Brynhild

Brynhild is a prominent figure in Norse mythology, most famously appearing in the Poetic Edda and the Völsunga Saga. She is often depicted as a valkyrie, a chooser of the slain, and a powerful shield-maiden. In one of the most well-known tales, Brynhild is punished by Odin for defying him in battle. He casts her into a deep sleep within a hall surrounded by a wall of fire, to be awakened only by a man brave enough to pass through the flames and marry her.

Sigurd, the dragon-slayer and hero of the Völsunga Saga, eventually finds and awakens Brynhild. Their union is a central part of the saga, but it becomes entangled in deception and betrayal. Sigurd is tricked into marrying Gudrun, another woman, and under a magical compulsion, he leads Gudrun's brothers to Brynhild, falsely claiming to be the one who rescued her. This act leads to a tragic chain of events.

When Brynhild discovers Sigurd's betrayal and his marriage to Gudrun, she is consumed by grief and a desire for revenge. She orchestrates Sigurd's death at the hands of her lover, Gunnar, and then, overcome by despair, takes her own life. Brynhild's story is a powerful exploration of love, fate, honor, and the devastating consequences of deceit in Norse mythology.