The story of Sigurd
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Date
1907
Authors
Wold, Clara Petra
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
In the history of literature we find, again and again, old heroic stories such as the tales of the Siege of Troy or the legends of King Arthur or of Charlemagne, retold in different times and used to convey some truth
to the existing age. The story of Sigurd is one of these. Representing as it does the hero of our race, and portraying deep conflict of passions, it affords a
wide range for picturing the strength of man and his weakness. Primitive humanity, nature, the gods,--
for each writer these offer the means of conveying his
ideas of life, whether philosophical, religious or
socialistic. With this idea in mind, I have outlined the
different versions of the story of Sigurd showing their
differences in incident and purpose. "The Nibelungenlied"
and "The Volsunga Saga" are told rather fully for on these are based the other versions. Wagner and Ibsen both have changed the story in so many ways in order to express their ideas concerning the life of
man, that it is necessary to tell their stories in brief. Morris, in reverence for old faiths and truths has
merely put the old Saga into poetic form of a freedom and grandeur of spirit that is beautiful. It is not strange that the story is continually recognized as
racial by some noble mind and seized as a means for
expressing some vital truth to his age; so grand, so
purposeful is it, whether in the early "Nibelungenlied,"
the simple form of the "Saga," the dignified form of
Wagner' s "Nibelungen Ring," the drama of Ibsen, "The
Vikings at Helgeland," or Morris's finished and graceful
"Sigurd the Volsung."
Description
55 p. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries under the call number: SCA Archiv Wold 1907
Keywords
Siegfried (Legendary character), Sigurd