Has anyone here even read "Das Nibelungenlied"

Has anyone here even read "Das Nibelungenlied".
It seems to be such an important part of German art and culture.
The tale is well known to every German and it most definetly had influence on many great german writers and also musicians (Wagner).
The tale is the german equivalent of the Illiad yet I never see it dicussed here.
Don't Start with the Greeks if you want to read any German philosopher or writer, rather "Start with the Nibelungenlied!"

I've read it. My mother-tongue is Dutch and I can speak German, so reading the original isn't difficult. (e.g. 'Do wuohs in Niderlanden... eins edlen küniges kint, de vater der hiez Sigemunt, sîn mouter Sigelint' can easily be understood be any native speaker).

I agree that it's a fundamental text in the Germanic literary culture, but let's not overstate its significance.

Well I listen to Wagner I guess.

Yes, I did some years ago. It's awesome but at least for me the end "Trial" being humans when a lot of awesome shit has been going on it's disappointing. Also the defeating of the gods just by breaking the spear. I know there is a philosophical message in there and mythological reasons but it didn't felt right.

You should propably know the tale before being able to appreaciate and listen to Der Ring der Nibelungen perhaps.
It is from the 12th century. While the old version is understandable it is also difficult at times.
Reading a modern version should be totally acceptable.
>I know there is a philosophical message
It is littered with meaning.

Sounds like someone just rolled Siegfried in the gacha lmao

Bitch I've been listening and appreciating the Ring for years.
Unfortunately although I'm familiar enough with Wagner's librettos to understand his drama, my german is not good enough to read something like the Nibelungenlied. I should learn german, really.

>I should learn german, really.
translation?
>inb4

haven't read it, but i've read The Volsung Saga.

>The Volsung Saga
If I ever get into Icelandic literature I might pick it up but till then...

I read it last month. It was awesome.

It was boring. Even Goethe thought it was mediocre.

>translation?
They're all translations since it's written in Middle High German. Not widely spoken in present day Germany.

Well Goethe was a Pseud then.

Can I read it without having read anything specific before? It's been on my to read list for ages and every time I go to the bookstore I play with the thought of buying it. I have a shit ton to read anyway, I'm currently still busy with the Greeks and want to transition into continuing with the Romans. Should I wait until I arrive at the medieval period or just read it already?

My German is pretty poor and is restricted to extremely proper and simple sentences. Reading a translation of poetry is never a good idea, also.
I understand but that is just too easy. I can understand simple sentences in Anglo-Saxon too, but reading a whole text is a different story.

I know the essential story however through my Dutch grandparents, and it was refreshed in my memory by Der Ring der Nibelungen, and genre fiction.
I suppose it's sort of like reading the Theogony. A bit of background would help, but because it's a fundamental text, it's far from necessary.

>Da war in Netherlanden... eines edlen koeniges Kind, des Vater der hiess Sigmund, sein Mutter Siglind.
>In the low lands there was a noble [and] royal child, the father of Sigmund, his mother Siglind.
How bad are my translations?

It's pretty epic.

I picked it up from the library once based on the cover without knowing what it was; i read a little part of the beginning and the introduction and decided it wasn't worth continuing.

>Yes, I did some years ago. It's awesome but at least for me the end "Trial" being humans when a lot of awesome shit has been going on it's disappointing. Also the defeating of the gods just by breaking the spear. I know there is a philosophical message in there and mythological reasons but it didn't felt right.
what the fuck, this wasn't in what I read

Brunhilde...