Regularizing Rhythms: Meter as Prescription in Ninth-Century German
Katerina Somers
In this article I investigate meter as a linchpin in the process by which ninth-century literary culture encroaches on long-standing oral tradition. focus two texts, Old Saxon <i>Hêliand</i> an unknown poet and Otfrid von Weissenburg’s Frankish <i>Liber Evangeliorum</i>. Both poets tell story of life Christ, but motivations behind their texts are different. The is intended for recalcitrant Saxons, who still required some convincing that being Christian subject Carolingian empire was desirable state affairs. contrast, self-consciously attempts to produce one German language’s first great works literature. argue contrasting goals lead lean more heavily main language traditions day—the Germanic tradition Latinate literacy—and relationship has direct influence poems’ rhythms. case <i>Hêliand</i>, composes alliterative verse, whose loose rooted spoken and, thus, accommodates its rhythms perfectly. This choice effect rendering Gospel less culturally alien Saxons. Otfrid, other hand, creates his own Latin-influenced rhyming constrains regularizes Frankish. abstraction away from vernacular represents monk’s attempt prescribe good written something apart pagan sounds (KS)
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