Tradition and Creativity

It is known that the source of Konrad's Engelhard must have been a version of the widespread friendship tale Amicus and Amelius. This book examines Konrad's poem with special reference to the tradition of the friendship tale and to the work of Konrad's literary forbears and contemporaries. It reconstructs and establishes the primary and secondary sources of Engelhard and discusses Konrad's treatment of his material. Three previously unpublished German versions of the Amicus and Amelius tale are printed in an appendix.