". . . Eyn Ganss Truwe Frunt": Frauen Und Kinder Als Opfer Männlicher Freundschaftstreue in Zwei Exempeln Des Grossen Seelentrostes

Abstract

This article examines two well-known medieval tales of exemplary male friendship, both of which appear as exempla in the Middle Low German devotional book Der Große Seelentrost (14th century): the tales of "Athis and Prophilias" and "Amicus and Amelius." Meant to highlight aspects of the Christian Eighth Commandment against beaving false witness, both tales emphasize the importance of medieval "truwe." An analysis of the structure of the depicted male bonds demonstrates, however, that the proposed concept of "truwe," although praised as a positive quality in the text, would be highly problematic from the perspective of the modern reader, since "truwe" not only works at the cost of conjugal and parental relationships, but also openly disregards the rights of women, as exemplified by the exchange and rape of women, and the killing of children depicted in these tales. These actions are, nevertheless, sanctioned by the text itself and by implication by the medieval Christian Church. What transpires from the use of the exempla in this devotional work is that the term "truwe" is male centred: "truwe" is usually seen from the vantage point of male interests under which everything else is subsumed.