German Studies and Literary Studies

TheWigalois of Wirnt von Grafenberg describes the life of Gawein's son Gwigalois. The main plot is preceded by a backstory about the protagonist's parents, while the narrative ends with a wish for a sequel about the exploits of Gawein's grandson, Lifort Gawanides. The present study takes its starting point from the observation that the hero's family affiliation is a fundamental motif in Wigalois. The novel not only describes a basic form of genealogical continuity through the transition from father to son....

Since the middle of the 12th century, marriage between Christians and Gentiles was customarily forbidden in the Catholic Church due to Impedimentum disparitas cultus (the difference in religion). Nevertheless, marriage was possible if the partner had previously converted. If this requirement was not fulfilled, the marriage was declared invalid even after the marriage had already taken place. In medieval society, the issue of marriage law was a very controversial subject. The problem is illustrated using the works of Wolfram von...