The Nibelungenlied

This BBC podcast episode of "In Our Time" features Melvyn Bragg and three guests—Sarah Bowden, Mark Chinca, and Bettina Bildhauer—discussing the Nibelungenlied, a 12th-century German epic. The discussion covers the complex plot involving Siegfried, Kriemhild, Gunther, and Brunhilda, the significance of the Nibelung treasure, and the poem's themes of deceit, revenge, and the clash between courtly and heroic values. The panel also explores the poem's historical context, its rediscovery in the Romantic era, its problematic appropriation by German nationalists, and its various reworkings in film and literature, including Wagner's operas and contemporary adaptations. They analyze the poem's structure, language, and the shifting roles of heroes and villains, and debate the presence of Christian themes. The conversation extends into a bonus segment where the panel discusses the poem's narrative innovations, the role of prophecy, and the materiality and performance aspects of the work.