JRR Tolkien’s ‘The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun’ Published This Week

tolkiens-legend-of-sigurd-and-gudrun The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun by JRR Tolkien was published earlier this week. The 500-stanza poem which has never before seen the light of day was loosely based on a collection of Norse myths. These were named Elder Edda and were preserved in a 13th-century manuscript which he had cherished.

The epic poem tells of the love, magic, jealousy and tragedy that surrounds the story of Sigurd the Völsung and the fall of the Niflungs. The character Valkyrie Brynhild is rescued by the hero Sigurd after he kills the dragon Fafnir. Experts believe this storyline might have influenced Bilbo’s encounter with Smaug in The Hobbit. Unfortunately Sigurd is later murdered and Brynhild commits suicide.

JRR Tolkien’s son has recently expressed concerns that his father’s many fans might be “put off” by the book’s verse form. Most people know the great writer for The Lord of the Rings and not for poetry. Christopher Tolkien 84, who lives in France, recently completed another un-seen manuscript of his father’s and had it posthumously published. Middle-Earth The Children of Húrin went on to see more than one million copies worldwide.

When asked about the publication of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún earlier in the week, Christopher Tolkien replied:

“I dare say that a good many will be instantly put off by the very idea of ‘long narrative poems in verse’ and pursue it no further. It is equally possible that their form will lend them an unexpected impact.”

During his childhood, young Tolkien’s father would pay him two pence for every mistake found in his rough drafts. Ever after, the great writer would ask his son for ideas and inspiration, even when Christopher was an RAF pilot during World War 2. For the last 36 years he has been the chief literary executor of his father’s work. Amongst the titles to have come from this dedicated hard work was The Silmarillion which was published in 1977.

When asked further about the most recent publication of JRR Tolkien’s epic poetry, he said:

“My hope is that some of those who appreciate and admire the works of my father will find it illuminating in respect of Old Norse poetry in general, in his own treatment of the fierce, passionate and mysterious legend, and in this further and little known aspect of him as both philologist and poet. Above all I hope they will take pleasure in this poetry.”

The book is available to buy here and has so far received glowing customer reviews: The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun by JRR Tolkien

You can read the full interview here: Christopher Tolkien answers questions about Sigurd and Gudrún