Tolkien and Sigurd “The World's Chosen,” Part 2

With the addition of this theme, then, Tolkien creates an orderly, unified plot around an orderly, unified character, and in doing so, he provides answers to more of the vexing questions left by the original sources. First off, how does Sigurd end up tied into the stories of Fafnir and Regin in the first place? The World's chosen must be a dragon slayer, so he has to find a dragon to slay, and Regin's desire for revenge against the shape-shifting Fafnir (currently in dragon form) offers the perfect opportunity. By this point in Tolkien's Lay, readers already know the history of Sigurd's family and that he is a descendant of Ódin, so the timing is just right for the young hero to head off to slay his dragon. 

Second, Tolkien's portrayal of Sigurd as the World's chosen helps him solve the problem of the two Brynhilds and answer the question of how and why Sigurd and Brynhild end up as an engaged couple. Basically, Tolkien ignores half of the Brynhild tradition; he makes his Brynhild a Valkyrie. This is fitting, for the World's chosen ought to have a bride who is more than royalty and even more than human. Brynhild thinks so, too. In fact, before Ódin put her to sleep, she swore an oath to marry only the World's chosen (121). When Sigurd wakes her, Brynhild's first thought is to make sure he is the right man. The World's chosen has found his bride, or so it seems. 

If Sigurd and Brynhild are perfectly matched as the World's chosen and the Valkyrie bride, why then do they part? The original sources do not supply an answer, but Tolkien does. Brynhild is not quite satisfied with Sigurd just yet, for she is not just a Valkyrie but also a queen. Therefore, her husband-to-be must be a king before she will deign to marry him (125). So Brynhild sends Sigurd off to win a lordship, warning him to beware of trickery and the beauty of other women (123). 

Seeking his kingdom, Sigurd rides into the land of Gjúki and his family (130). He soon proves himself a worthy, useful, and entertaining ally as he fights beside Gunnar and Högni and sings of his dragon-slaying exploits and of Brynhild (132). Realizing who is in their midst, the World's chosen himself, Gjúki's wife, Grímhild, decides that Sigurd would be the perfect husband for her daughter, Gudrún (133). Sigurd, however, is clearly in love with Brynhild and intends to return to her as soon as he completes his quest, so Grímhild must come up with a plan. To gain the World's chosen for Gudrún, Grímhild must use her magic on him. She concocts a potion that makes Sigurd forget all about Brynhild and fall in love with the next woman he sees, Gudrún, of course (140). Sigurd's character and honor remain unsullied, for he has been tricked.