SOURCE: "Triuwe and Untriuwe in Hartmann's Erec," in The German Quarterly, Vol. XLII, No. 1, January, 1970, pp. 5-23.

In the following essay, Willson explores the relationship between Erec and Enite, insisting that Hartmann uses the characters to elucidate elements of Christian love.

In that part of Erec which begins with the sich verligen of the hero and heroine and ends with their reconciliation Hartmann von Aue tells us a great deal about his conception of how love should be ordered, particularly in his characterization of Enite. In its turn this vitally significant central section throws considerable light on the joie de la curt episode which marks the culmination of the hero's knightly career.

When she hears how people feel about their behavior, Enite is very distressed and blames herself for what has happened: "ouch geruochte si erkennen / daz daz ez ir schult waere" (3007-08). But she resolves to suffer...