11059-011-0090-0