Timeline 2

German 3313
Northern Myths and Legends

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Course Syllabus

Timeline II

Northern Myths and Legends
Final Exam Study Sheet: Important Dates
Bold dates may show up on the exam

Age of Migrations

375 - 453 Völkerwanderung: Time Period dealt with in both the German Nibelungenlied and in the Norse Volsunga Saga.

453 Atilla the Hun dies during his wedding night – legend of his death at the hand of his German wife Ildico grows over the centuries and reappears in the Volsunga Saga.

Medieval Period

1220 Das Nibelungenlied composed by unknown poet in Southern Germany.

1260 Volsunga Saga composed by unknown poet in Iceland.

1260 Codex Regius manuscript of the Poetic Edda written down, contains many of the poetic lays which form the basis for the prose Volsunga Saga.

1300-1350 Approximate dates for the historical Till Eulenspiegel (if such a person ever existed)

Early Modern Period

1450 Gutenberg invents the printing press with movable type

1480-1540 Approximate dates for the historical Johann Faust in Germany.

1510 Hermann Bote composes Till Eulenspiegel

1587 Johann Spies publishes Historia of Dr. Johann Fausten in Germany.

1592 P.F., Gent. publishes History of the Damnable Life and Deserved Death of Dr. Faust in England (English Faust Book).

1593 Christopher Marlowe writes Tragicall History of Life and Death of Dr. Faustus (first published after Marlowe’s death in 1604).

Enlightenment Period

1697 Charles Perrault’s Mother Goose Tales published in France.

1759 Gotthold Ephraim Lessing writes a version of Faust in which the doctor is saved.

1782 The Nibelungenlied is reprinted in Germany; beginning of the rediscovery of medieval literature in Germany and reception of Germanic epic by a modern audience.

Romantic Age

1808 Johann Goethe publishes Faust, The Tragedy Part I.

1812-1814 Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm publish Children’s and Household Tales.

1835-54 Jacob Grimm publishes first detailed study of Germanic mythology.

1833 Publication of Faust, The Tragedy Part II, one year after Goethe’s death.

1835 Hans Christian Anderson publishes Fairy Tales Told for Children.

1845 Norwegian Folk Tales published by Asbjörnsen and Moe.

1852-1960 Grimm brothers work on Historical Dictionary of the German Language, finally completed by later scholars in the twentieth century.

1848-1874 Richard Wagner works on the four Operas comprising The Ring Cycle.

1876 Bayreuth Festspielhaus opens with a production of the entire Ring Cycle by Wagner.

Twentieth Century and Contemporary Era

1937 Walt Disney releases Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

1954-55 J.R.R. Tolkien publishes The Lord of the Rings, one of the seminal works of fantasy literature in the twentieth century.

2001-2003 Peter Jackson films Oscar-Winning Trilogy The Lord of the Rings.

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375 - 453	Völkerwanderung: Time Period dealt with in both the German Nibelungenlied and in the Norse Volsunga Saga.
453	Atilla the Hun dies during his wedding night – legend of his death at the hand of his German wife Ildico grows over the centuries and reappears in the Volsunga Saga.

1220	Das Nibelungenlied composed by unknown poet in Southern Germany.
1260	Volsunga Saga composed by unknown poet in Iceland.
1260	Codex Regius manuscript of the Poetic Edda written down, contains many of the poetic lays which form the basis for the prose Volsunga Saga.
1300-1350	Approximate dates for the historical Till Eulenspiegel (if such a person ever existed)

1450	Gutenberg invents the printing press with movable type
1480-1540	Approximate dates for the historical Johann Faust in Germany.
1510	Hermann Bote composes Till Eulenspiegel
1587	Johann Spies publishes Historia of Dr. Johann Fausten in Germany.
1592	*P.F., Gent.* publishes *History of the Damnable Life and Deserved Death of Dr. Faust* in England (English Faust Book).
1593	Christopher Marlowe writes *Tragicall History of Life and Death of Dr. Faustus* (first published after Marlowe’s death in 1604).

1697	Charles Perrault’s Mother Goose Tales published in France.
1759	Gotthold Ephraim Lessing writes a version of Faust in which the doctor is saved.
1782	The Nibelungenlied is reprinted in Germany; beginning of the rediscovery of medieval literature in Germany and reception of Germanic epic by a modern audience.

1808	Johann Goethe publishes *Faust, The Tragedy Part I.*
1812-1814	Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm publish Children’s and Household Tales.
1835-54	Jacob Grimm publishes first detailed study of Germanic mythology.
1833	Publication of Faust, The Tragedy Part II, one year after Goethe’s death.
1835	Hans Christian Anderson publishes Fairy Tales Told for Children.
1845	Norwegian Folk Tales published by Asbjörnsen and Moe.
1852-1960	Grimm brothers work on Historical Dictionary of the German Language, finally completed by later scholars in the twentieth century.
1848-1874	Richard Wagner works on the four Operas comprising The Ring Cycle.
1876	Bayreuth Festspielhaus opens with a production of the entire Ring Cycle by Wagner.

1937	Walt Disney releases *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*
1954-55	J.R.R. Tolkien publishes The Lord of the Rings, one of the seminal works of fantasy literature in the twentieth century.
2001-2003	Peter Jackson films Oscar-Winning Trilogy The Lord of the Rings.