Beyond Saga and Stage: Brynhild in Fantasy Fiction

Brynhild the valkyrie is a recognisable and popular figure in public imagination since she first appeared on stage in Wagner’s operatic cycle ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’ in 1876. Over the next century and a half, Brynhild has transitioned beyond the theatre into many mediums such as comics, video games, films, cartoons, anime and also novel fiction set in the fantasy genre.
This paper will explore how three twenty-first century fantasy authors have re-interpreted Brynhild’s character and adapted the Icelandic Saga of the Volsungs, from which Brynhild’s identity as a valkyrie originates from.
‘The Strange Maid’ by Tessa Gratton (2014) presents an alternative parallel world where a deep taboo shrouds Brynhild’s canonical narrative, retaining and remembering her historical offence and exile by Odin. Granting readers a significantly biased recollection of Brynhild as a figure of historical shame to the present-day Valkyries.
‘Dead Radiance’ by T. G. Ayer (2012) introduces modern readers to a reborn Brynhild, through the science of DNA and invitro fertilization after the discovery of her burial in Sweden. This transplants the biological hybrid of Brynhild into the same time era as the reader but drastically removes her from the events and relationships founded in the Saga of the Volsungs.
‘The Valkyrie’ by Kate Heartfield (2023) is a bold reimagining of the Saga narrated from Brynhild’s point of view. Her character is converted from a figure of tragedy into a revolutionary heroine, inspiring the Valkyries to reaffirm that their judgement of the dead takes precedence over Odin’s commands.
This research demonstrates how contemporary authors use the freedom of the fantasy genre to create alternative contexts to challenge characters’ motives and change readers’ perceptions. Although this paper focuses on Brynhild, the findings will undoubtedly make a valuable contribution to the study of valkyrie reception today and in future.