Nibelungenlied

Siegfried is both King of the Netherlands and Nibelungland as well as a skilled knight. He is the son of Siegmund and Sieglind as well as Kriemhild’s husband. The poet describes him as a great warrior and goes as far as to say that he is “one of the best that ever sat on horseback” (99). His prowess as a knight is aided by the fact that he is nearly invincible post-bathing in dragon’s blood. This makes him arrogant, however, as evident in his threat to conquer Burgundy in Chapter 3. Siegfried possesses a ferocity that is later tamed when he falls for Kriemhild and “[aspires] to a noble love” (31).

Siegfried shows respect and intense loyalty to Gunther, exemplified by his early statement of “If you are looking for friends I shall assuredly be one among them, and I trust I shall acquit myself honourably till the end of my days” (34). Siegfried gives Gunther advice and is willing to fight his battles and help him woo Brunhild. In this way, he is chivalrous. However, he also engages in deception against Brunhild, which is far from.

Siegfried is a round character and fits the tragic hero archetype.

Hagen is Gunther’s loyal vassal and “the boldest warrior that ever bore sword” (288). He is a valuable asset to Gunther as he provides counsel and “knows all the kingdoms and foreign countries” (26). The poet describes his appearance as “well-grown, being broad-chested and long-legged. His hair was flecked with grey, and his gaze was terrible. His carriage was magnificent” (216).

Hagen is dictated by honor above all else. He proclaims that he “would never be happy again” unless he restores Brunhild’s honor through killing Siegfried. For him, chivalry is about maintaining honor, loyalty, and respect—and the honor of his lieges means almost as much to him as his own. Hagen cannot stand for his honor, his courage, to be questioned. In response to Giselher’s goading in Chapter 24, Hagen replies, “I would not want you to take anyone on your journey who dared ride to court with greater courage […] and since you are set on going I shall prove it!” (185).

Hagen is conniving and capable of cruelty. He coaxes Kriemhild into revealing her husband’s weak spot; he also seems to take pleasure in killing Siegfried and hurting Kriemhild (as exemplified by his placing Siegfried’s body in Kriemhild’s chamber for her to find). His greed and fear of Kriemhild’s retaliation lead him to sink the Nibelung treasure in the Rhine, “imagining he would make use of it some day” (148).

Hagen is best characterized as a round antihero since he commits horrible deeds in Book I but shows heroism in Book II (he tries to keep the Burgundians alive during the massacre at Etzel’s court). He is strong enough to survive the massacre but in the end, is brutally slain by Kriemhild.

Brunhild is Gunther’s wife and the Queen of Iceland and Burgundy. When the poet first introduces Brunhild, he states that she is endowed with “vast strength and surpassing beauty” (53). She rejects the idea of matrimony and, before Siegfried helps Gunther woo her, she barbarically kills every suitor that dares seek her hand in marriage. She is stronger than Gunther and even Siegfried, who must use his cloak of invisibility to beat her in her competition and “tame” her in the bedroom. However, once her girdle is stolen and Gunther has “his delight of her lovely body” (93), “her vast strength [flees] so that now she [is] no stronger than any other woman” (93).

Brunhild exhibits elitism and treats Siegfried as though he is beneath her because she believes he is only Gunther’s vassal. When Kriemhild and Siegfried wed, she weeps and says, “It wounds me to the heart to see your sister sitting beside a liegeman, and if she is to be degraded in this fashion I shall never cease to lament it!” (86). Her elitism gets the best of her during an argument with Kriemhild and ruins their somewhat amicable relationship. Brunhild grows to resent Kriemhild after the other queen humiliates her, and when Siegfried dies, she sits “enthroned in her pride” (143) without showing any sympathy.

Brunhild fits the evil queen archetype, her characterization prior to losing her strength matching that of shieldmaidens (from pre-Christian Norse mythology). Like Kriemhild, academics believe that Brunhild is loosely based on Brunhilda of Austrasia.

Gunther is the King of Burgundy; the husband of Brunhild; the son of Dancrat and Uote; and the brother of Gernot, Giselher, and Kriemhild. Though the text often refers to Gunther, Gernot, and Giselher as kings, it privileges Gunther over his brothers; he is constantly referred to as “the King” while his brothers are not. The poet calls Gunther a “renowned warrior” (17), and his prowess is evident in him and Hagen surviving the massacre at Etzel’s court. Gunther is also a hospitable, fair king. He shows mercy to prisoners Liudeger and Liudegast and says that he “shall leave [them their] personal freedom” (43) during their captivity.

Mercy aside, Gunther is a codependent ruler and relies on others such as Siegfried and Hagen to determine how to proceed in certain matters. He weakly protests against Hagen’s plot to kill Siegfried, but eventually caves and follows his advice “to evil effect” (117). Similarly, he stands back as Hagen steals the Nibelung treasure from Kriemhild. In this manner, he wrongs Siegfried and Kriemhild, both of whom respect and love him.

Gunther is a round but static character who fits the ruler fantasy archetype. He is based on the historical figure Gundahar.

“Good Rüdiger of Pöchlarn” (150) is Etzel’s vassal and Gotelind’s husband. He is arguably one of the most chivalric characters in the epic. He is significant in his struggle to decide whether it is more morally righteous to be loyal to those one is bound to through feudalism or those one is bound to through friendship and familial ties. Rüdiger’s defining traits are his hospitality and generosity. When he meets with the Burgundians on their way to Hungary, he befriends them and “[performs] such feats—bestowing on his guests both horses and clothes—that it was spoken of far and wide” (210). The poet insists that “no host had ever welcomed [the Burgundians] like this” (206). Rüdiger takes chivalric rules regarding largesse seriously, but he also appears to be a genuinely kind person outside the scope of feudalism and its decrees.

Rüdiger may be kind but will proudly defend his personal honor like Hagen does. When a Hun remarks that “there has been shockingly little sign” of bravery from Rüdiger during the bloodbath, Rüdiger responds by killing him. He wants the Huns to know he is not a coward but a nobleman showing honor by letting those he is bound to live. When he eventually enters the fray on Etzel’s behalf, he proves himself a “bold and illustrious hero” (273), taking down mighty Gernot before the mortally wounded man kills him.

When Rüdiger dies, one mourner asserts, “All the joy that was ours in Hungary has vanished away” (276), which suggests that he was held in high regard by many.

Volker of Alzei is a minstrel and “a man of flawless courage” (17). He serves the Burgundian royal family and accompanies them to Hungary, where he proves himself a warrior who wins “scores of enemies” (243). Instead of a sword, he wields a fiddle bow that “slices its way through tough steel” (247). Volker’s weaponization of his bow speaks to the great power of artists. The poet, being an artist, grants artists and warriors the same respect since they both bring honor and glory to their nation.

Volker, like Hagen, possesses knowledge of the area around Hungary and volunteers to guide the Burgundians. He also shares Hagen’s loyalty and pride, and the two form a strong bond upon reaching Etzel’s court.