Helmbrecht’s Cap and its Meta-Literary Hints

Meier Helmbrecht by the poet Wernher der Gartenære is considered an example of Middle High German poem whose characters are situated in the world of the peasants. It deals with the conduct of a young peasant who, in pursuing his dream of becoming a knight, gets involved in a series of criminal acts that lead him to death by hanging. Through the character of Helmbrecht the author offers his ironic perspective on both the decline of chivalry and the vain attempt of peasants to gain access to the aristocratic class. Previous scholars who have analysed this text have highlighted several similarities with other texts, such as Gregorius and Parzival. However, no one has given particular attention to the connections between the rhetorical strategies used by Wernher and those found in some Middle English romances. This work focuses on symbolism and on the role of the ekphrasis, as means to provide an insight into the protagonist’s psychological state and, ultimately, to give a didactic message to the audience.