Who Was the Original Dragon-slayer of the Nibelung Cycle?
Cătălin Ţăranu
This article attempts to provide a fresh perspective on the thorny issue of what exactly preceded category texts labeled “Germanic heroic poetry.” The argument follows character dragonslayer (Sigurd/Sigmund) through its manifold avatars in Nibelung cycle texts, from earliest skaldic poets and “Sigemund episode” Beowulf Völsunga saga Nibelungenlied. It argues that there are three separate narrative cores which collided into grand cycle: dragon-slayer Indo-European-type legend two traditions historical events (the fifth-century fall Burgundian kingdom seventh-century at Frankish court surrounding death Merovingian king Sigibert, his wife Brunichildis, her rival, Fredegunde). is accompanied by revaluation past scholarship - both “Old” “New Philological.” aims go beyond source-criticism deeper understanding how Germanic tradition works. Ultimately, it advocates third way rhizomatic ecologies as processes cultural exchange transformation, rather than clear-cut categorizations genealogies textual artifacts.
Viator