Aan de grens. De Nederlandstalige lyriek van de middeleeuwen en de Europese traditie

Samenvatting

Medieval literature of the Low Countries shows a strong dependence on the international literary tradition. Epic literature in the Dutch language for the greater part consists of translations and adaptations of French romance. Lyrical poetry on the other hand hardly ever is translated. This especially holds for secular songs and poems. Meanwhile the poets show that they are constantly aware of French, Latin and German traditions. Several of the key figures of Dutch poetry seem to be more influenced by the international lyrical tradition than by any native literature of the Low Countries. A 'national' Dutch lyrical tradition does not exist in the Middle Ages: the lyrical tradition of the Low Countries can only be understood in a European perspective.