Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
The Nibelungen Lied explained
The chapter recounts the epic Nibelungen Lied, a foundational Teutonic myth from the prehistoric era of Wotan and the Norse gods.
What happens
The chapter recounts the epic Nibelungen Lied, a foundational Teutonic myth from the prehistoric era of Wotan and the Norse gods. It is divided into two parts: first, Siegfried helps King Günther win Brunhild by using a cloak of invisibility, and in return marries Kriemhild. A dispute between Kriemhild and Brunhild leads to Hagan murdering Siegfried. Second, thirteen years later, Kriemhild marries Etzel, invites the Burgundians to a feast, and orchestrates a massacre that ends with her beheading Günther and Hagan, after which she is slain by Hildebrand.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional peak of Tristram’s brief reunion with…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Jealousy and Revenge
Kriemhild's boast about Siegfried sparks Brunhild's jealousy, leading to Siegfried's murder; Kriemhild later exacts bloody revenge on Günther and Hagan.
- Mortality and Immortality
Siegfried's mortal vulnerability despite his heroic stature, and the cycle of death and vengeance that consumes the characters.
Characters to notice
- Siegfried
Youngest king of the Netherlands, woos Kriemhild, aids Günther with his cloak of invisibility, and is murdered by Hagan.
- Odin
Referenced as Wotan, part of the prehistoric Teutonic pantheon worshipped when the epic originated.
- Thor
Mentioned among the gods worshipped in the German forests during the epic's prehistoric era.
Key passages
“Well-grown and well-compacted was that redoubted guest; Long were his legs and sinewy, and deep and broad his chest; His hair, that once was sable, with gray was dashed of late; Most terrible his visage, and lordly was his gait.”
Hagan is described as a formidable, well-built man with long sinewy legs, a broad chest, graying hair, and a terrifying yet lordly appearance.
Description of Hagan from the Nibelungen Lied, stanza 1789.
