The Nibelungenlied (Song of the Kings of Burgundy)
is a verse narrative written in 12th-century
Germany by an author whose identity remains unknown.
The Nibelungenlied inherits from both the
EPIC or heroic poetry of the Germanic peoples (of
which BEOWULF is a classic example) and the tradition
of ORAL LITERATURE in Scandinavian cultures.
It builds on the stories of Norse mythology (see
MYTHOLOGY, NORSE), stories collected in the EDDA,
and other SAGAS. Most English translations of the
Nibelungenlied are based on what is commonly referred
to as the B text, compiled ca. 1205 by a cleric
serving the bishop of Passau.
The text of the Nibelungenlied exists in 34 manuscripts
compiled and circulated in southern Germany
between the 13th and 16th centuries.Together
the manuscripts present various versions of the basic
story,with fairly subtle differences. Presenters giving
an oral performance of the poem would have added
their own interpretations of specific events or characters,
thus giving the text an evolution of sorts
through the ages.
As editor Francis Gentry observes in German
Epic Poetry, “Few works have exercised such a hold
on later generations as this epic narrative of the
deeds of bold warriors and lovely ladies, of highspirited
festivals and solemn ceremonies, of great
battles, and, foremost, of revenge.” Part of the Nibelungenlied’s appeal is that it blends the heroic
themes of loyalty, murder, and vengeance with a
courtly setting drawn from MEDIEVAL ROMANCES. Its
main characters are kings and queens, its warriors
follow the code of CHIVALRY, and interspersed with
the moments of mass violence are poetic descriptions
of courtly ceremonies and behaviors.
Divided into two main parts, this long poem
(there are 2,379 stanzas) organizes its episodes into
chapters or “adventures.”When pronounced aloud,
the four-line stanzas, separated by a caesura or line
break, create a rhythmic, thunderous quality suitable
to the unfolding events. Most of the action
centers on the courts of Worms in southwestern
Germany and Xanten in present-day Holland.
The hero Siegfried is depicted as a knightly prototype,
daring and chivalrous but also demanding.
To win the heart of Kriemhild, Siegfried offers
his services to the court of Burgundy and is eventually
granted her hand in marriage by King Gunther.
Ten years after this marriage, Kriemhild
argues with Queen Brünhild, Gunther’s wife, over
which man is the better champion. In the resulting
struggle, Brünhild has Hagan murder
Siegfried, and Kriemhild is left friendless and defeated.
Kriemhild seeks revenge in the second part
of the work, killing Hagan and King Gunther before
losing her own life at a banquet hosted by Attila
the Hun, where fighting ensues between the
Huns and the Burgundians.
Part of the artistry of the Nibelungenlied is due
to the personalities of its characters, who are portrayed
as dimensional figures neither purely heroic
nor purely villainous; all have strengths and weaknesses,
and all possess tendencies toward good and
evil. Siegfried is initially described as a man possessing
skill at arms and physical beauty, whose
accomplishments have won him wide renown, but
through the course of the narrative he displays arrogance,
ruthlessness, and callousness along with
a sort of carefree ignorance. Hagen, Gunther’s
chief counselor, is a complex figure whose desire
for power leads him from the most exemplary loyalty
to the most profound betrayal. Far from being
passive heroines, the women of the Nibelungenlied
are forceful, determined, and fully responsible for
their actions, including their failures.
The Nibelungenlied is a tragic epic, and its
theme is perhaps best personified by the character
of Kriemhild, the Burgundian queen who opens
and closes the tale and whose career demonstrates
that joy is ever blended with sorrow. Introduced as
“a royal child in Burgundy— / In all the world
none lovelier than she,” she is murdered by Hildebrand
in the closing stanzas, proving that “ever
pleasure turns to pain when all is done.”
The Nibelungenlied has held an enduring fascination
for readers, inspiring plays, poems, novels,
music, and Richard Wagner’s opera, Ring of the Nibelung.
The discovery of the C text in 1755 at a castle
in Austria revived interest in the epic and led to
new editions, translations, and imitations. As Germany
became a unified nation in the 19th century,
the Nibelungenlied was cited as proof of the common
mythology, literature, and history of German
peoples. Today the text can still be appreciated for
its dramatic quality, as well as its poetic beauty and
sophistication.
English Versions of the Nibelungenlied
Nibelungenlied. Translated by A. T. Hatto. New York:
Penguin, 1965.
The Nibelungenlied. Translated by D. G.Mowatt. London:
Dover Publications, 2001.
Song of the Nibelungs: A Verse Translation. Translated
by Frank G. Ryder. Detroit:Wayne State University
Press, 1982.
Works about the Nibelungenlied
Andersson, Theodore M. A Preface to the Niebelungenlied.
Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press,
1987.
Haymes, Edward. The Nibelungenlied: History and Interpretation.
Urbana: University of Illinois Press,
1986.