Der Weinschwelg
Der Weinschwelg is a thirteenth-century Middle High German poem. It is noted as a parody of courtly literature such as poetry of the German "Minnesang" tradition. In the summary of Stephen L. Wailes, The "Weinschwelg" holds its place in the literary history of the thirteenth century by virtue of its clever parody of ‘Minnedidaktik’ ['love-teaching', "ars amatoria"]. Like "Die böse Frau", with which it is often compared and which some scholars think was composed by the same author, it generates humour by juxtaposing a vulgar theme (in the "Weinschwelg", excessive drinking) to traditions of courtly idealism , both by direct allusion to stories and characters and by the imitation of such values as "triuwe" ['fidelity, sincerity'] and "hôher muot" ['high spirits, magnanimity'] within its crass context. This thematic humour is enhanced by the wit of its formal presentation. Divided into twenty-four sections by the refrain ‘dô huob er ûf unde tranc’, the poem reflects compositionally the speaker’s carousal and the rhymes for the refrain occur in approximate alphabetical order.