Waldere

Waldere is the title of two Old English fragmentary poems, traditionally attributed to the epic tradition of Germanic heroic legend. The fragments are all that remain of what is believed to have been a more substantial epic, now lost. The poems are known from two leaves (fragments I and II) discovered in the Royal Library in Copenhagen in 1860 by E. C. Werlauff. These fragments are now catalogued as Ny kgl. Saml. 167b.

The poems recount episodes from the story of Waldere (or Walther), a hero well-known in continental Germanic tradition, especially in the Latin Waltharius. The Old English fragments deal with Waldere's escape with Hildegyth from Attila's court, and his subsequent fight with Guthhere, king of the Burgundians, and his vassal Hagen. The fragments provide glimpses into the hero's bravery, skill in battle, and the complex web of loyalties and enmities that characterized the heroic age.

Fragment I details Hildegyth’s urging of Waldere to remember his lineage and fight bravely. She reminds him of the treasures that await them, and steels his resolve for the upcoming conflict. Fragment II depicts the battle itself, focusing on Waldere's heroic actions and the prowess of his opponents.

The language and style of the Waldere fragments suggest a relatively late composition, likely dating from the 10th or early 11th century, making them contemporaries with other late Old English poems such as Beowulf and The Battle of Maldon. The Waldere fragments offer valuable insights into the transmission and adaptation of Germanic heroic legends in Anglo-Saxon England and demonstrate the continued vitality of the heroic tradition during the later Old English period. The poems are written in alliterative verse, characteristic of Old English poetry.

The Waldere fragments are significant for several reasons: they are among the few surviving remnants of Anglo-Saxon heroic epic besides Beowulf; they provide evidence of the popularity and diffusion of Germanic heroic legends; and they offer a glimpse into the literary tastes and cultural values of late Anglo-Saxon England. The fragments continue to be studied by scholars of Old English literature and Germanic mythology.