Morris and the Re-characterization of the Volsungs
By Michael Facenda.
William Morris’s retelling of the Volsung Saga is quite loyal to the original story, though the text has several qualities that make it stand out even amongst the menagerie of retellings from this period. The most notable difference between the two is how Morris characterizes the figures within the story. While the original story tends to offer broad descriptions of the character’s personalities, Morris takes a great deal of effort to make them more three-dimensional. This is to be expected considering the popularity of romanticizing the Vikings at the period, though Morris stands out among the authors of these recreations since his version of the text appears to acknowledge the fact that the Volsung Saga is well known. As a result, Morris’ text is less of an alternate version of the Saga, but rather a more advanced and detailed rendition.
Morris’ acknowledgment that the audience is likely aware of the original story is quite evident from how he describes the old man Sigurd encounters on his mission. In the original text, the old man is never referred to by name while Sigurd speaks to him, though it is blatantly implied that the one-eyed old man that appears several times is the chief Norse god Odin. This is ultimately confirmed when the narration states that “it was Odin whom Sigurd met.” (Saga 56). Morris however does not confirm that Sigurd is speaking to Odin, ironic considering that he offers far more hints as to who the old man is than the original text. For instance, the old man is described as “one-eyed and ancient-seeming, in cloud-grey raiment clad; a friendly man and glorious.” (Morris 108). The description of being one-eyed is an obvious reference to Odin, as are the use of the adjectives “ancient-seeming” and “glorious” both of which are befitting titles for a god. Meanwhile, the original text simply introduced Odin as “an old man with a long beard.” (Saga 63). Morris even manages to work this into the plot as the scene continues. When explaining how to defeat Fafnir, the old man tells Sigurd to “be learned of me, for I was the first of thy folk,” (Morris, 109). This is in reference to Odin’s role in creating the world and humanity in Norse mythology, but it also serves to add more weight to the advice that he gives to Sigurd due to it possibly being from the god of wisdom rather than a random old man. It also gives the old man a larger personality, as someone that is mysterious and slightly mischievous since he implies to be something greater than he appears.
Morris’ depiction of the old man is very similar to classic depictions of Odin. However, Morris is no stranger to practically reinventing some characters of the saga. This is most notable in his characterization of Fafnir, who is depicted as somewhat tragic. In the original text, Fafnir’s dialogue focuses mostly on telling Sigurd that the gold he has stolen will curse him because “everyone wants to have wealth until that one day, but everyone must die sometime.” (Saga 64). Fafnir also explains the Norns to Sigurd, telling him that “they are many and sundry,” (Saga 64), though does not go into much more detail. Morris however focuses on the piece about the Norns, and crafts it into a very nihilist speech. Morris’ Fafnir laments the fact that he is dying, and says that he has seen “the Gods of heaven, and their Norns withal I know.” (Morris, 111). Fafnir goes on to claim that the gods have preordained everything because they “withhold their helping, they hate and refrain the blow… they have fashioned the and the evil; they abide the change and the end.” (Morris, 111). Fafnir believes that he had no chance to be good because he was already deemed evil by the Norns, forcing him to obey fate. This simple change in the text by Morris manages to make a relatively one-note villain in the original text into a far more sympathetic character.
The characterization of Fafnir as a more sympathetic figure is not exclusive to Morris. A similar depiction in the painting at the top of this page; Arthur Rackham’s painting of Fafnir for Richard Wagner’s opera Siegfried. The painting depicts Fafnir guarding his treasure, however he is far from the deadly serpent that his legend describes. Rackham’s Fafnir has a miserable scowl on his face, as if existing is painful for him. Fafnir is also surrounded by the bones of presumably his fallen enemies, though it does little to make the dragon appear fearsome. The depressed depiction of Fafnir is reminiscent of Morris’ nihilistic Fafnir, who has grown weary of the fact that the Norns dictate the morality of his life.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fáfnir#/media/File:Siegfried_and_the_Twilight_of_the_Gods_p_022.jpg
