* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Brynhildr. In ''The Saga of the Volsungs'', she and Sigurd are a victim of Grimhild's scheme. In the ''Literature/PoeticEdda'', Grimhild does not appear and Brynhildr decides that Sigurd is the man she wants instead of Gunnar and [[IfICantHaveYou if she can't have him no one will]] and manipulates Gunnar into the conspiration to murder Sigurd.
* EndingFatigue: The massacre of the Niflungs and Gudrun's vengeance on Atli clearly form the climax of the story. Then the narrative continues to recount Gudrun's life after that event, notably the death of Svanhild and Gudrun's revenge on Jörmunrekkr. While these are dramatic events in their own right, they don't surpass what went before, and consequently come across as rather anticlimactic. The narrative seems to be aware of this and tells these events in much less detail than the preceding, but still, the author obviously felt the need to include them.
* ValuesDissonance:
** During their time as outlaws in Gautland, Sigmund and Sinfjotli attack and kill people on the roads for no other reasons than to make a living and to train Sinfjotli for combat. This is told without any apparent judgment and at one time their robberies and homicides are even referred to as "famous deeds".
** Not to mention the murder of Signy's preteen children during that same time by Sigmund for no reason other than that they were too weak to avenge the Volsungs.
** Gudrun marrying Sigurd while he was under the influence of a [[MemoryGambit memory-erasing potion]] is treated as a legitimate, if shady, means of seduction. However, from a modern perspective, this is a form of DateRape and consequently, her character comes across as [[UnintentionallyUnsympathetic far less sympathetic.]]

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