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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. Who is Albric?

2. Who is Kriemhild's father?

3. After the murder of Siegfried, what does Siegmund want Kriemhild to do?

4. Who greets Siegfried when he arrives at King Gunther's castle?

5. How is Kriemhild convinced to marry Etzel?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens after Etzel's men jostle Gunther's men as they leave Etzel's feast?

2. What happens during the fight between Hildebrand and Hagen?

3. Describe Kriemhild's journey to Hungary.

4. What does Siegfried say he is doing, and what is he really doing, while Gunther and Brunhild are engaging in a contest of strength?

5. Whom does Kriemhild ask for assistance in getting revenge for Siegfried's death?

6. What theme is established in Bloedelin's death?

7. Why do Kriemhild's brothers and mother think that she should marry Etzel?

8. What choice do Dietrich and Hildebrand offer Gunther and Hagen?

9. Why does Hagen tell Gunther and the rest of the warriors that he tried so hard to drown the priest?

10. Hagen lies when telling Etzel why his knights wear armor to church. Why doesn't Kriemhild expose his lie to Etzel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the economy of the Nibelungenlied? What things are exchanged, and what is offered in return for gifts? Give three examples of gift exchanges in which more than goods change hands.

Essay Topic 2

What role do the tournaments have in setting up the action that takes place in the rest of the narrative? Can the tournaments be considered a microcosm of the rest of the Burgundian or Hun society?

Essay Topic 3

Write a three-part essay that analyzes Kriemhild's culpability for her husband's murder. Pick three events or situations from the poem that you think give Kriemhild culpability for the murder of her husband and explain your point of view. Then take the opposite point of view of those events or situations and explain why Kriemhild can also be considered blameless, or nearly blameless. In the final section, provide your opinion about the most reasonable assessment of Kriemhild's culpability. Provide examples from the poem to support your arguments.

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This section contains 906 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample