Gudrun

Family: Gjukungs · Role: daughter of Giuki; wife of Sigurd, then of Atli, then of Jonakr · First appears: Elder Edda · The Lay of Hyndla

In the Lay of Hyndla, Gudrun is named as Giuki’s daughter and the sister of Gunnar and Hogni. Gripir foretells that Grimhild will beguile Sigurd and that Gudrun will enjoy a happy union with him, while Brynhild schemes for revenge. In the Fragments of the Lay of Sigurd and Brynhild, Sigurd marries Gudrun; they have a son, Sigmund (son of Sigurd), and Sigurd gives her Fafnir’s heart to eat. At the Rhine, Gudrun defends her husband to Brynhild, revealing that he rode through the fire and took Andvaranaut. After Sigurd is killed, she grieves over his body; she later leaves for Denmark and stays with Thora (daughter of Hakon).

In the Slaughter of the Niflungs, Gudrun is given to Atli in marriage after being given an oblivious potion, and she warns Gunnar and Hogni in runes not to go to him. In the Second Lay of Gudrun, Grimhild gives her a potion to make her forget her injuries and offers her wealth and marriage to Atli; Gudrun accepts reluctantly. When Herkia accuses her of being with Thiodrek, Gudrun undergoes the boiling-cauldron ordeal and is proved guiltless. In the Lay of Atli, she kills Atli’s sons, Erp (son of Atli) and Eitil, and tells Atli he has eaten their hearts; she then kills him and burns the palace. In the Groenland Lay of Atli, she fights to defend her kinsmen, and she and Hogni’s unnamed son kill Atli.

After Atli’s death, Gudrun tries to drown herself but is carried to Jonakr’s land, where he marries her. Their sons are Sorli, Erp, and Hamdir; Gudrun urges them to avenge their sister Svanhild and equips them for the journey. The Younger Edda also names her son Hogne (son of Gudrun), who joins her in killing Atli, and identifies Gudny as her sister.