Gawain as the Epitome of Arthurian Knighthood: Lexico-Semantic Differences in the Depiction of Gawain in Middle English and Middle High German

Gawain was often seen as the perfect Arthurian knight in Middle English and Middle High German literature and yet, the way he is perceived differs in both cultures. While a lot of research literature approaches the topic from a literary angle, this book reveals the differences in the depiction of the hero from a linguistic point of view. The semantic features of nouns and adjectives used to describe the protagonist in 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' by the Gawain-Poet and 'Parzival' by Wolfram von Eschenbach are analyzed and discussed.
It is investigated whether the authors focus on different aspects of Gawain's personality. Furthermore, the question arises if some expressions only occur for a distinct user like the hero, the narrator or minor characters and whether there are expressions linked to a certain event in the story. The findings of this study will thus offer further insights into the characterization of Gawain.