Eulenspiegel, Till

Literary/ Cultural Context Essay

Albrecht Classen (University of Arizona)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.4.1: German-language Writing and Culture: Germany, 500-present.
Vol. editors: Gerhard P. Knapp (University of Utah), Jennifer Marston William (Purdue University), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jill E. Twark (East Carolina University)

Domains

Mythical / legendary character

Dates

Date of occurrence 1300

Places

Germany (Location)

Resources

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The figure of the trickster has a very long pedigree in world literature going back to antiquity (Homer’s Ulysses, e.g.) and continues to enjoy considerable popularity to this day. The most famous (or infamous) trickster in the history of German literature was the rogue or prankster Till Eulenspiegel, also known, in the original Low German, as Dil Ulenspiegel. Numerous literary historians have examined the episodic narrative reflected in individual stories first with scenes from his early life, later scenes from his time as a young man, and concluding with accounts of his old age and death; each episode invites us to discuss specific events in Eulenspiegel’s life, his actions, and words. There are strong parallels with famous figures such as Don Quixote, Gargantua, Falstaff, and…

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2117 words

Citation: Classen, Albrecht. "Eulenspiegel, Till". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 15 May 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=358, accessed 27 July 2024.]

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