The Nibelungenlied is a German epic poem which was written sometime around 1200,

probably in what is today Austria. The title means "Song of the Nibelungs." "Nibelungen"
is the plural of "Nibelung," which refers to a dynasty which is conquered by the hero or
protagonist of the epic, the dragon-slayer Siegfried. The word "lied" means "lay," which
is a Germanic word for a song, poem, or lyric. The poem exists in more than thirty
manuscripts, but three main versions represent the story as we know it. For the
purposes of study, many modern editions are translated in prose rather than rhymed
poetic form to be more accessible to students.

Reasons why the Nibelungenlied has enjoyed such a wide readership for so many
centuries include: much is known about the historical context of the poem as well as
about the literary sources it drew on, including mythology and legend. The story is one
of heroes, romance, courtly manners, deception, and revenge. It has been enjoyed by
many readers for its literary techniques and for its adventurous qualities and complex
characters as well.

The Nibelungenlied combines elements of many different historical, legendary, and

mythological tales. The legend of the Nibelungs arose from the historical destruction of
the Burgundian kingdom on the Rhine River by Etzel's army of Huns (later identified in
legend with the army of Attila the Hun) around the year 437. Many other characters in
the Nibelungenlied have some historical basis as well.

Gunther was King of Burgundy, and Dietrich is thought to be based on Theodoric the
Ostrogoth, who was King of Italy in 493. The events in the poem, however, were altered
and combined with other legends when the story was first written down for a medieval
audience around 1200.

The Nibelungenlied and the legends it was based on existed in oral form long before it
was ever written down. A version of the Nibelungenlied was first translated into modern
German in 1757 under the title of Kriemhild's Revenge. Many more versions followed,
but no English translation appeared until 1814. The first complete English prose version
appeared in 1848. There have been many more, in both prose and verse form.
The Nibelungenlied, as an epic, celebrates the achievements, adventures, and battles
of several heroic figures. It also encompasses elements of the romance genre as well,
and includes tales of knights, courtly behavior, and chivalry. The Nibelungenlied draws
on history, mythology, and legend for its details. It encompasses themes such as
heroism, feudalism, justice and revenge, honor, loyalty, deception, dreams, and the
importance of "keeping up appearances."

The "meaning" of the Nibelungenlied is difficult to determine. It does not have a clearly-
defined moral message for the reader. However, it raises important questions about the
nature of loyalty, honor, and what constitutes tragedy. It also attracts study and
commentary purely on the basis of its accomplished literary features, such as its
structure, character development, and the use of foreshadowing. The Nibelungelied
poet combined disparate material and stories into a comprehensive whole that captures
modern readers no less than audiences of eight hundred years ago.