nibelung

Thân thiện

A dwarf from the Nibelung race guards a treasure chest in a cavern.

Definition

Noun 1. (German mythology) A member of a race of dwarfs or, in some interpretations, a race of people living in a subterranean realm, who possessed a great treasure hoard. This treasure was famously stolen by the hero Siegfried (or Sigurd). 2. (German mythology) A companion or follower of the hero Siegfried.

Usage

The word "Nibelung" is used almost exclusively in the context of Germanic and Norse mythology and the epic literature derived from it, such as the Nibelungenlied and Richard Wagner's opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen. - It refers to the original owners of a cursed treasure, central to many epic tales. - It can also refer to the collective people or followers associated with Siegfried after he acquires the treasure.

Examples

1. Referring to the dwarf race/people:In the saga, the dragon Fafnir was once a Nibelung who guarded the hoard.The ring was forged from the Nibelung's gold.

2. Referring to Siegfried's followers:Siegfried led the Nibelungs to many victories.After his death, the Nibelungs sought vengeance.

Advanced Usage

• The Nibelungs / Nibelungen: The plural form, often used to refer to the race as a whole or the collective followers.
• Nibelung treasure / hoard / gold: Standard collocations describing the mythical treasure.

Variants and Related Words

• Nibelungenlied: (Proper Noun) The "Song of the Nibelungs," a Middle High German epic poem from around 1200 that is the primary source for the legends.
• Nibelungen: The German plural form, commonly used in titles (e.g., ).

Synonyms

• Dwarf: (in the context of the first definition) A mythical being of small stature, often skilled in crafting.
• Follower: (in the context of the second definition) An adherent or retainer.

Notes on Meaning

The term has two distinct but related mythological meanings: 1. Primary Meaning: The original race (often dwarfish) who owned the treasure. This is the meaning in Wagner's Ring cycle, where Alberich is a Nibelung who forges the ring. 2. Secondary Meaning: The Burgundian people, especially the followers of Siegfried and later his wife Kriemhild, who are called the Nibelungs in the latter part of the Nibelungenlied epic after they inherit the treasure. This shift can cause confusion but is standard in the literary tradition.

Học thuật

Noun

1. (German mythology) any of the race of dwarfs who possessed a treasure hoard that was stolen by Siegfried
2. (German mythology) a companion or follower of Siegfried

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• nibelung