Nibelungenlied : God or Evil

In the organization below, on the whole, the elements and beings from Teutonic mythology are described first, then those from Wagner's operas. The Gods There are two families of gods in Teutonic mythology: Including both the Vanir and the Aesir, there are over 25 gods and goddesses in this pantheon.

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Richard Wagner chose to use only a handful of these gods. In the Ring , the gods are "the highest order of beings in the universe. In Siegfried , Wotan describes his race as 'light-spirits who inhabit the cloudy heights'" Blyth, 7. These beings correspond directly to Teutonic gods, although for some Wagner combines more than one god into the same character. But, outmanoeuvred by his wife Fricka, he is forced to submit to the inevitable, abandon his plans, and renounce his ambitions. Heart-broken and weary, he resigns himself to his fate and becomes merely a passive spectator of events.

Just once more he tries to influence them, to stop Siegfried from fulfilling his destiny, but the last vestige of his power is destroyed and he calmly awaits the approach of his doom, the extinction of his glory. Nixies and Elves vs. Although the Teutonic myths did not contain the Rhinemaidens exactly named as Wagner created them Flosshilde, Wellgunde and Woglinde , they are nonetheless "a dramatic synthesis of a group of beings that was prominent in the early Germanic cultural thought" Cord, III: Wagner imaged the Rhinemaidens after nixies , which "one time There were two elven races: However, in Teutonic mythology, "no valid distinction can be drawn between the dwarves and the dark elves; they appear to have been interchangeable," unlike Wagner's definite distinguishment between the Rhinemaidens and dwarves such as Alberich Crossley-Holland, xxi.

In Teutonic mythology, the "Choosers of the Slain" are "beautiful young women who chose men doomed to die in battle and brought them back to Valhalla. The Giants Teutonic giants "largely represent the forces of chaos, attempting through physical force, trickery and magic to upset the order of the universe.

She accuses the Burgundians of having deceived her. According to the saga, Brunhild is the daughter of Budli and the sister of Atli. She is raised at a place called Hlymdalir by her King Heimir, who is married to her sister Bekkhild. When she is twelve years old, King Agnar steals Brunhild's magical swan shirt, and she is forced to swear an oath of loyalty to him. As punishment, Odin stuck her with a sleep thorn and declared that she must marry.

She swore that she would not awaken to marry unless a man came who knew no fear. Odin places the sleeping Brunhild on mount Hindarfjall and surrounds her with a wall of shields. Eventually, Sigurd comes and awakens Brunhild. She makes foreboding prophecies and imparts wisdom to him. The two promise to marry each other. After this, Brunhild returns to Heimir. One day while Sigurd is hunting, his hawk flies up and lands at the window of the tower where Brunhild is living.

Sigurd feels love when he sees her and, despite her insistence she wants only to fight as a warrior, convinces her to renew her vow to marry him. Meanwhile, Gudrun has had a foreboding dream and goes to Brunhild to have her interpret it. Brunhild tells Gudrun all of the misfortune that will befall her. Soon afterward, Gunnar, Gudrun's brother, decides to woo Brunhild to be his wife. Sigurd, who has married Gudrun after having been given a potion to forget his previous vows to Brunhild, aids him. Brunhild can only be wed by a man who will ride through the flames around her tower; Gunnar is unable to do this, so Sigurd takes his shape and performs the deed for him.

While Brunhild is reluctant to marry Gunnar, Sigurd in his disguise reminds her of her vow to marry the man who can cross the flames. The two then wed and Sigurd places his sword between them for three nights while they share the marriage bed. Sigurd and Gunnar return to their normal shapes and take Brunhild back to Gunnar's hall. One day, Brunhild and Gudrun are bathing at a river; Brunhild declares that she should not have to use the same water as Gudrun, as her husband is the more important man.

Gudrun then reveals that Sigurd had crossed the flames and not Gunnar, and shows a ring that Sigurd had taken from Brunhild and given to her. The next day, the queens continue their quarrel in the king's hall. Brunhild is so full of pain that she takes to bed. She demands vengeance against Sigurd, despite Gunnar's attempts to pacify her. Sigurd comes and confesses his love for her, offering to leave Gudrun to be with her, but Brunhild refuses.

Afterwards, she demands that Gunnar kill Sigurd. Once the deed is done, Brunhild laughs loudly when she hears Gudrun's cry of lament. She reveals that she had slandered Sigurd by claiming that he had slept with her. She then stabs herself, and while dying holds a long conversation with Gunnar in which she prophesies the future. According to her wish, she is burned on the same pyre as Sigurd. Brunhild lived on as a character in several late medieval and early modern Scandinavian ballads. These often have sources both from the Scandinavian tradition and from the continental tradition, either via the Thidrekssaga or directly from German sources.

Brynhild then tells Hagen to kill Sigurd, and Hagen does this by first borrowing Sigurd's sword then killing him with it. He then shows Brunhild Sigurd's head and kills her too when she offers him her love. To attract him, she tells her father Budli to create a hall with a wall of fire around her. One day, Gunnar comes and sues for her hand, but she refuses.

Then Sigurd comes, breaks through the wall of fire, and they sleep together. When he leaves, however, Gudrun and her mother Grimhild cast a spell on Sigurd so that he forgets Brunhild and marries Gudrun. Some time later Brunhild and Gudrun argue in the bath, with Gudrun refusing to share water with Brunhild.

Budli tries unsuccessfully to change his daughter's mind; once Sigurd is dead, Brunhild collapses in grief. The German Brunhild was nevertheless still associated with Scandinavia, as shown by her kingdom being located on Island Iceland. Brunhild is introduced to the story when word of her immense beauty reaches Worms one day, and King Gunther decides he wishes to marry her.

Siegfried , who is familiar with Brunhild, advises him against this marriage, but Gunther convinces Siegfried to help him woo Brunhild by promising to let Siegfried marry Gunther's sister Kriemhild. Gunther needs Siegfried's help because Brunhild has set a series of three feats of strength that any suitor for her hand must complete; should the suitor fail any one of these feats, she will kill him.

Siegfried agrees to help Gunther by using his cloak of invisibility Tarnkappe to aid Gunther during the challenges, while Gunther will simply pretend to accomplish them himself. He and Gunther agree that Siegfried will claim to be Gunther's vassal during the wooing. When Siegfried and Gunther arrive at Isenstein, Brunhild initially assumes that Siegfried is the suitor, but immediately loses interest in him once he claims that he is Gunther's vassal. Gunther and Brunhild then agree to marry. The heroes return to Worms with Brunhild, and Siegfried marries Kriemhild at the same time that Brunhild marries Siegfried.

Brunhild cries seeing this however, believing that the royal princess Kriemhild has been married to a vassal. On her wedding night, when Gunther attempts to sleep with Brunhild, Brunhild quickly overpowers Gunther, tying him up by his hands and feet with her belt and leaving him hanging on a hook until morning.

Gunther is forced to rely on Siegfried again, who takes Gunther's shape using his Tarnkappe and is only able to subdue Brunhild due to the Tarnkappe granting him the strength of twelve men.

Nibelungenlied/Adventure XVI

Gunther is secretly present during all of this, and is able to confirm that Siegfried did not sleep with Brunhild. It is mentioned that Brunhild and Gunther have a son, whom they name Siegfried. This culminates when the two queens encounter each other in front of the cathedral at Worms, and fight over who has the right to enter first. Brunhild declares that Kriemhild is the wife of a vassal, to which Kriemhild replies that Siegfried has taken Brunhild's virginity, showing her the belt and ring as proof. Brunhild bursts into tears and Kriemhild enters the church before her.

Brunhild then goes to Gunther and Gunther forces Siegfried to confirm that this is not the case. Let us divide the folk and hounds and let each turn whithersoever he list. He who doth hunt the best shall have our thanks. Then spake Lord Siegfried: Then an old huntsman took a good sleuth-hound and in a short space brought the lord to where many beasts were found. Whatso rose from its lair the comrades hunted as good hunters still are wont to do.

• Sixteenth Adventure - How Siegfried was slain.
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• International Security 37:1 (Summer 2012).
• Die Nibelungen - Wikipedia;

Whatever the brach started, bold Siegfried, the hero of Netherland, slew with his hand. His horse did run so hard that none escaped him. In the chase he gained the prize above them all. Doughty enow he was in all things. The beast which he slew with his hands was the first, a mighty boar; after which he found full soon a monstrous lion.

After the shot the lion ran the space of but three bounds. The hunting fellowship gave Siegfried thanks. Thereafter he speedily slew a bison and an elk, four strong ure-oxen, [2] and a savage shelk.

Brunhild - Wikipedia

Wrathfully the boar did run against the valiant hero, but Kriemhild's husband slew him with his sword. Another huntsman might not have done this deed so lightly. When he had felled him, they leashed the sleuth-hound; his rich booty was soon well known to the Burgundian men. Then spake his huntsman: Ye'll empty both our hill and woods to-day. At this the brave knight and a bold gan smile. Then the calls of men and the baying of hounds were heard on every side; so great was the noise that both hill and pine woods echoed with the sound. The huntsmen had let loose full four and twenty packs. Then passing many beasts must needs lose their lives.

Each man weened to bring it to pass that men should give him the prize of the hunt; that might not be, for the stalwart Siegfried was already standing by the fire. The chase was over, and yet not quite. Those who would to the camp-fire brought with them thither hides of many beasts and game in plenty.

Ho, how much the king's meiny bare then to the kitchen! Then bade the king announce to the huntsman that he would dismount. A horn was blown full loud just once, that all might know that one might find the noble prince in camp. Spake then one of Siegfried's huntsmen: Thus by many blasts of horns they asked about the hunters. Then spake Sir Siegfried: With their rout they started up a savage beast; a wild bear it was.

Quoth then the knight to those behind: Let loose the brach. Forsooth I spy a bear which shall journey with us to the camp. Flee he never so fast, he shall not escape us,". The brach was loosed, the bear sprang hence; Kriemhild's husband would fain overtake him. He reached a thicket, where none could follow. The mighty beast weened now to escape from the hunter with his life, but the proud knight and a good leaped from his steed and began to chase him. The bear was helpless and could not flee away. At once the hero caught it and bound it quickly with not a wound, so that it might neither scratch nor bite the men.

The doughty knight then tied it to his saddle and horsed him quickly. Through his overweening mood the bold warrior and a good brought it to the camp-fire as a pastime. In what lordly wise he rode to the quarters! Mickle was his boar-spear, strong and broad. A dainty sword hung downward to his spurs. The lord bare also a fair horn of ruddy gold. Never heard I tale of better hunting weeds.

One saw him wear a coat of black and silky cloth and a hat of sable: Ho, what costly bands he wore upon his quiver! A panther's skin was drawn over it for its sweet fragrance' [4] sake. He bare a bow, which any but the hero must needs draw back with a windlass, and he would bend it. His vesture was befurred with otter skin [5] from head to toe.

From the bright fur shone out on both sides of the bold master of the hunt many a bar of gold. Balmung [6] he also bare, a good broad sword, that was so sharp that it never failed when 'twas wielded 'gainst a helmet; its edge was good. In high spirits was the lordly huntsman. Sith I must tell you all the tale, his costly quiver was full of goodly darts, the heads a full hand's breadth, on golden shafts.

Nibelungenlied

What he pierced therewith must needs die soon. Thus the noble knight rode hence in hunter's garb. Gunther's men espied him coming and ran out to meet him and took his horse in charge. On his saddle he carried a large bear and a strong. When he had dismounted, he loosed the bonds from feet and snout.

Those of the pack bayed loudly, that spied the bear. The beast would to the woods; the serving folk had fear. Dazed by the din, the bear made for the kitchen. Ho, how he drove the scullions from the fire! Many a kettle was upset and many a firebrand scattered.

Ho, what good victual men found lying in the ashes! Then the lordings and their liegemen sprang from their scats.