The world first publication of a previously unknown work by J.R.R. Tolkien, which tells the epic story of the Norse hero, Sigurd, the dragon-slayer, the revenge of his wife, Gudr�n, and the Fall of the Nibelungs. "Many years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien composed his own version, now published for the first time, of the great legend of Northern antiquity, in two closely related poems to which he gave the titles The New Lay of the V�lsungs and The New Lay of Gudr�n. In the Lay of the V�lsungs is told the ...
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The world first publication of a previously unknown work by J.R.R. Tolkien, which tells the epic story of the Norse hero, Sigurd, the dragon-slayer, the revenge of his wife, Gudr�n, and the Fall of the Nibelungs. "Many years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien composed his own version, now published for the first time, of the great legend of Northern antiquity, in two closely related poems to which he gave the titles The New Lay of the V�lsungs and The New Lay of Gudr�n. In the Lay of the V�lsungs is told the ancestry of the great hero Sigurd, the slayer of F�fnir most celebrated of dragons, whose treasure he took for his own; of his awakening of the Valkyrie Brynhild who slept surrounded by a wall of fire, and of their betrothal; and of his coming to the court of the great princes who were named the Niflungs (or Nibelungs), with whom he entered into blood-brotherhood. In that court there sprang great love but also great hate, brought about by the power of the enchantress, mother of the Niflungs, skilled in the arts of magic, of shape-changing and potions of forgetfulness. In scenes of dramatic intensity, of confusion of identity, thwarted passion, jealousy and bitter strife, the tragedy of Sigurd and Brynhild, of Gunnar the Niflung and Gudr�n his sister, mounts to its end in the murder of Sigurd at the hands of his blood-brothers, the suicide of Brynhild, and the despair of Gudr�n. In the Lay of Gudr�n her fate after the death of Sigurd is told, her marriage against her will to the mighty Atli, ruler of the Huns (the Attila of history), his murder of her brothers the Niflung lords, and her hideous revenge. Deriving his version primarily from his close study of the ancient poetry of Norway and Iceland known as the Poetic Edda (and where no old poetry exists, from the later prose work the V�lsunga Saga), J.R.R. Tolkien employed a verse-form of short stanzas whose lines embody in English the exacting alliterative rhythms and the concentrated energy of the poems of the Edda." - Christopher Tolkien
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Add this copy of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún to cart. $7.99, good condition, Sold by Goodwill of Silicon Valley rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from San Jose, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by HarperCollins.
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Supports Goodwill of Silicon Valley job training programs. The cover and pages are in Good condition! Any other included accessories are also in Good condition showing use. Use can included some highlighting and writing page and cover creases as well as other types visible wear.
Add this copy of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún to cart. $9.33, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books East rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Glendale Heights, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by HarperCollins.
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Book is in very good condition and may include minimal underlining highlighting. The book can also include From the library of labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service.
Add this copy of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún to cart. $9.77, good condition, Sold by Zoom Books Company rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lynden, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by HarperCollins.
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Book is in good condition and may include underlining highlighting and minimal wear. The book can also include From the library of labels. May not contain miscellaneous items toys dvds etc. We offer 100% money back guarantee and 24 7 customer service.
Add this copy of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún to cart. $16.99, very good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2009 by HarperCollins.
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Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Add this copy of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun to cart. $22.99, very good condition, Sold by The Book Scouts rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hamilton, ON, CANADA, published 2009 by HarperCollins Publishers.
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Near Fine in Near Fine jacket. Size: 8x5x1; We're happy to combine shipping to save you some money. We're also always buying collectible book collections. Contact us for details. We're happy to provide pictures of any and all books for you, please just ask! Canadian first edition, first printing. Contains number line 1. Canadian price is on inside front flap. Virtually no wear to jacket. Jacket is NOT price clipped. Canadian price on jacket. Covers are clean and bright. Edges are sharp. No tears or creases. The book itself is in Near Fine condition. The binding is straight and tight. Remainder mark.
Add this copy of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún to cart. $24.38, very good condition, Sold by John C. Newland rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Cheltenham, Glos., UNITED KINGDOM, published 2009 by HarperCollins.
Add this copy of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun to cart. $24.47, very good condition, Sold by Arapiles Mountain Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castlemaine, VIC, AUSTRALIA, published 2009 by Harper Collins.
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Bill Sanderson. VG+ in F- jacket. VG+/F-. 8vo. original charcoal boards (a little rubbed & bumped, tanning to paperstock, thin texter line to tail edge, denoting one-time remaindered copy) in unpriced dustwrapper (a trifle rubbed); pp. [vi (last blank)], 378, with illustration. A very good copy.
Add this copy of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun to cart. $31.00, like new condition, Sold by Brian Bauld (B-Line Books) rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Amherst, NS, CANADA, published 2009 by Harpercollins.
Add this copy of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún to cart. $38.75, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by HarperCollins.
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JohnL
Jan 17, 2010
Successful retelling of Old Norse story
Tolkein?s The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun is a retelling of an Old Norse story that also forms the basis for Wagner?s Ring cycle (in this Sigurd and Gudrun are Siegfreid and Gutrune). Tolkein took the story from two sources: various poems in a manuscript called The Poetic Edda and the Volsunga Saga. The poems directly inspired the form of this poem, which is made up of stanzas of alliterative verse in an episodic and lyrical, rather than continuous, narrative.
The poems of the The Poetic Edda have various differing versions of the story and Tolkein chose from them one version to follow through. The Poetic Edda is also missing the central part of the story which Tolken then takes from the Volsunga Saga. Others will correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that of this poem about 30% is direct translation from the Old Norse and 70% is Tolkein, either paraphrasing or inventing.
The volume also contains copious background notes by Tolkein?s son Christopher, which quote various writing of Tolkein, including his useful description of Old English alliterative verse and metre.
I thought that Tolkein?s poem was very effective, and it is difficult to say where the Old Norse ends and Tolkein begins without consulting the notes, which is a mark of its quality. Only in a few places did the poem sound more C20 than C11 to me. I think that no-one will come away disappointed from this volume and it will be appreciated by poetry readers, Tolkein enthusiasts and Old Norse aficionados in equal measure.
