Language, Class, and Mimic Satire in the Characterization of Correspondents in the Epistolae obscurorum virorum
Recent studies show that the satirical characterizations in the Epistolae obscurorum virorum contributed to the impression of hostile camps of humanists and scholastics in pre-Reformation Germany. A new type of mimic satire was created by Crotus Rubeanus, Ulrich von Hutten, and the other authors by...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sixteenth Century Journal Publishers, Inc.
1994
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| In: |
The sixteenth century journal
Year: 1994, Volume: 25, Issue: 2, Pages: 289-305 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Recent studies show that the satirical characterizations in the Epistolae obscurorum virorum contributed to the impression of hostile camps of humanists and scholastics in pre-Reformation Germany. A new type of mimic satire was created by Crotus Rubeanus, Ulrich von Hutten, and the other authors by distorting the language and by addressing fictional letters to Ortwin Gratius-a real-life Cologne humanist and opponent of Reuchlin. An important dimension of their satirical technique was exaggeration of salutations and the use of ridiculous names for the correspondents. Many of these names referred to the lower class of farmers, artisans, and craftsmen. In devising the characterizations of correspondents, the authors relied on assumptions of class and education that may be found in Johannes Murmellius' Didascalici libri duo and other humanist texts. Distinctions between the liberal and illiberal (or mechanical) arts, as taught in the Latin schools of the period, implied certain biases that the authors employed as part of their rhetorical appeal. |
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| ISSN: | 2326-0726 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The sixteenth century journal
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/2542882 |