Explore how a medieval Mary Magdalen legend was told in Middle Low German, with careful scholarly analysis.
This nonfiction study surveys the transmission of the Mary Magdalen story across Latin and vernacular sources. It traces how the tale appears in prose legends and poetic forms, and how editors and historians have weighed competing versions over centuries.
- Examines a range of medieval texts and later adaptations that shaped the familiar story.
- Notes linguistic and dialect features that reveal how Middle Low German shaped the legend’s telling.
- Discusses how scholars assess sources, authorship, and the evolution of the tale through the Crusades era.
- Offers critical context for readers interested in manuscript culture and religious storytelling.
Ideal for readers of literary history, medieval studies, and philology who want a clear, source-based view of how this legend developed in a specific dialect tradition.