Gawain in Middle English and Middle High German. A Cross Linguistic Study of Nouns and Adjectives in Regard to Semantic Features

Bachelor Thesis , 2014 , 76 Pages , Grade: 1,3

English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics

Gawain was seen as the perfect Arthurian knight and this image of him can be found in the works of Middle High German writers as well as Middle English ones. But is Gawain depicted in exactly the same way in those two cultures or do the authors focus on different aspects of his personality? Where are the differences and similarities in the nouns and adjectives used to describe the protagonist? Do some expressions only occur for a distinct user, like the narrator? And additionally, are there nouns and adjectives which only appear before or after a certain event? In order to find an answer to this question, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" by the Gawain-Poet and "Parzival" by Wolfram von Eschenbach were analyzed.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Method
  • Choice of Works
  • Choice of Word Classes
  • Collection of Data
  • Evaluation of Data
• Summaries for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Parzival
  • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
  • Parzival
• Gawain in Middle English
  • Overview of Expressions in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
  • Expressions Used by Gawain
  • Expressions Used by Other Characters
  • Expressions Used by the Narrator
• Gawain in Middle High German
  • Overview of Expressions in Parzival
  • Expressions Used by Gawain
  • Expressions Used by Other Characters
  • Expressions Used by the Narrator
• Discussion
  • Differences and Similarities in Both Works
  • Discussion of the Advantages of a Lexico-Semantic Analysis
• Conclusion
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Index of Figures
• Index of Tables
• Appendices
  • Complete Data for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
  • Semantic Features in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
  • Complete Data for Parzival
  • Semantic Features in Parzival
  • Comparison of Semantic Features

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This bachelor thesis aims to analyze the nouns and adjectives used by the Gawain-Poet and Wolfram von Eschenbach to characterize their protagonists, Gawain, in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Parzival, respectively. The study seeks to determine the differences and similarities in the depiction of Gawain in these two works and to discuss possible reasons for certain word choices. The study will explore the use of nouns and adjectives by Gawain himself, other characters, and the narrators in each text.

• The depiction of Gawain in Middle English and Middle High German literature
• The use of nouns and adjectives to characterize Gawain
• Differences and similarities in the depiction of Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Parzival
• The role of the narrator in shaping the character of Gawain
• The advantages of a lexico-semantic analysis in understanding the characterization of Gawain

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction provides an overview of the research topic, highlighting the importance of Gawain as a central figure in Arthurian literature and the lack of existing research on the specific use of nouns and adjectives to describe him in Middle English and Middle High German. The chapter also outlines the objectives and methodology of the study.

The 'Method' chapter details the selection of works, the focus on nouns and adjectives, the data collection process, and the evaluation of the collected data. The chapter explains the rationale behind choosing Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Parzival for analysis, the reasons for focusing on nouns and adjectives, and the specific methods used to gather and analyze the data.

The chapter 'Summaries for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Parzival' provides a brief overview of the two works, highlighting key events and characters. The summaries focus on the depiction of Gawain and his role in the narrative.

The chapter 'Gawain in Middle English' analyzes the use of nouns and adjectives in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, examining the expressions used by Gawain himself, other characters, and the narrator. The chapter explores the semantic features of these expressions and their significance in shaping the character of Gawain.

The chapter 'Gawain in Middle High German' follows a similar structure, analyzing the use of nouns and adjectives in Parzival. The chapter examines the expressions used by Gawain, other characters, and the narrator, and explores the semantic features of these expressions in relation to the characterization of Gawain.

The 'Discussion' chapter compares the findings from the analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Parzival, highlighting the differences and similarities in the depiction of Gawain in the two works. The chapter also discusses the advantages of a lexico-semantic approach in understanding the characterization of Gawain.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include Gawain, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Parzival, Middle English, Middle High German, nouns, adjectives, semantic features, characterization, Arthurian literature, narrative, and lexico-semantic analysis.

• College: University of Augsburg
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Bettina Breitenberger (Author)
• Publication Year: 2014
• Pages: 76
• Catalog Number: V283107
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656823940
• ISBN (Book): 9783656823933
• Language: English
• Tags: gawain, middle, english, high, german, cross, linguistic, study, nouns, adjectives, regard, semantic, features, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Parzival, Eschenbach, Poet, personality