by Honi A.

Created on: November 17, 2009   Last Updated: November 18, 2009

Impregnated with the atmosphere of "The Edda", "The song of Gudrun" replenishes the artistic image of the Germanic nation from Northern Europe; and if in "The Song of the Nibelungs" the events take place on dry land, here the background is the sea.

If we try to set up the historic time, it would have to be the beginning of the Dark Ages. Then the Germanic populations from the North of the today's Germany and South Scandinavia have often carried on naval expeditions of burglary and conquest in the richer territories spreading terror through the inhabitants. So this poem is wrapped around the bloody scene battles where the real meats the imaginary.

"Gudrun" keeps alive the memory of the times when the vikings used to fight with courage and energy. Specialist have agreed that the sole manuscript where the poem was found is based on an older popular song, created in Austria or Bavaria, at the beginning of the thirteen century. Though, because of the countless allusions at the Gudrun's poem in Scandinavia, apparently this gudrunian theme has Scandinavian origins. This would explain the reduced circulation of the poem between the Germans from the continent.

"The song of Gudrun" has three distinct parts, which enclose the history of three generations. The first two seem to be a long introduction, because the title applies only to the third part.

The first part looks like a fairy tale where there are noticeable some elements of robinsoniad. Hagen, the son of a king from Ireland, is kidnapped by a griffin and taken on a deserted island. There, in a cave, he meets three princesses, also kidnapped, who will give him an education. He manages to kill the griffin, take over the power and he goes back home with the three girls. Home he follows to the throne of his father and marries the younger of the sisters, Hilda.

In the second part Hagen has a daughter named also Hilda, whom he decided to give to the man who will defeat him in the battle. Hettel, the king of the hegelians, sends over Horand, the singer, undercover to woo the girl. Horand charms her with his song and encourages her to run away and marry Hettel. During an event Hilda is kidnapped, but the father follows them quickly starting a battle. Hilda interferes and asks her father to forgive Hettel and let them get married instead.

In the third part we find out that Hettle and Hilda also have a daughter, the beautiful and kind Gudrun. While her father and fiancee, Herwing are missing, Hartmut an old suitor and the prince of the Normans, rejected by her parents, kidnaps Gudrun and the other 62 noble girls. In a battle to get his daughter back the king Hettle dies so long years pass until a new warrior rises. During this time Gudrun stays faithful to her fiancee despite the harsh treatment she receives from Hartmut's mother. Finally, her brother and her fiancee arrive and save all the girls. The poem ends with three weddings and one of them is Gudrun's with Herwig.

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