Volsungs and Cosmic Horror (with Taylor Budde)

[@nkhtn663]

For those interested in a reading list of some of the books mentioned in the video, Taylor was kind enough to compile a list with links along with some short commentary, which I've posted below-- hopefully it helps anyone looking to read more weird/cosmic horror: - The Nibelungenlied: with the Klage translated by William T. Whobrey. This is the new translation we mentioned. Full disclosure, I haven’t read this one but the reviewers are all people who know what they are talking about. Much like Herr Doktor Crawford’s translation of The Saga of the Volsungs: with the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok, Whobrey’s translation also has the sort of fan fiction follow up to the story with the Klage. For those of you who read, German Reclam has a dual paged Middle High German/New High German edition that is worth checking out. www.hackettpublishing.com/the-nibelungenlied-4189 - “Supernatural Horror in Literature”- H.P. Lovecraft. A nice genealogy of sorts for Weird Literature. He doesn’t go into too much detail but does write that “The Scandinavian Eddas and Sagas thunder with cosmic horror” which, in my almost worthless opinion, is a really interesting way of looking at the material. It is available for free online. www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/essays/shil.aspx - The Dedalus Meyrink Reader- Gustav Meyrick, translated by Mike Mitchell. Changing my recommended English translation for this because the one I mentioned costs $43 (!) for the paperback ($14 for the kindle edition though, and if you want to check it out it’s called The Opal and Other Stories). This one is also a selection of his short stories, but also has chapters from some of his novels and essays. A lot of his stuff I would argue falls into the category of Weird Literature, like “Man on the Bottle,” “The Violet Death,” “The Preparation,” and “Dr. Cinderella’s Plants.” His novel The Golem is mentioned by Lovecraft in the above essay and he apparently found it exemplary of his definition for Weird Literature. If you like Meyrink you may also want to check out Hanns Heinz Ewers who is also called a writer of Weird Literature, but I personally don’t enjoy most of his work all that much and he later did join and write propaganda for the NSDAP. www.amazon.com/Dedalus-Meyrink-Reader-European-Classics/dp/1903517850/ref=sr_1_4?crid=38TVG2NSEPT4D&dchild=1&keywords=gustav+meyrink&qid=1597538751&s=books&sprefix=Gustav+Me%2Cstripbooks%2C188&sr=1-4 - The Other Side- Alfred Kubin translated by Mike Mitchell. Kubin’s only novel which is occasionally referred to as one of the earliest “true” weird stories. Coincidently, the illustrations for the novel were originally intended for Meyrink’s The Golem. www.amazon.com/Other-Side-Dedalus-European-Classics/dp/1910213039/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YAJ10CU4B485&dchild=1&keywords=the+other+side+alfred+kubin&qid=1597540016&s=books&sprefix=the+other+side+al%2Cstripbooks%2C348&sr=1-1 - Mountains Oceans Giants- Alfred Döblin, translated by Chris Godwin (available January 2021). This one isn’t out in translation yet but is, in a word, bonkers. Although famously difficult to summarize, I will highlight that a major plot involves the harvesting of Iceland’s volcanic energy, to melt Greenland’s icecap, which in turn reanimates terrific monsters, who proceed to attack Europe. I will say that it can be a…challenging novel to read at times but I highly recommend it once it comes out. www.amazon.com/Mountains-Oceans-Giants-Epic-Century/dp/191291624X - The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories- edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer. A huge compilation of weird tales from around the world. Seriously this thing is over a thousand pages long and spans more than a hundred years of texts. It includes a chapter from The Other Side and Meyrink’s “Man on the Bottle” if you want to check them out before buying. Also has Kafka’s “In the Penal Colony” and Ewers’ “The Spider” for more German weird. www.amazon.com/Weird-Compendium-Strange-Dark-Stories/dp/0765333627/ref=sr_1_2?crid=18XHOFOZOBTHD&dchild=1&keywords=the+weird+vandermeer&qid=1597541138&s=books&sprefix=The+weird+%2Cstripbooks%2C194&sr=1-2

[@finnmacky7106]

Thanks for sharing

[@Ζήνων-ζ1ι]

Thank you. Gonna check this out later.

[@marcusau7756]

I think there was also some discussion concerning Twerking & a Professor...if anyone has links.

[@daniellebryan3496]

This was absolute GOLD❤

[@jonathonfrazier6622]

Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert E. Howard.

[@wanderingsurveyor6059]

No one realizes how many Lovecraftian horrors Conan the Cimmerian dealt with. Thank you.

[@thorunns.craftstudio]

i absolutely looooove 13th Warrior...and did not realize it was a retelling of Beowulf. i really enjoyed this video!

[@luizruiz1207]

love the subject thanks you

[@ultrafire101]

That Anatoly Liberman impression is uncanny! I'm taking his class this semester and very little has changed.

[@poisonsumc7426]

Anna Russell retells the Ring cycle in 21 minutes and 40 seconds - with singing

[@oddmustelid4339]

I have a question for Jackson Crawford: Why is the Sun described as shining from the south in "Vǫluspá?" I think the English story of "Bēowulf" describes the Sun in the same way.

[@spaceslav8954]

Because the sun is in the south at noon in the northern hemisphere

[@valeriy8502]

Especially in the winter, the sun is notably low in the southern sky

[@seanpanick6555]

“I’m currently studying like weird German fiction...” You mean all German fiction?

[@SprocketTalker]

This was really interesting; lots I hadn't considered about the stories you mentioned and how they relate to each other. (Also didn't know there was a Zelazny story about a historical linguist, so that's fun.)

[@jimbobjones5972]

Fascinating vid. Thanks! It has gotten me thinking about narrative archetypes in different cultural traditions and languages. But what's with the camera? It seems strangely primitive, not usual for this channel. Or is this intentional?

[@spaceslav8954]

When I saw Jango a few years ago I finally decided to read the Nibelungenlied which I had planned for a long time.

[@fartsofdoom6491]

One parallel between Dr. King Schultz and Óðinn I'm surprised Taylor didn't point out (and that I'm very unsure if it was intentional or not) is that Schultz is all dressed in grey.

[@HRJParanormalAdventures]

Awesome

[@polyhistorphilomath]

One eye? No, but he has draupnir, two ravens, and a nine-legged horse.

[@Retro-Future-Land]

Interesting stuff. The film Pandorum kinda had the cosmic horror vibe.

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

I'm watching this and keep seeing a reference to a tea ceremony with the picture, the drinks and even the plain wall. This makes me think of how we read too much into stories and see references that aren't there.

[@jdsalvador3]

Interesting chat, I clearly need to watch Django again. The real question is, you guys play rpgs?!

[@donkeysaurusrex7881]

There have been some DnD themed comments in videos and comments previously. Not a lot, but maybe once every few months or so.

[@dragorsi]

I know it's a metaphor, but I wish dragons would be left alone X;D Great conversation, you guys talked about a lot of things I have not much idea of :D

[@ArtyFartyBart]

The more I hear about these early medieval kings and heros, the more I get the idea that they were the gangster rappers and biker gangs of their day.

[@donkeysaurusrex7881]

Interesting take on Django Unchained. I always looked at it as more of a gothic horror.

[@jimbobjones5972]

All of the stuff under discussion is, in one way or another, "gothic".

[@hoh5590]

Who were the burgundians?

[@jeffferguson6338]

The Bergundians were the people who currently live in the region of Burgundy in France.

[@hoh5590]

Jeff Ferguson thanks

[@samuelterry6354]

Originally an East Germanic people, during the time of the legend's setting they were based on Worms on the Rhine. After the the original Kingdom was destroyed by the Huns they moved to what is now Eastern France and Western Switzerland and were Romanized. The region of Burgundy is named after them.

[@hoh5590]

Samuel Terry good answer, thanks

[@Grabbael]

As much as I love weird things, Lovecraft is way too bleak. Awesome video all the same

[@theCosmicQueen]

so, why does Nibelung sound like a germanic version of NEPHELIM ( Bible)??? just wondering. could this story be a lot older than we know, or the family name could be? after all, europeans came from the southern lands thousands of years ago.

[@jonathonfrazier6622]

His name wasnt Arminius. It was Herman.

[@donkeysaurusrex7881]

Arminius the German doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.

[@jonathonfrazier6622]

@@donkeysaurusrex7881 yeah, haha. And Theodoric the Great was really named Thiudreiks. Theodoric is just a latinazation of that.

[@shadowthehedgehog181]

Closed Captions: "Taylor Booty"

[@gmkar7766]

Lol how high is this dude