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Course begins June 10, 2026
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Live sessions each week from 2:00 - 3:30pm Eastern U.S. time
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All sessions are recorded so you can watch them at your convenience
Family Affairs
Chapters 1 - 12
Explore the evolution of the clan, from Sigi to Sigmund and Sinfjotli.
Dragonslayer
Chapters 13-29
Learn about Sigurd’s rise, the slaying of Fafnir the dragon, and meet the valkyrja Brynhild.
Duel of Fates
Chapters 30-44
We finish the saga with themes of marriage, betrayal, death, and Gudrun’s vengeance.
The saga has echoed through centuries of European literature and myth. It gave rise to Wagner’s operas, inspired Tolkien’s Middle-earth, and continues to influence modern fantasy and storytelling. Our world often seems as chaotic and uncertain as the one the Volsungs inhabit, making these ancient figures feel eerily familiar.
Meet your Instructor
Irina-Maria Manea
Irina-Maria Manea is a medievalist with an M.A. in ancient history and Ph.D. in Viking Studies from the University of Bucharest, Romania, complemented by study stays in Göttingen, Aachen, and Uppsala. She formerly researched the reception of Norse mythology in metal music and is currently mainly interested in Viking Age burials and the afterlife, the paranormal, and material culture in Norse literature. She teaches various modules at Signum University (New Hampshire) and is a research affiliate with the University of Chester (UK). She previously also taught Swedish, Norwegian, and K12 history. Her passion for Viking Studies has led her on the path to public history, running a Substack and YouTube channel fatefully named Shield of Skuld.