In Norse Mythology, the “Völsunga Saga” is the most famous poem in northern mythology and folklore, relating the tale of the Völsungs dinasty and his inevitable tragedy that led the death of Sigürd, the famous dragon-slayer to the massacre of the burgundian royal family.
The poem was adapted in medieval texts as the Nibelungenlied in german tales and then in the classical opera “The Ring of the Nibelung” composed by Richard Wagner, where we see the most classical representation of the valkyries as winged-horse warriors with pointy helmets.
The story around the Völsungs is one of a tragedy and the role of fate as these impending path, not surprisingly, most of these characters suffer a disastrous end. leaving aside the themes of the famous ring “Andvarinaut” who cursed Sigurd, the Burgundian family and the Hun warriors. “Andvarinaut” inspired centuries later a famous british writer known as J.R.R Tolkien to write his best saga “The Lord of the Rings”
Atli: The legendary king resembling the historical “Attila the Hun” is a prominent figure in the saga and in a moment of the story, the antagonist of the burgundians, as brother of Brynhildr, he marries Güdrun after the death of Sigürd and his sister, ravaging the burgundian kingdom of Gunnar, killing him in the process and his brother Högni in his search of the treasure hoard, he dies at the hands of Güdrun in his sleep, after that, Güdrun burns his palace.
Brynhildr: The most famous valkyrie or shield-maiden, she has two versions of her origins, either as a banished daughter of Odin or as the daughter of king Büdli and brother of Atli, she fells in love with Sigürd after her rescue but the burgundian queen Grimhild tricks Sigürd to marry Güdrun which leds to a rivalry between the shield-maiden and the burgundian princess, she kills herself after the death of Sigürd not before prophesying the doom of Gunnar and Güdrun.
Güdrun: The princess of the burgundians, she is tricked by her mother Grimhild to marry Sigürd, due to a quarrel between her and Brynhildr, the former lover of Sigürd, was responsable for the deaths of her husband and the shield-maiden causing the invasion of the king Atli to Burgundy and forcing Güdrun to marry the Hun’s monarch, in his sleep, Güdrun killed Atli and burned the entire palace marrying with Jonak years later. In some versions, Hildebrand, the master of Thjódrik killed Güdrun in Atli’s palace during the fire.
Gunnar: The heir of the Burgungy kingdom, we first saw Gunnar receiving Sigürd in his court already asking for Brynhildr's hand, as Sigurd had already been tricked into leaving the valkyrie by the maid Gudrun, their rivalry grew to such an extent that a heartbroken Brynhildr ordered the Burgundians to murder Sigürd, then at the invitation of King Atli in an attempt to find the famous treasure he interrogated Gunnar and threatened him with death but only Högni knew the location of the hoard, killing the burgundian king in a pit of snakes as he plays the harp.
Helgi: As half-brother of Sigürd he is in a constant feud with the saxons king Hunding who killed his father years prior. Later he falls in love with a valkyrie called Sigrún, the daughter of Högni of the swedes who was already compromised with Hothbrood, son of king Granmarr, Helgi and his forces defeated the family of Granmarr, taking the warrior Dag as a prisioner. Helgi and Sigrún married and had children, however, Dag kills Helgi in an attempt to avenge his family, fortunelly, Helgi and Sigrún are reunited later in Valhalla.
Högni: The grim warrior, some versions write Högni either as a half-sibling of the princes Güdrun and Gunnar rather than a full sibling, son of Grimhild and Gjuki, he is described as a brusque, taciturn, and often short-tempered demeanor, his story revolves around the quarrel between Sigürd and Gunnar, his brother concluding in the death of the dragon-slayer. Later after knowing the secret of the treasure hoard, Gunnar orders Högni to hide the gold not before the intervention of the Huns, who questions Gunnar about the secret location of the treaure who refuses to tell the secret to Attila the Hun as long as Högni lives, and so brings about Högni's death, as his heart is cut out.
Kosthera: Kosthera (or Kostbera) is the german wife of Högni, of which they have four children; Solar, Snævar, Hniflung and Gjuki (in honor of Högni’s father) despite having a minimal appearance, she plays an important role in the Völsunga saga, in an attempt to prevent Högni to attend Atli’s invitation to his palace, Güdrun tried to send his brother a message, but was intercepted by one of the messengers, inly Kosthera could decipher the message and the dreams that were presented to him, insisting Högni not to go.
Sigrún: One of the valkyries at the service of Odin, she fells in love with Helgi but she was already compromised to Hothbrood, the son of Granmarr, Helgi invades Granmar's kingdom and slays anyone opposing their relationship. Only Sigrún's brother Dagr is left alive on condition that he swears fealty to Helgi. Years later, Helgi and Sigrún married and had children, however, Dag killed Sigrún’s husband to avenge his family, Sigrún buries Helgi in a barrow and she is later reunited with Helgi in Valhalla.
Sigürd: Perhaps the most notorious non-deity figure of northern mythology, a combination between Heracles for slaying beasts and Achilles due to his invulnerability in the battle, the son of Sigmünd and Hjördis received the sword “Gram” from his mother using it to kill the dragon Fafnir at the command of the dwarf Regin, he encounters Brynhildr and rescue her from her prison falling in love but was tricked by Grimihild to marry Güdrun, leaving Brynhildr to marrying Gunnar, this trick of infidelity left Brynhildr in a raging crusade against Sigürd ordering the burgundians to kill her former love, german traditions mention Hagen (or Högni) as the murderer of Sigürd in the forest, while Old Norse tales mentions Guttorm killing Sigürd in his bed. After that, they prepared a funeral pyre for Sigürd and Brynhildr who killed herself not before condemning the burgundians for tricking her late love.
Thjódrik: The germanic equivalent to the medieval King Arthur resembling the ostrogoth king Theodoric the Great who ruled the former western roman empire at a young age. By the name of Dietrich von Bern (of Verona, Italy) he has a huge story in the Poetic Edda and german tales; fought against Sigürd when he thought his master Hildebrand died at the hands of Sigürd causing so much rage into the prince that started to spit fire from his mouth, according to the Poetic Edda, he and Hildebrand were during the fire of Atli’s castle caused by Güdrun.
Melissa Benoist / Brynhildr
Christopher Mason / Sigürd
