Henrike Lähnemann Revision Lectures Paper IX Week 3 Osterspiele The three Marys in dialogue with the angels guarding the tomb. Wall painting in Kloster Wienhausen (Lower Saxony), 14th cent.
Revision Sessions for Early Texts in German Wk 1: Nibelungenlied Wk 2: Parzival Wk 3: Osterspiele Wk 4: Heinrich von Morungen Stage design for a mistere de la passion performed in Valenciennes, 1547 (Hubert Cailleau, BnF Gallica collection) 2
Basic Questions When and where? The Historical Background How? The Form and Its Tradition What? The Plot and the Structure Behind It Why? Key Themes and the Agenda Behind It For Whom? The Audience and the Reception 3
Background: From Liturgy to Osterfeier Beginning of the Tradition in the liturgical celebration of Easter (Easter Ceremonial / Osterfeier), increasingly built up by scenic elements Development first of Latin, then of vernacular plays (Easter Plays / Osterspiele) > 900 Latin Osterfeiern > 1200 Latin Osterspiele > 1250 German / mixed Osterspiele Resurrection and Ascension Italy 4 th /5 th cent. Inv.-Nr. MA 157, Bayerisches Nationalmuseum 4
Further Development of the Osterfeier Scenes are added around the Visitatio Sepulchri Three main types of ceremonials / plays developed in parallel Type 1: Basic form: Quem quaritis acted out; can be amplified by further dialogue IH(ESV)M NASARENV(M) C(RV)CIFIX(VM) IA(M) SVRREXIT SED ITE 1. Dramatising the way to the tomb: Quis revolvet nobis lapidum ab ostio monumenti? 2. Prolonging the dialogue between the angels and the Marys: Angel: Non est hic, surrexit sicut predixerat, ite, nuntiate quia surrexit a mortuis. Venite et videte locum ubi positus erat Dominus. Cito euntes dicite discipuliseius, quia surrexit dominus, alleluia. 5
From Osterfeier to Osterspiel Type 2: First amplification Apostle Scene added in with Mary Magdalene s Report and the Race of the Disciples to the Tomb ( Jüngerlauf ). Liturgical inspirations: Victimae Paschalis Currebant duo simul Cernitis o socii Type 3: Second amplification Hortulanus Scene added with Mary Magdalene meeting the risen Christ and their dialogue. Further scenes following from here: Guarding the grave and other scenes involving knights Mercator Scene (buying the ointment) Cum rex gloriae -initial with Christ harrowing hell in a liturgical handbook for Easter Sunday (1479, Bodleian MS. Lat. liturg. E. 18), fol. 47vb Descensus ad inferos / Harrowing of Hell (liturgical inspiration: Cum rex gloriae ) 6
The Latin Osterspiele Documented from 1200 (cf. Neumann: Geistliches Schauspiel The scenes from the Osterfeier are expanded and successively dramatized Performance remains in the church and by the clergy Visual element foregrounded Gestures and facial expressions intensified Additional props: sword of flames, cross of triumph, weapons New scenes added Pilatus-Szene: Jews ask Pilate for a guard Wächter-Spiel: Guards are hired; go to the tomb; argue among each other This becomes a framework for: Resurrection and Harrowing of Hell 7
When and Where 1: Linguistic Old High German (500 1050) Middle High German (1050 1350) Early Modern High German (1350-1650) Originating in Latin Issues of Translation Paraphrasing Performance Driven Traces of Orality Dramatic Language No Authoritative Text Relationship to Contemporary German literature
How? Dramatic Form Rhyming couplets Prose for stage directions Free handling of the form (metre and rhyme) Spurious transmission Part of the parchment scroll for the Osterspiel von Muri and beginning of text
What? The Plot Biblical Base for Main Scenes (Guarding the tomb to Appearances of Christ) Liturgical Expansions of the Dialogue Addition of New Scenes Amalgamation with Other Play Traditions (Prologue) Front Stage I: Wächterspiel I 1 - I 60 (End of) Hiring the Guard Pilate s House? Stage (Resurrection) Tomb I 61 -? The Guards Reaction Tomb II 1 -? (End of) Pilate bribes the guards Pilate s House II: Krämerspiel III 1 - III 50 (End of) The merchant before Pilate Pilate s House Stage III 51 - IV 8 The merchant offers his potions Merchant s House III: Höllenspiel IV 9 - V 93 Harrowing of Hell Limbo II: Krämerspiel V 94 - V 115 Mary Magdalene buys ointment Merchant s House IV: Visitatio Sepulcri V 116 - VI? Visitatio Sepulchri (3 Marys / Jesus) Tomb VII 1 - VIII? Hortulanus Scene Garden? (Epilogue) Front Stage Scenes in the Osterspiel von Muri
Innsbrucker Osterspiel 1 Prologue Front Stage I: Wächterspiel 41 Hiring the Guard Temple (46), Front Stage (133) 202 Resurrection Tomb 214 The Guards Reaction From Temple to Tomb II: Höllenspiel 251 Harrowing of Hell Limbo III: Krämerspiel 507 Lament of the Three Marys Front Stage 540 Merchant s Play 1 Merchant s House 838 Lament of the Three Marys 2 878 Merchant s Play 2 920 Buying the Ointment 1001 Merchant s Play 3 Front Stage IV: Visitatio Sepulchri 1075 Visitatio Sepulchri Tomb 1139 Hortulanus Scene Garden / Front Stage 1208 Announcing the News 1 Apostle s House 1216 Doubting Thomas 1257 Announcing the News 2 1281 The Apostles Race Tomb 1291 Epilogue Front Stage 11
Topics: Comic, Class, Gender Medieval Merchant s House in Southampton c. 1290 Innsbrucker Osterspiel 12
For whom? The Audience & Reception From the Renner UB Heidelberg Cpg 471, fol. 6r: The contract of old and foolish and old and wise 13