The Nibelungenlied

unknown margaret armour a.t. hatto

Written by an unknown author in the twelfth century, this powerful tale of murder and revenge reaches back to the earliest epochs of German antiquity, transforming centuries-old legend into a masterpiece of chivalric drama. Siegfried, a great prince of the Netherlands, wins the hand of the beautiful princess Kriemhild of Burgundy, by aiding her brother Gunther in his struggle to seduce a powerful Icelandic Queen. But the two women quarrel, and Siegfried is ultimately destroyed by those he trusts the most. Comparable in scope to the Iliad, this skilfully crafted work combines the fragments of half-forgotten myths to create one of the greatest epic poems - the principal version of the heroic legends used by Richard Wagner, in The Ring.

Genres classicspoetryfictionmythologygerman literaturemedievalliteraturefantasyepicgermany

404 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1200

Literary awards

Национална награда „Христо Г. Данов“, prêmio jabuti,

Places

worms, esztergom,

This edition

Format: 404 pages, Paperback
Published: April 30, 1965 by Penguin Classics
ISBN: 9780140441376
ASIN: 0140441379
Language: English

Characters More characters

Siegfried

Siegfried is a legendary hero of Germanic mythology, who killed a dragon and was later murdered. It is possible he was inspired by one or more figures from the Frankish Merovingian dynasty, with Sigebert I being the most popular contender. Older scholarsh...
Kriemhild

Kriemhild is the wife of Siegfried and a major figure in Germanic heroic legend and literature. She is believed to have her origins in Ildico, last wife of Attila the Hun, and two queens of the Merovingian dynasty, Brunhilda of Austrasia and Fredegund.In ...
Gunther

Gunther (d. 437) was a historical King of Burgundy in the early 5th century. He is attested as ruling his people shortly after they crossed the Rhine into Roman Gaul. He was involved in the campaigns of the failed Roman usurper Jovinus before the latter&a...
Hagen Von Tronje

Hagen is a Burgundian warrior in tales about the Burgundian kingdom at Worms. Hagen is often identified as a brother or half-brother of King Gunther. In the Nibelungenlied he is nicknamed "from Tronje".more...
Gernot

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Dankrat

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About the author

unknown

Books can be attributed to "Unknown" when the author or editor (as applicable) is not known and cannot be discovered. If at all possible, list at least one actual author or editor for a book instead of using "Unknown".

Books whose authorship is purposefully withheld should be attributed instead to Anonymous.