How we view characters largely depends on their motives for action; depending on what aspects of their motives are emphasized, similar characters can be viewed as treacherous fiends or selfless martyrs. A knight fighting to defend his honor can be seen as treacherous and murderous. Similarly, a lawyer can be seen as directive and wise ,but also as manipulative and deceiving. Hagen of Troneck from The Nibelungenlied and Njal Thorgeirsson from Njal’s Saga were both manipulative, held similar relationships
react at the face of danger. But a hero to one may be an enemy to another. Is there a way to differentiate these heroes so that there is a clear divide that qualifies a person to be a hero? In the following epics, Njal’s Saga and The Nibelugenlied, Gunnar and Siegfried respectively, are portrayed as protagonist characters who display acts of heroism to settle arguments. Because of their glorified heroic feats, they both become blind-sided, unaware that their acts subsequently level them to what one