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Sigurd And Brynhild And Double Marriage

1328 Words6 Pages
In the Saga of the Volsungs the Sigurd and Brynhild couple presents a particular interest not only because it plays the central role in the narration and causes unexpected plot twists but also because their love line is not of a conventional nature. Both of them make double marriage vows: one to each other and another to their official spouses. Since this is not a normal practise in the society, this causes trouble for both of them and results in their inability to live with each other and ultimately leads to their death. The vows Sigurd and Brynhild exchange have more meaning for them than the ones they give to Gudrun and Gunnar because for both of them personal feelings overpower the social responsibility. Nevertheless, the nature of these feelings is different; as for Gudrun it is a sense of duty to herself, whereas Sigurd acts out of love. As a result both characters prioritize the oaths they give to each other and turn out to be ready to break their marital vows in favor of feelings. This essay will demonstrate the significance each of the characters attaches to their love oaths and the reasons why they choose them over the marital bonds. As the initiator of the oaths exchange with Brynhild, Sigurd lays the foundation of their love line, which for him is based solely on love. From the first sight it may seem that he only chooses Brynhild for her extraordinary qualities, such as wisdom and foresight, which he cannot stop admiring during their first meet: "No one is
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