The Nibelungenlied: The Massacre Begins
Hagen openly admits to killing Siegfried. Kriemhild's men attack the Burgundian squires; Dankwart alone escapes to warn Hagen. Hagen kills Etzel's young son Ortlieb. The massacre begins - hundreds die. Dietrich leads Etzel and Kriemhild to safety. The Burgundians defend the hall through fire and blood, drinking the blood of the slain to slake their thirst.
The Text
What You'll Learn
Comprehension
Notes that Hagen openly admitted to killing Siegfried before the Huns
Cause & Consequence
Considers why Hagen killed the innocent child - to provoke, to show no mercy, to hurt Kriemhild
Meaning
Takes a position on how violence escalates beyond anyone's control
Evidence
Cites a specific passage (the confession, Ortlieb's death, the blood-drinking)
Defense
Maintains or thoughtfully revises their position under challenge
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