Which of the following is an epic poem from the German medieval tradition?

• A. Nibelungenlied
• B. Beowulf
• C. Song of Roland
• D. The Canterbury Tales

Answer: (A)

Identifying a German medieval epic means recognizing a long narrative poem written in German that centers on legendary heroic deeds. The Nibelungenlied is the quintessential example: a Middle High German epic from roughly the 12th century that follows Siegfried’s exploits, the treachery at the Burgundian court, and the fates of its heroes. Its language, scope, and themes embody the German heroic-epic tradition and influenced later German literature, making it the best fit for a German medieval epic.

Beowulf comes from Old English literature and tells a Nordic-inspired hero’s tale; The Song of Roland is a French chanson de geste; The Canterbury Tales is a late medieval English collection of stories in Middle English rather than a single epic poem.