In view of recent studies on the demonstrative and communicative nature of the courtly body, an investigation into the meaning of the manifestation of physical pain in Hartmann's works might offer a particularly useful and innovative approach to an analysis of his texts. Earlier research has overlooked the significance of the physical body in pain in order to concentrate either upon the inner motivation of suffering or the harmonious and refined image of courtly society dependent upon joy. Recently, others have shown that Hartmann idealizes pain and suffering in order to introduce a new model of knighthood that would have both pleased and edified his audience. While the court is undeniably the locus of cultivated joy, pain remains an enigmatic and ubiquitous force, resulting from the power relationships and struggles that surround and shape courtly culture. Within this culture, the physical body is the site upon which the effects of power, that is physical pain, are mapped and interpreted by both the individual and members of the social body. Although one might expect pain and suffering to exist in binary opposition to joy, this clear dichotomy is quite often not present. Indeed, we will see that Hartmann considers pain to be fundamental to courtly existence and that the body in pain holds a prominent position in his works.

It is important to remember, though, that the medieval understanding of pain and suffering, like that of today, is complex. Historical artifacts like courtly literature help us to discern the social significance, cultural understanding, and gendered meaning of pain and reactions to pain specific to the Middle Ages, and as we will observe in Hartmann, pain represents both a positive and negative force in the medieval point of view. Pain has a profound impact upon the construction and deconstruction of the body and self of the courtly individual (Cohen, 52–53).

Courtly culture places a great emphasis upon the observance of physical discipline and self-control, as evidenced by the importance of the Middle High German concepts of zuht (discipline), mâze (moderation), and hövescheit (courtliness). Although they ought to be innate in the noble individual, the presence of numerous didactic medieval works attest that they also had to be learned (Bumke, 67–102).