The refutation of the canonical structure of the type-scene in old high German heroic epic

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the structure, composition and style of the only preserved Old High German heroic epic poem of the Middle Ages, The Lay of Hildebrand. The consensus has been that The Lay of Hildebrand goes back in origin to oral tradition. Since Andreas Heusler’s research it has been regarded as the most archaic doppelseitiges Ereignislied , which includes dialogue and narrative and enables viewing events from both sides (through the speeches of heroes and the narrative of the singer). The article attempts to show that, on the level of formulas, type-scenes, and motifs, traditionally comprising the return songs, the Old High German lay is structured not in conformity with the canons of heroic epic poetry, but rather so as to effect their refutation, which accounts for its inclusion into the Latin theological corpus.