Erec: An Exemplum for Young Aristocrats

Abstract

Only a few German didactic texts composed around the middle of the twelfth century have come down to us, mostly in fragments. These texts – Rittersitte, Der heimliche Bote, and Tugendlehre – are regarded as key stepping stones in the development of educational literature. They address, more or less explicitly, the young elite of their time, equipping them with the values of a morally exemplary life or offering guidance on how to act in specific situations.
This paper examines these little-known works and identifies the fundamental teachings they convey, arguing that an Arthurian romance such as Hartmann von Aue’s Erec is profoundly shaped by the same educational purpose. Erec thus emerges as both a handbook for aristocratic youth and an engaging narrative, serving as an exquisite exemplum of literature inspired by the Latin motto prodesse et delectare (“to instruct and to delight”).
Despite the uncertainties surrounding Hartmann’s sources, the innovations he introduced to the hypotext – namely Chrétien de Troyes’ Erec et Enide – and his emphasis on key themes, such as the importance of reputation and Christian piety, place Erec among the seminal works that reflect the spirit and ideological background of its time with notable delicacy and elegance.