ISBN The Nibelungenlied ( The Lay of the Nibelungs ) 288 pages English

In ancient tales many marvels are told us ... now you may hear such marvels told!' The greatest of the heroic epics to emerge from medieval Germany the Nibelungenlied is a revenge saga of sweeping dimensions. It tells of the dragon-slayer Sivrit and the mysterious kingdom of the Nibelungs with its priceless treasure-hoard guarded by dwarves and giants of Prünhilt the Amazonian queen fortune-telling water-sprites and a cloak of invisibility. Driven by the conflict between Kriemhilt the innocent maiden turned she-devil and her antagonist the stoic indomitable Hagen the story is one of human tragedy of love jealousy murder and revenge ending in slaughter on a horrific scale. The work of an anonymous poet of c.1200 since its rediscovery in the eighteenth century the Nibelungenlied has come to be regarded as the national epic of the Germans. It has inspired countless reworkings and adaptations including two masterpieces: Fritz Lang's two-part film and Richard Wagner's Ring cycle. This is the first prose translation for over forty years: accurate and compelling it is accompanied by a wealth of useful background information. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities helpful notes to clarify the text up-to-date bibliographies for further study and much more.