Review
Hroswitha was a 10th-century German writer, considered to be the first Western author, male or female, to write plays in Latin since Late Antiquity. She was the author of comedies, in the manner of Terence, of great literary quality and centred on religious themes. She lived and worked in Gandersheim Abbey, which belonged to the Benedictine Order. She was a cultured and educated woman, an outstanding figure of the Ottonian renaissance, who was able to raise her talent above the conditions of the time.
Justifications
- She is considered to be the first Western author, male or female, to write theater in Latin since Late Antiquity.
- She is the author of comedies, in the manner of Terence, of great literary quality and which are focused on religious themes.
- She is an outstanding figure of the Ottonian Renaissance.
Biography
She is considered to be the first Western author, male or female, to write plays in Latin since Late Antiquity, an outstanding figure of the Othonid renaissance. Very little specific information is known about her personal life (930 or 935 – 973 or 1002). She was born into a family of noble lineage. It seems that she was still in her early youth when she entered the convent at Gandersheim, very famous at the time for its asceticism and educational concerns. She was able to successfully develop her extraordinary talent, first under the guidance of her teacher Rikkardis and then under the special care and direction of Gerberga (daughter of Henry I, Duke of Bavaria, and niece of Otto I, benefactor of the convent), one of the women with best education of her time. The latter took a particular interest in developing the young woman's literary talent, through which she wished to "contribute something to the glory of God". Hrostvitha lived and worked in the convent.
She was a canoness (unlike nuns, canonesses only took two of the three monastic vows: chastity and obedience, but not poverty.) For women who received the title of canonesses it meant, among other things, that they could have their own patrimony; for those who were young, it meant the opportunity to keep their social status without having to marry, something that was usually imposed.
Of her works, the so-called Liber secundus stands out, which contains six “dramatic” works (Gallicanus, Dulcitiu, Gallimachus, Abraham, Pafnutius, Sapientia) of short length and a somewhat naive humor, which she wrote taking the respective tragedies of Terence that were read in the convent as a model.
Works
English
Spanish
Catalan
Bibliography
-Gandersheim, Rosvita de (2003). Dramas. Translated by Andrés José Pociña López. Madrid: Akal
-Martínez, Marina (2016). Mujeres literatas. Un mundo paralelo. « Hrotsvitha de Gandersheim» (retrieved on 03/07/2021), <https://mujeresliteratas.wordpress.com/2016/10/31/ >
-Parra Membrives, Eva (2001). Roswitha von Gardensheim. Madrid: Del Orto
-Parra Membrives, Eva (1997). Escritoras alemanas en monasterios medievales. Doctoral thesis. University of Sevilla.
-Perea Rodríguez, Óscar (s.f.). La web de las biografías. «Gandersheim, Hroswitha o Rosvita von (ca. 935-ca.1003)» (retrieved on 03/07/2021). <http://www.mcnbiografias.com/app-bio/do/show?key=gandersheim-hroswitha-von>
Didactic approach
-Classical culture: Block Preservation of classical languages. Language and lexicon; Block Continuity of cultural heritage. Literature, art and science.
-Universal Literature 1st Baccalaureate: Interpretation of medieval fragments of different genres and themes.
-Spanish Language and Literature ESO: Literary Education Block.
Documents
