Winder McConnell Knihy

This Companion to the Nibelungenlied draws on the expertise of scholars from Germany, Britain, and the United States to offer the reader fresh perspectives on a wide variety of topics regarding the epic: the latest theories regarding manuscript tradition, authorship, conflict, combat, and politics, the Otherworld and its inhabitants, eroticism (in both the Nibelungenlied and Wagner's Ring), the twentieth-century reception both of the Nibelungenlied and of its most intriguing protagonist, Kriemhild, key concepts used by the poet, the heroic, feudal, and courtly elements in the work, and an analysis of archetypal elements from the perspective of Jungian psychology.

Utilizing both literary and extra-literary sources, the study considers all documented references to the Wate figure in the Middle Ages. Subsequent to a critical evaluation of research done on the figure in the years 1826-1974, an analysis is undertaken of Wate's role in prominent literary works of medieval Germany (e. g. Alexanderlied, Dietrichs Flucht), Scandinavia (The Thidrekssaga), and England. The examination of his function within the literary milieu demonstrates that Brobdingnagian traits are a fundamental aspect of Wate's character. The etymology of his name, as well as his appearance as a giant in folklore, provide further evidence of Wate's significance as the manifestation of a primitive growth concept.