„An Geist ein Held, ein Weib an Reiz...“. Ritterinnen bei Adam Mickiewicz und Joseph von Eichendorff

Abstract

The subject of considerations herein are the images of women warriors in the motif of Prusians, Lithuanians and Poles fighting battles against the Teutonic knights in the works of Eichendorff and Mickiewicz. The heroic-patriotic poem Grażyna, which belongs to the canons of Polish literature, and the drama Der letzte Held von Marienburg are the subjects of a thorough analysis. Issues of the characters’ motivation and the environment’s reaction to their actions which question the traditional view of femininity are particularly interesting here. The article further expands on the question of the influence of Polish and German concepts of national identity, which were shaped by utterly different historical experiences, on making women warriors in the discussed works.