Brynhildr, the Norse Valkyrie
Brynhildr, also known as Brynhild or Brunhilde, is a prominent figure among the Norse Valkyries, the fierce warrior goddesses tasked with determining the fates of soldiers in battle and guiding the deceased to Valhalla in Asgard. Her narrative begins with her defiance against Odin, wherein she chooses a warrior favored by the god to die, leading to her punishment of eternal sleep surrounded by flames, guarded by the dragon Fáfnir. Sigurðr, a brave hero, encounters Brynhildr during his quest to slay the dragon and awakens her, leading to a tragic story of love and deception. Despite their initial engagement, Sigurðr is bewitched into forgetting Brynhildr and marrying another, Guðrún. This betrayal culminates in tragedy, as Brynhildr, fueled by rage and grief, orchestrates Sigurðr's death and ultimately takes her own life to join him in the afterlife. The themes of love, bravery, and the consequences of deception in Brynhildr's story have endured through centuries, inspiring numerous works of art, literature, and music, including Richard Wagner's famed opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen. Brynhildr's tale remains a significant part of Norse mythology, reflecting deep emotional and moral complexities.
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Subject Terms
Brynhildr, the Norse Valkyrie
Author: Traditional Norse
Time Period: 1001 CE–1500 CE
Country or Culture: Scandinavia
Genre: Myth
PLOT SUMMARY
Brynhildr (also known as Brynhild or Brunhilde) is one of the Valkyries, mighty warrior goddesses whose responsibility it is to decide who will live or die in battle and to deliver casualties to the majestic hall known as Valhalla, in the world of Asgard. Brynhildr is following a great battle among mortals and chooses Hjálmgunnarr to die. Hjálmgunnarr, however, has the favor of the great god Odin, who promises that he will win the battle. Brynhildr’s defiance enrages Odin.
To punish her, Odin sentences her to sleep forever in a mountaintop castle, Hindafjall (Hindarfell), where she is surrounded by a wall of fire and protected by a dragon named Fáfnir. The only way for her to escape this fate is for her to marry a mortal, whom Brynhildr vows must be a man who lives without fear. While she sleeps, a brave hero named Sigurðr (Sigurd) is sent on a mission to kill Fáfnir. He then learns of Hindafjall’s prisoner and rides to the castle out of curiosity. Walking through the wall of fire, Sigurðr comes across the sleeping Brynhildr and is captivated by her beauty.
Cutting through her armor, Sigurðr awakens Brynhildr. They agree to become engaged, but he does not free her from captivity. However, he vows to do so once he returns from delivering the treasure that was guarded by Fáfnir to his ally, King Gjúki. Before he leaves, he gives her a symbol of his promise to her, the magic ring Andvaranautr, from among the treasures that Fáfnir safeguarded. The ring is cursed, however, and because of that curse, Sigurðr becomes fated to forget his love. Gjúki’s daughter Guðrún (Gudrun) falls in love with Sigurðr. Sigurðr still remembers his love for Brynhildr and spurns Guðrún. With the help of her mother, the witch Grimhíldr, Guðrún gives a magic potion to Sigurðr, making him forget his true love and instead fall in love with Guðrún.
Guðrún’s brother Gunnarr wants to marry Brynhildr himself but is afraid to travel through the flames that surround her dwelling. Grimhíldr again intervenes, changing Sigurðr’s appearance to that of Gunnarr. Under the spell, Sigurðr (as Gunnarr) rides through the flames and convinces Brynhildr that she should instead marry Gunnarr. She gives the impostor Andvaranautr. Over time, the effects of Grimhíldr’s magic dissipate, and Sigurðr returns to his normal self, remembering his love for Brynhildr, but by this time he is married to Guðrún.
Years later, Guðrún reveals to Brynhildr Sigurðr’s deception. Blinded by her rage, Brynhildr urges Gunnarr to kill Sigurðr. Bound by an oath, Gunnarr instead convinces his younger brother to commit the crime. (In one version, Sigurðr slays this brother just as he is being cut down.) As Sigurðr’s body is laid to rest, Brynhildr, consumed by grief, throws herself upon Sigurðr’s funeral pyre so that she can be with Sigurðr forever in the afterlife.
SIGNIFICANCE
Brynhildr’s story is one of love, beauty, bravery, strength, and deception. The two main characters, Brynhildr and Sigurðr, demonstrate each of these characteristics. Brynhildr, for example, is described as a woman of incredible beauty (evidenced by her status as one of Odin’s few handmaidens) and power. When Sigurðr finds her, he is first drawn to her golden hair, which is falling out of her helmet. When he removes the helmet, and her locks fall free, he is even more attracted. She is also clad in armor, which demonstrates her great physical strength; when he cuts away her chain mail clothing, he reveals her physical beauty. At the sight of this beautiful and strong woman, Sigurðr falls in love. When she awakes, Brynhildr quickly shares that love at the sight of the man who has freed her.
Bravery is also a trait demonstrated by both of the main characters. Unfortunately, Brynhildr’s bravery and defiance are to blame for her imprisonment. As a Valkyrie, she is responsible for choosing who would die in battle. However, she defiantly chooses a combatant who has Odin’s favor, and she is punished for her decision. Meanwhile, Sigurðr is so fearless that he rides his horse through the wall of flame that keeps Brynhildr hidden from the world. He also confronts and kills the terrible dragon that guards the castle in which the sleeping Brynhildr is imprisoned. In fact, when the fearful Gunnar wants to marry Brynhildr, he needs Sigurðr’s innate bravery to return to Hindafjall for his would-be wife.
Both Sigurðr and Brynhildr, cursed because of the ring the former gave the latter, fall victim to the deception and betrayal of the other characters in the story. Sigurðr unwittingly succumbs to two magic spells that make him both spurn his true love and force her into the arms of another. Brynhildr, unaware that her betrothed is under the influence of magic, becomes enraged at his actions and brings about his death. She still loves him, however, and upon his death takes her own life as well so that they can be together forever.
In light of these themes, the story of Brynhildr has survived the ages, appearing in various incarnations in art, literature, music, and even popular culture. The themes of this story found their way into a number of Scandinavian poems during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. In the eighteenth century, composer Richard Wagner used the Brynhildr epic in Der Ring des Nibelungen, a four-opera cycle including what is considered his most well-known piece, Die Walküre (The Valkyrie). The themes of the Brynhildr story (as well as characters resembling her) have appeared in modern comic books and television shows, and Wagner’s iconic piece composed in her honor has been featured in a wide range of films and productions.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Brynhild.” Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art. Brooklyn Museum, 13 Apr. 2007. Web. 24 May 2013.
Byock, Jesse L., trans. and ed. The Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer. Berkeley: U of California P, 2012. Print.
Littleton, C. Scott, ed. Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology. Vol. 10. Tarrytown: Cavendish, 2005. Print.
Mackenzie, Donald A. Teutonic Myth and Legend. London: Gresham, 1912. Print.
“The Ring Cycle by Wagner.” Metropolitan Opera. Metropolitan Opera, 2013. Web. 24 May 2013.
Smart, Anthony E. “Brunhilde.” Encyclopedia Mythica. Encyclopedia Mythica, 30 Mar. 2001. Web. 24 May 2013.