Narrative Conceptions of Time in vernacular Texts of the Early Middle Ages: Myth - Narrative - History

The article describes different conceptions of time in vernacular texts from the Early Middle Ages (Old High German, Old Saxon and Old English texts). Contrary to older research, this study does not primarily focus on discrepancies between the Christian and Germanic content in these texts, but rather it draws heavily on new approaches of research with regard to myth: the contingent structure of time is conveyed in mythical ways of thinking and transferred into narratives. The 'Merseburg Incantations', the 'Wessobrunn Prayer' and 'Muspilli', but also the Old English 'Wanderer' devise their own models of mythical time comprehension which alternate between opposing poles, namely beginning and end, life cycle and universal time, and mythical and eschatological time.