To the medievalist, Tannhauser is the author of ironical and highly original lyrical verse; to the folklorist, the subject of one of Germany's oldest ballads; to the musicologist, the composer of the only extant music for a Tanzleich and the hero of several operas.

J. W. Thomas examines the content and style of Tannhauser's verse, discusses his sources and his influence on other medieval poets, and gives a history of the ballad material in which he appears. Also included is a diplomatic edition of Tannhauser's poems, both verse translations of the poems and a version of the ballad, and an extensive bibliography.