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The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics)
 
 
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The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

~ Anonymous (Author), (Translator) "WE have been told in ancient tales many marvels of famous heroes, of mighty toil, joys, and high festivities, of weeping and wailing, and the..." (more)
Key Phrases: noble margrave, gay knights, excellent knights, King Gunther, King Etzel, Hagen of Troneck (more...)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)

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The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics) + The Saga of the Volsungs (Penguin Classics) + The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology (Penguin Classics)
Price For All Three: $31.65

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Written by an unknown author in the twelfth century, this powerful tale of murder and revenge reaches back to the earliest epochs of German antiquity, transforming centuries-old legend into a masterpiece of chivalric drama. Siegfried, a great prince of the Netherlands, wins the hand of the beautiful princess Kriemhild of Burgundy, by aiding her brother Gunther in his struggle to seduce a powerful Icelandic Queen. But the two women quarrel, and Siegfried is ultimately destroyed by those he trusts the most. Comparable in scope to the Iliad, this skilfully crafted work combines the fragments of half-forgotten myths to create one of the greatest epic poems - the principal version of the heroic legends used by Richard Wagner, in The Ring.


About the Author

Written around AD 1200, probably by a professional entertainer for performance at court in Austria A.T. Hatto has translated Tristan and Eschenbach's Parzival for Penguin Classics.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics (April 30, 1965)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0140441379
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140441376
  • Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #207,362 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

More About the Author

A. T. Hatto
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The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics)
75% buy the item featured on this page:
The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics) 4.0 out of 5 stars (30)
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The Saga of the Volsungs (Penguin Classics)
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The Saga of the Volsungs (Penguin Classics) 4.5 out of 5 stars (28)
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4.0 out of 5 stars (30 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars From Attila to Tolkien, December 12, 2004
By Peter Reeve (Thousand Oaks, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
Wagner's operas and Tolkien's tales are modern incarnations of legends that have evolved in the European consciousness for centuries, in much the same way as the Arthurian cycle of stories. The Nibelungenlied (Song of the Nibelungs), which dates from around 1200 CE and probably originated in Austria, is one of the best known and most significant versions of those legends. It takes as its main theme the life and death of the hero Siegfried and the revenge of his widow Kriemhild. It also incorporates characters and events based on the lives of Atilla the Hun and Theodoric the Great.

This is a valuable insight into how literature evolved in Medieval Europe. If you are a Wagner or Tolkien fan, or a lover of epic fantasy, you will want to read it, both for historical interest and for the beauty and strangeness of some of the imagery. The inconsistencies in its plot and characterizations are a consequence of the poet trying to merge contradictory sources and also to present a version of pagan legends that would be acceptable to a Christian audience. The result is sometimes awkward but always interesting.

A.T Hatto's Penguin edition is definitely the one to get. There is a brief forward, then the story itself, and then more than 100 pages of editorial, giving you a glossary of character's names, the history of the poem, etc, etc. Probably more than you ever wanted to know about medieval German literature. (Although, having said that, it is odd that there is no mention of the Volsung Saga, which is really needed to complete the picture).

This is a lively, readable and authoritative prose translation. If, like me, your medieval German is less than fluent and likely to remain so, then this is the version to read.


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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars In All Its Bloody Glory, March 1, 2001
By Ricky Hunter (New York City, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
German medieval epics are not for every taste but it is surprising how quickly one can become lost in something written in such an different style from our modern writing. The translation of the Nibelungenlied by A. T. Hatto takes the poem from its poetic roots and turns it into readable prose in an effective manner. This is a marvelous work with some truly memorable characters, particulary the women, and much grisly excitement (the author of the epic will never be cited for subtlety). It is easy to see why this inspired such works as Wagner's Ring Cycle. There is a lot of rich material in these legends and myths. An added bonus are the wonderful appendices at the back that could lead the reader to a richer second read of this book at some point in the future. A fine look at a great epic from the distant past.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars German Mythology, May 19, 1998
By A Customer
Excellent translation of the German Epic of Siegfried's death and Kriemhild's revenge. Used as material for Wagner's third opera in the Ring Cycle. Very important material for anyone interested in the Geramn cultural tradition.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Have read it and read it again.
The history of the Nibelungenlied is detailed in the introduction to this Penguin classic and certainly of all this style of early Western epics it is perhaps this tale that is... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Paul Lawrence

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put it down
When many of us think of medieval literature, we think "boooorrrring!!!" Some of it seems incomprehensibe. I wasn't sure I'd like it- I can't even pronounce the title!!!! Read more
Published 6 months ago by Marie

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable translation, not for everyone
The Niebelungenlied is one of a few works relating to the story of Sigurd the Dragonslayer (or in the German tradition, Siegfried). Read more
Published 13 months ago by Chris Travers

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic German epic
An enthralling German epic that is a fascinating exploration of familiar characters, but are neither wholly taken from Wagner nor from the Norse Eddas. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Adam Irving

1.0 out of 5 stars Poor Bindings
Over 30 pages of this book simply fell out while I was reading. I have experienced this problem with other Penguin Classics and attribute it to poor binding.
Published on June 3, 2007 by C. Persons

5.0 out of 5 stars An eye for an eye
This very sad heroic epic tells the story of how `countless warriors met their doom' after the wrangling of two women. Read more
Published on May 11, 2007 by Luc REYNAERT

5.0 out of 5 stars The Nibelungenlied
"The Nibelungenlied" (or in English: Song of the Nibelung) was written by an unknown poet sometime in the 1300's, which is a shame because this is one of the finest epics I've... Read more
Published on March 13, 2007 by Eric S. Kim

5.0 out of 5 stars Mein Gott, what an epic!
Quite simply, this is the BEST epic tale of all time. Forget about the Iliad or the Odyssey: the Nibelungenlied trumps them both in spades. Read more
Published on January 22, 2006 by J. B. Shega

4.0 out of 5 stars nicht schlecht (not bad)
I was hesitant, at first, about buying this book. I was afraid that since it was written in the middle ages, it would be rather difficult to read. This was not the case. Read more
Published on January 14, 2006 by Peekablue

3.0 out of 5 stars One version of the greatest legend of the Germanic peoples
I put off reading this one for a while, my reasoning being that I'd already read the Volsung Saga, and they're basically the same story, right? Not quite, as I discovered. Read more
Published on January 5, 2006 by Thewsson

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