6533b873fe1ef96bd12d5f98

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Auf den Spuren öffentlicher Meinung im mittelhochdeutschen Minnesang

subject

description

The scope of this study is to analyse if and how traces of public opinion, in the sociopsychological sense of social control, may be found in the German medieval love lyrics. With the aid of a hermeneutic text analysis some selected Middle High German minnesongs are exemplarily examined. The analysis shows that awareness of public opinion as social control did exist in the Middle Ages. On the one hand, there are minnesongs that raise the topics ere (honour) and spot (mockery). In these songs public mockery represents a threat of isolation against individuals who do not conform to public opinion. Because mockery may lead to loss of honour and to social isolation, mockery pressures individuals who deviate from public opinion to conform. On the other hand in the Middle High German minnesang the huote (supervision) and the merkaere (watchdogs) are often made a subject of discussion. Both may be considered as a form of social control. huote describes a social supervision of courtly ladies and values (in an abstract sense). The merkaere describe those who (concretely) supervise and control the behaviour of other persons. They are agents of public opinion and make sure that nobody violates the values which public opinion dictates.