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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Brunhild want to know when she confronts Siegfried during his visit to Burgundy?

2. In whom does Kriemhild take comfort as she makes her decision about where to live?

3. What is the name of Kriemhild's child?

4. Who convinces Kriemhild to do what she does in response to Siegmund's request?

5. Oddly enough, who is sent as a messenger to Uote and Kriemhild at Burgundy after the contest between Gunther and Brunhild?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Gunther's men react to the news that Kriemhild still mourns?

2. What happens when Kriemhild weeps when she sees Hagen and Folker talking together?

3. Why does Hildebrand slay Kriemhild?

4. What is that deception that Kriemhild learns about when she rages at Hagen because he sinks the treasure of the Nibelungs in the Rhine?

5. What is given as a dowry for the Margrave's daughter, and by whom?

6. Why does Volker stand back to allow one thousand Hungarian warriors into the hall to fight after Iring dies?

7. What is Kriemhild's role in Gunther's suit of Brunhild?

8. How does Iring end up fighting Hagen alone?

9. How does Kriemhild end up being killed?

10. What ideas oppress Kriemhild after she dreams of walking with, and the kissing her brother Giselher and why does this happen after the dream?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The relationship between Siegfried and Gunther is central to the poem. Upon what is the relationship of Siegfried and Gunther based? What are the circumstances surrounding its beginning? How and why does it change and evolve? What is the motivation of each king to maintain the relationship, and how does that change over time? Write an essay that compares and contrasts the way Gunther and Siegfried relate to each other over time, until their queens quarrel.

Essay Topic 2

Why do Gunther,Giselher, and Gernot protect Hagen? What strength does he have that keeps justice from coming down on him? What has he done for Gunther and the others?

Essay Topic 3

Are there men's and women's ways of doing things in the Nibelungenlied, or is the distinction really to be made between the strong people's ways and the less strong people's ways? Does Kriemhild have such a difficult time exacting revenge because she is female, or because she is weaker than Hagen?

(see the answer keys)

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