Saga Of The Volsungs Breakdown
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The Saga of the Volsungs:
The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer
In his translation of The Saga of the Volsungs: the Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer, Jesse L. Byock compiles many versions of this famous Norse epic and creates a very important scholarly work. Of special importance is the introduction, which provides a central working background to base readings upon. There are several themes echoed throughout the translation that reflect accurately on this portion of history. Byock does a superb job of illustrating these important aspects in his work. While the tale Byock tells is a fairy-tale handed down by generations of families, within the reader can find tell-tale signs of important aspects of Norse culture. For instance, important aspects of family life and the role of men and women surface. Likewise, the importance of wealth and material possessions on the power and prestige of a king is also evident.
While these aspects are important to the discussion of the narrative, there is another more important aspect to the story. While it is not necessary to relay the entire contents of the translation, it is important to know that the discourse is focused on the rise and fall of Sigurd the mighty dragon slayer. All events leading up to his birth merely foreshadow the coming of a great yet fated king. All events following his life and death merely relate the damnation suffered by him and his closest family members. That said, it can be stated that one of the most central aspects of the work is the role that fate and divine guidance play on the family and friends of Sigurd. This, in turn, says much about the importance of fate and religion to the medieval Norse peoples.
Crucial to the epic of Sigurd is the presence of Odin. Therefore, it is not a coincidence that this tale is weaved with threads from each of Odins most divine characteristics: war, wisdom, death, and ecstasy. Only Odin is there to see this epic through from beginning to end. Indeed, it was Odin who set the events in motion. It could reasonably be asserted that despite the favor shown towards Sigurd, Odin knew of Sigurds eventual downfall and the downfall of his family. When Odin set the world in motion, he knew what events would transpire and that he would be there to see them through.
Indeed, it is Odin who appears in person at crucial times in the story to jump-start or guide the mortals into his bidding. When it appears that one of Sigurds ancestors, Rerir, will be unable to produce a son, Odin sends an apple of fertility. In order to insure that young Sigurd will be properly armed, Odin sets a mighty sword into stone that only his ancestor Sigmund would be able to wield. Ironically it is in battle with Odin that Sigmund will break his fabled sword. The sword Gram, though broken in two, will eventually pass to Sigurd and aid in his slaying of the dragon. Eventually, long after the fall of Sigurd, it is Odin who tells men how to kill Hamdir and Sorli, effectively ending the epic.
An important point on the subject of Odin remains that unlike the Christian God, Norse gods such as Odin are fallible. They show bias towards specific mortals and often act out of their best interest. Often times, advice given by such gods has selfish intent and only serves as the means to which the god creates his ultimate end.
If it can be said that Odins hand was over the entire process, then it can be said that there is an important role for fate in the tale of Sigurd the dragon slayer. This is because the will of Odin and fate itself are not exactly one and the same. While Odin may control events to his liking, and juxtapose himself at important junctures to make sure all goes smoothly, the free will of the characters in the narrative is what makes the characters mortal. If it were not so, Odin would have no need to enter the story when he does. When he is concerned about the future decision making of his pawns, he asserts himself and helps guide them in their dilemma. However, while Odin may guide them along the path towards damnation, the choices they make freely tend to be the ones that will lead to their eventual downfall. Thus, more important than the role of Odin may be the role of fate. Fate itself should not be viewed the way modern culture views it, which is mostly in terms of good luck and bad luck. Rather, it should be seen as a driving force behind all actions. It is a living and breathing force residing within each of the major players in the narrative. And unlike luck, the fate of all characters is connected in one large sweeping line.
As it is with many other epic poems of tragic heroes, fate does little to favor the Volsungs on their path towards legend. Important decisions major characters