Hero

Gunnar

Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.

MythWeave AI-generated editorial illustration, Norse portrait v1 full approved batch

Overview

Gunnar is the Giuking figure who most directly joins wooing-deception to the death decision. Later, Atli’s demand for gold carries him toward death.

Key facts

Woos Brynhild

Chapters XXVI-XXIX connect Gunnar’s wooing with Sigurd’s help.

Further spoiler details are available in the interactive atlas.

Relationships

Giukifather of
Giuki is Gunnar’s father.
Brynhildwoos
Gunnar woos Brynhild, but the wooing depends on Sigurd’s help and disguise.
Sigurdhelps win bride
Sigurd helps Gunnar win Brynhild.
Sigurd's Deathorders death
Gunnar is involved in the decision to kill Sigurd.
Atlikills for gold
Atli kills Gunnar for the gold.
Gudrunwrites warning to
Guthrun warns her brothers in runes, but Vingi falsifies the text.
Glaumvorwife of
The poem calls Glaumvor Gunnar’s wife.
Glaumvorwarns
Glaumvor urges Gunnar to turn back through dream images.
Vingikills
After Vingi admits the trap, the brothers’ party kills him.
Gudrunfights beside
Guthrun goes out to greet her brothers and joins their fight with a sword.
Atliorders death of
Atli orders Gunnar cast among serpents.
Gudrunblames her brother
Guthrun says Gjuki’s sons made her lose her heart’s friend and names Gunnar.
Gudruncurses his gold
Guthrun says Gunnar’s gold will bring him no joy.
Sigurdswears oaths with him
Sigurd trusts Gunnar and swears mighty oaths with Gjuki’s sons.
Sigurdgives Guthrun in marriage
Gjuki’s house gives Guthrun and many jewels to Sigurd.
Sigurdrides to woo with him
Sigurd rides with Gunnar to woo Brynhild.
Brynhildthreatens to leave
Brynhild says she will return to her own kin if Gunnar does not dare kill Sigurd.
Hognirefuses oath-breaking
Hogni says the oaths sworn with Sigurd should not be broken by swords.
Gotthormselects him to strike
Gunnar says Gotthorm did not enter the oaths and must be roused.
Brynhildcalls Gjuki’s heirs betrayers
Brynhild says Gjuki’s heirs made her joyless and a breaker of oaths.
Sigurdaccuses of oath-breaking
Gunnar says Sigurd broke his oaths to him.
Prophetic Ravenwarns of chains for broken oaths
The raven says their oaths will bind them in chains.
Brynhildspeaks to him
Brynhild speaks to Gunnar after the killing.
Brynhildforesees his trouble
Brynhild dreams Gunnar bound and joyless.
Gudrunrecalls brothers killing her husband
recalls brothers killing her husband
Atliarranges marriage
arranges marriage
Atlihas slain her brothers
In speaking to Atli, Guthrun says he has killed her brothers and kinsmen.
Oddrunloves Gunnar
loves Gunnar
Atlirefuses their marriage
refuses their marriage
Atliputs him in the serpent cave
puts him in the serpent cave
Oddrunhears his harp
hears his harp
Oddrunsails to save him
sails to save him
Atli’s Motherkeeps rescue from him
keeps rescue from him
Oddrunlaments him
laments him
Knefröthinvites him to the hall
invites him to the hall
Gudrunwarns with a wolf-hair ring
warns with a wolf-hair ring
Hogniasks his counsel
asks his counsel
Atlirides through Myrkwood
rides through Myrkwood
Atliseizes and binds him
seizes and binds him
Hognifights for his brother
fights for his brother
Hjallirecognizes Hjalli’s heart
recognizes Hjalli’s heart
Atlikeeps the hoard secret
keeps the hoard secret
Atlicasts him among serpents
casts him among serpents
Gripirforetells the forgetting draught and proxy wooing
foretells the forgetting draught and proxy wooing

Story appearances

Sigurd and the VolsungsWooer and doomed brother
Gunnar woos Brynhild, is involved in Sigurd’s death and later dies in Atli’s trap.
The Greenland Ballad of AtliExisting figure in the longer Atli poem
This poem presents this existing figure with different details.
Guthrunarkvitha I: A Lament at the BodyFigure or event in the lament at Sigurd’s body
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
The Short Lay of Sigurd: An Oath-Broken BedsideFigure or event in the Short Lay’s oaths, killing, or dying words
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
Brynhild’s Hell-Ride: A Defense on the Hel-RoadFigure or event in the Hell-Ride’s Hel-road exchange, memory, or defense
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
Fragment of a Sigurd Lay: The Outdoor Killing VersionFigure or event in the Fragment of a Sigurd Lay
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
The Old Lay of Guthrun: Recollection and Ominous DreamFigure or event in the Old Lay of Guthrun
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
The Third Lay of Guthrun: The Boiling CauldronFigure or event in the Third Lay of Guthrun
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
The Lament of Oddrun: The Journey and the Failed RescueFigure in the Lament of Oddrun
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
The Lay of Atli: Ring, Serpents, and RevengeFigure in the Lay of Atli
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
Guthrun’s Inciting: A Daughter’s Death and Final LamentFigure in Guthrunarhvot
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
Drap Niflunga: A Bridge between LaysFigure in prose bridge
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.
Gripir’s Prophecy: Asking Fate to Its EndFigure or hoard in Gripisspo
Giuki’s son; he woos Brynhild and later becomes involved in Sigurd’s death and Atli’s gold-driven trap.

Ancient sources

MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.

Open in the interactive atlas →