Who is Siegfried?Mythology of the Scandinavians that tells about it? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article. Siegfried (Sigurd) is one of the most important characters in the Norse-Germanic epic and mythology. It is he who is the main protagonist of the Song of the Nibelungen.
Characters of German-Scandinavian mythologyare amazing. Scandinavian Odinism is part of ancient German mythology. The basic source of data about him are the works "Younger Edda" (prosaic) and "Elder Edda" (poetic) of S. Sturluson XII century AD e.
Approximately in the same period in the “Acts of the Danes” the Danish chronicler Grammar Saxo broadcasts many legends. Valuable information about the mythology of ancient Germany is in the "Germany" Tacitus.
So who is Siegfried?In mythology, what is said about him? The question of the starting point of this epic person has not yet been fully clarified. Some wanted to see in him an epic glimpse of memories of Arminius (the historical prince of the Kherusks) who defeated Var in the Teutoburg Forest. Most likely, Siegfried, next to Hagen and Brünnhilde, is the bearer of the mythical central motif of the saga, to which further joined other, partly historical, details.
At the heart of the saga is a common Indo-European myth(demonic or divine), which is interpreted differently: some find in the hero’s struggle with the enemies a mythical expression of the change of night and day, darkness and light, others - of summer and winter. Therefore, Siegfried is identified then with the thunder god Thor (Donar), then with the god Baldr, then with Freyer. Brunnhilde, depending on this, is understood either as terrestrial vegetation, or as spring, or sun. There are also scholars (Heinzel, Fischer), who in the tales of Siegfried see the result of the merging of several legends and myths.
The Song of the Nibelungen is magnificent.The form in which the basic motive was preserved in it, he received on the Rhine from the Franks. From here he, not earlier than the 6th century, passed to other Germanic peoples, including Scandinavia. Here the name Sigfrid, incomprehensible to people, was replaced by the name Sigurd. The tales of his father, Zygmund, and his ancestors, which were available on the mainland, were also developed there. “The Volsungah Saga” connects the hero's family with Odin, the supreme deity.
What is Siegfried in mythology?He is the son of the Frankish Queen Sieglinda and King Siegmund, the prince of the Lower Rhine. Siegfried - the winner of the Nibelungen, who seized their treasure - the gold of the Rhine. He has all the features of an epic ideal hero. He is courteous, brave and noble. Honor and duty for him above all. In The Song, his extraordinary physical strength and attractiveness are constantly emphasized.
The “song” we talked about above isan epic medieval poem written by a nameless author in the XII-XIII centuries. It is among the most famous epic writings of mankind. It tells of the relations of the Germanic tribes of the 5th century and the desire to establish kinship with the Huns, who at that time strengthened in Eastern Europe and threatened the banks of the Rhine.
The plot of the poem is based on the marriage of the FrankishSiegfried, the legendary hero - the "dragon-wrestler" on the princess of Burgundy Krimhild, his death due to a quarrel between Krimhilda and Brunnhilde, the wife of her brother Gunter. An important point is also the revenge of the Krimhilda with the help of the ruler of the Huns, Etzel, to his fellow Burgundians for the liquidation of his first beloved husband, Siegfried. The catalyst of all actions is the mysterious third force in the person of the all-knowing and omnipresent villain Hagen.
Содержание поэмы сводится к 39 песням (частям), which are referred to as "aventures". The writing of toponyms and character names is given according to a translation by Yu. B. Korneev, which was published in the series Literary Monuments in 1972.
What are the main feats of Siegfried?In ancient times, Queen Sieglinde and King Zygmund ruled the Lower Rhine, in the city of Xanten. They had a son, Siegfried. Since childhood, the boy has been distinguished by his strength, beauty, and courage. Already in his youth, he showed unprecedented heroism.
One day young Siegfried came to a blacksmithMime, an experienced old master. He saw the master and his assistants working at the anvil, and wished to become a student of the venerable Memes. The blacksmith left him at home. The next day, the blacksmith brought his newly-made pupil to the forge and told him to hit the piece with the hardest hammer.
Зигфрид выполнил его желание, и наковальня ушла в the ground, and the hot workpiece shattered into pieces. The henchmen were surprised, and the disgruntled blacksmith refused to teach Siegfried. But the young man told the master that he would moderate his strength, and the blacksmith left him with him.
Soon, Siegfried began to quarrel with the apprentices, andthe blacksmith regretted his decision. The henchmen threatened to leave the smithy if a novice was left. Then the owner decided to get rid of Siegfried. He sent him to the forest to harvest charcoal. And in the forest under the linden there lived a mighty dragon. The master thought that the monster would swallow the young student.
And Siegfried went to the forest and began to felltrees He did his job, lit a fire, and he sat down on a stump and began to watch the fire. Suddenly, a huge monster with a huge mouth crept out from under the roots. The dragon approached Siegfried and began to smell. Siegfried immediately snatched the burning tree out of the fire and began to beat the dragon until it fell dead.
Flowing dragon stream of smoky blood.Siegfried dipped his finger into it and saw that the finger had calved so that no sword could cut his sword. Then he undressed and bathed in this blood. Siegfried became all horny, with the exception of a small zone between the shoulder blades on the back, where the lime leaf fell. Next, the young man dressed and went to the castle of the parents.
Рассмотрим ещё один главный подвиг Зигфрида.He did not stay up at home, often traveled in search of adventure and performed many miracles, as he was very strong. Once, Siegfried found himself in a forest, where he saw noble men bringing an impressive treasure from the cave. These were the treasures of the Nibelungs. Siegfried had never seen such wealth before.
Shilbung and Nibelung - two kings were going to treasureshare. Siegfried approached them. The kings greeted him and asked him to share the treasure honestly. They had so much gold and precious stones that they could not be taken away even on a hundred wagons. As a reward, the kings gave Siegfried the sword Balmung belonging to the Nibelungs.
Siegfried began to divide the treasure, but each of the kings decided that he was cheated. Before the knight had time to complete the section, the kings attacked him. But Siegfried destroyed the debaters with the glorious sword Belmung.
This saw a powerful dwarf Alberich.He decided to take revenge for the death of his masters. The dwarf had an invisibility cloak giving the power of twelve warriors. He threw it at himself and rushed at Siegfried. Vityaz defeated the dwarf in a fair fight, then took away his invisibility cloak and took all the treasures of the Nibelungs.
So Siegfried overcame the overseas knights, becamethe ruler of the land of the Nibelungs and the master of their treasures. Siegfried ordered to bring the treasure back to the cave, the dwarf Alberich put him in charge and took an oath from him to be his faithful servant.
Итак, вы знаете, что о Зигфриде в мифологии it is said. And who is Brünnhilde? She is the heroine of Norse-German mythology. Brunhild or Brunhilda ("duel") is the most beautiful and militant Valkyrie, who challenged Odin: she presented the victory in battle to the one who was prepared by her god. The Almighty, in punishment of her, plunged her into a dream and sent her to the ground, where Brynhild was supposed to sleep on the Hindarfjall hill, surrounded by a wall of fire.
Сквозь свирепствующее пламя мог прорваться лишь Sigurd (Siegfried in the German epic), a famous hero who defeated the dragon Fafnir. What does the legend of Siegfried and Brünnhilde go on to say? Siegfried woke up the beautiful Brünnhilde, and promised to marry her. He left the belligerent beauty as a pledge the ring of the dwarf Advari, not knowing that a curse hung over this ring.
The Witch Grimhild gave Siegfried the nectar of oblivion, andhaving forgotten about his bride, he married the daughter of the witch - the beautiful Gudrun (in the German legends of the Crimhild). When memory returned to him, Siegfried’s heart filled with sadness, shame and suffering.
By the time Brunnhilde woo brotherThe Crimhilds, the Burgundian king of the Burgundians (in the German legends of Gunter). But the Valkyrie vowed to marry someone who passed through the wall of fire surrounding her, which only Siegfried could do.
Siegfried expressed his willingness to help Gunter.At the time of the marriage test, he exchanged the guise with Gunter and passed through the fire instead. Brunhilda was forced to become the wife of Gunter. When the deception was revealed, the embittered Brunnhilde demanded that her husband kill Siegfried. In the end, Gunter and his brother Hagen mortally wounded Siegfried while hunting. The traitor Hagen, aiming between the shoulder blades, threw a spear at the unarmed hero. He managed to get exactly to the place that once covered a fallen lime leaf.
Dying on his deathbed, Siegfried summoned his beloved Brünnhilde. The beautiful woman could not bear the remorse of conscience and killed herself in order to be near her lover even in the grave.
Лишь после смерти Зигфрид и Брунгильда покой found in love, previously destroyed vile intrigues. And the anathema of the dwarf Andvari, together with the inherited ring, passed to Hagen and Gunther. Later they both died an agonizing death, but they did not reveal the secrets of the ill-fated treasure.
The killing of the dragon Fafnir Siegfried canto interpret as an act of a cultural hero, winning over the forces of chaos. In a large number of legends, possessing a symbolic deep meaning, the dragon appears precisely in this sense - the primitive opponent, the battle with which is the highest exam.
Thus, the patrons of chivalry, the holy archangel Michael and the righteous George are depicted at the moment when they kill the monster. The dragon symbolizes disasters that haunt a person or a country.
The plot, when Siegfried awakens Brunhilda, is a symbol of searching for the path of the soul and its release from prison.
Итак, вам уже известна характеристика Зигфрида.The myth about him became one of the main texts for the Germans, and its different versions date back to the pagan period. For Germany, Siegfried is a cult figure. In the attitude of the people of this country, he is represented as the ideal of balance between body and spirit.
С помощью легенды о Зигфриде были созданы образы, become archetypical in world culture. The ancient German-Scandinavian legends in the XIX and XX centuries occupied an important place in the cultural consciousness of Europeans, and became its significant component.
