Poetry Books
The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics)
RRP: $15.00
Our Price: $10.20
You Save: $ 4.80 ( 32% )
Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Author: Anonymous
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Average Customer Rating:
Our Price: $10.20
You Save: $ 4.80 ( 32% )
Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Author: Anonymous
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Average Customer Rating:
Experimental feature: Order The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics) from the UK, Canada, Germany or France by clicking an appropriate flag below.
Some items available at Amazon.com are not available in all countries.
Some items available at Amazon.com are not available in all countries.
The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics) Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 808
EAN: 9780140441376
ISBN: 0140441379
Label: Penguin Classics
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 416
Publication Date: 1965-04-30
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Studio: Penguin Classics
Dewey Decimal Number: 808
EAN: 9780140441376
ISBN: 0140441379
Label: Penguin Classics
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 416
Publication Date: 1965-04-30
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Studio: Penguin Classics
Editorial Review of The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics)
Customer Reviews of The Nibelungenlied: Prose Translation (Penguin Classics)
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A classic German epic
Review: An enthralling German epic that is a fascinating exploration of familiar characters, but are neither wholly taken from Wagner nor from the Norse Eddas. The Brunhilde and Siegfried we eagerly await both fade quickly into the background in this epic, and we have the two tragic heroes of Kriemhild and Hagen emerge to eclipse them. It could be argued the echo far exceeds the sound in this instance. The poet does not quite shine as much as his contemporaries, Gottfried von Strassburg or Wolfram von Escenbach, but nonetheless works a discernible magic.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: The Tragedy of the Burgundians
Review: "Nibelungenlied" (which is German for `The Song of the Nibelungs) concerns the tragedy of Siegfried and his wife, Kriemhild's revenge. It has been described as the German "Iliad"; although not exactly accurate, that it is not an unfair comparison. Although epic in scope with all its warfare and travels, it is ultimately more in line of Greek tragedy plays like Aeschylus' "Agamemnon", as it deals with Kriemhild's revenge on Hagen and her brothers for Siegfried's cruel murder. If you're expecting a "Lord of the Rings" style fantasy story, you may be a bit disappointed. While there are a few mentions of dragons and dwarves at the beginning, this is a human, domestic drama. Sometimes I was a little unsure of what the characters were doing, like when Siegfried goes to collect an army to march on Brunhild for no apparent reason, and a few other episodes that didn't make much sense. Otherwise a great story, and for me (at any rate) a great introduction to Norse Sagas.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Poor Bindings
Review: 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.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: An eye for an eye
Review: This very sad heroic epic tells the story of how `countless warriors met their doom' after the wrangling of two women.
Its themes are of all times: love, hate, sorrow, pride, jealousy, the `first night', greed, honor, friendship, loyalty, treason, power, strength, courage, kinship, revenge. Standing above the multitude is its immortal hero Siegfried.
Its roots are certainly not Christian (`you should be carrying swords, not roses; wearing good, bright helmets, not gem-encrusted chaplets'). On the other hand, it is a painful illustration that the law of the talion (`an eye for an eye; tooth for a tooth') leads to complete annihilation.
The translator A. T. Hatto (`licence is for poets, not translators') opted for a prose version, whereby, of course, the strophic nature of the original is lost. However, the result is still remarkable. I highly recommend this translation for those who cannot read a modern strophic version of the German original.
By the way, A.T. Hatto's notes are superb.
A must read for all those interested in world literature.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: The Nibelungenlied
Review: "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 ever read. It's as spectacular and intelligent as Homer's "The Illiad", and the Finnish "Kalevala". This story, which was revised on the theatre stage as Richard Wagner's 15-hour opera Der Ring Des Nibelungen, takes place in Germanic Medieval times. I won't go into much detail, though I will give you the basic plot: after winning Kriemhild as a bride, Siegfried wins another bride, a Queen of Iceland named Brunnhild, for Gunther, the King of Burgundy. Tragic and revenge strike when the two women have a terrifying conflict, which leads to many deaths.
After reading the "Nibelungenlied" for the first time last week, I was surprised at how different it was from Wagner's lengthy music drama. Like the "Volsung Saga", most of the names and races from the book stay true, while the settings, the characters' motives, the philosophies, and the actual ring are undoubtably Wagner's own creations.
This is a must-read for those who love "Beowulf", "The Illiad", "The Odyssey", "The Kalevala", and of course, Richard Wagner's "Ring Cycle".
Review Summary: A classic German epic
Review: An enthralling German epic that is a fascinating exploration of familiar characters, but are neither wholly taken from Wagner nor from the Norse Eddas. The Brunhilde and Siegfried we eagerly await both fade quickly into the background in this epic, and we have the two tragic heroes of Kriemhild and Hagen emerge to eclipse them. It could be argued the echo far exceeds the sound in this instance. The poet does not quite shine as much as his contemporaries, Gottfried von Strassburg or Wolfram von Escenbach, but nonetheless works a discernible magic.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: The Tragedy of the Burgundians
Review: "Nibelungenlied" (which is German for `The Song of the Nibelungs) concerns the tragedy of Siegfried and his wife, Kriemhild's revenge. It has been described as the German "Iliad"; although not exactly accurate, that it is not an unfair comparison. Although epic in scope with all its warfare and travels, it is ultimately more in line of Greek tragedy plays like Aeschylus' "Agamemnon", as it deals with Kriemhild's revenge on Hagen and her brothers for Siegfried's cruel murder. If you're expecting a "Lord of the Rings" style fantasy story, you may be a bit disappointed. While there are a few mentions of dragons and dwarves at the beginning, this is a human, domestic drama. Sometimes I was a little unsure of what the characters were doing, like when Siegfried goes to collect an army to march on Brunhild for no apparent reason, and a few other episodes that didn't make much sense. Otherwise a great story, and for me (at any rate) a great introduction to Norse Sagas.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Poor Bindings
Review: 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.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: An eye for an eye
Review: This very sad heroic epic tells the story of how `countless warriors met their doom' after the wrangling of two women.
Its themes are of all times: love, hate, sorrow, pride, jealousy, the `first night', greed, honor, friendship, loyalty, treason, power, strength, courage, kinship, revenge. Standing above the multitude is its immortal hero Siegfried.
Its roots are certainly not Christian (`you should be carrying swords, not roses; wearing good, bright helmets, not gem-encrusted chaplets'). On the other hand, it is a painful illustration that the law of the talion (`an eye for an eye; tooth for a tooth') leads to complete annihilation.
The translator A. T. Hatto (`licence is for poets, not translators') opted for a prose version, whereby, of course, the strophic nature of the original is lost. However, the result is still remarkable. I highly recommend this translation for those who cannot read a modern strophic version of the German original.
By the way, A.T. Hatto's notes are superb.
A must read for all those interested in world literature.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: The Nibelungenlied
Review: "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 ever read. It's as spectacular and intelligent as Homer's "The Illiad", and the Finnish "Kalevala". This story, which was revised on the theatre stage as Richard Wagner's 15-hour opera Der Ring Des Nibelungen, takes place in Germanic Medieval times. I won't go into much detail, though I will give you the basic plot: after winning Kriemhild as a bride, Siegfried wins another bride, a Queen of Iceland named Brunnhild, for Gunther, the King of Burgundy. Tragic and revenge strike when the two women have a terrifying conflict, which leads to many deaths.
After reading the "Nibelungenlied" for the first time last week, I was surprised at how different it was from Wagner's lengthy music drama. Like the "Volsung Saga", most of the names and races from the book stay true, while the settings, the characters' motives, the philosophies, and the actual ring are undoubtably Wagner's own creations.
This is a must-read for those who love "Beowulf", "The Illiad", "The Odyssey", "The Kalevala", and of course, Richard Wagner's "Ring Cycle".