Away with the Gods, the Magic Suffices: An Analysis of Die Nibelungen and the Nibelungenlied Anonymous College

The purpose of a myth is to promote an ideology and to set standards for society. In this way, according to Bidney, the myth is the source of morality and religion (Myth, Symbolism, and Truth 22). This would explain the various connections between Christianity and the Germanic and Norse mythology. For example, the story of creation runs parallel: the universe begins dark and empty, a single entity is responsible for the first creation, and smaller beings complete the design of the world(s). In addition, one could argue the similarity between the Nordic apple of life and the Biblical forbidden fruit, which is typically translated as an apple, in the Garden of Eden. The Germanic epic poem Das Nibelungenlied, based on 5th and 6th century historic leaders and occurrences, also portrays parallels with Christian elements.

Perhaps these comparisons exist because all myths were written down as a result of Christianization, and the Nibelungenlied in particular was not written down until the 13th century. Due to the strong Christian sentiment of the 18th century, when the text was rediscovered, there was an inner conflict with the depicted pagan way of life and as such, the focus of appreciation for the text centered on the epic’s...