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jallanite · 05-10-2012, 09:50 PM

Die Walküre: Commentary

Wagner now jumps to the early history of Brünnhilde and the history of Siegmund, the father of his ultimate hero. But here the sources are quite variant, and Wagner builds a new story from elements of the Norse story of Sigmund, although rendering the names in German form.

Here is a table of the cast members of Die Walküre in order of appearance, omitting only the eight Valkyries other than Brünnhilde whose names are Wagner’s own invention, along with the Norse names of the characters and some notes on the names.

Characters:

German/Wagnerian Name
Norse Name
Commentary

Siegmund
Sigmund
sieg/sig ‘victory’ + mund ‘power’

Sieglinde
Hjǫrdis (Hjördis)
Sieglinde < Sieglind, the mother of Siegfried in the Nibelungenlied. Hjǫrdis is the name of Sigurð’s mother in most Norse tales. But an earlier wife of Sigmund is named Sigrlinn, she being the mother of Sigmund’s son Helgi Hundingsbane according to one source. The sister with whom Sigmund has intercourse is named Signý. In the Þiðreks saga the wife of Sigmund and mother of Sigurð is named Sisibe.

Hunding
Hunding
Hunding is a foe slain by Helgi son of Sigmund when Helgi was 15, whence he is known as Helgi Hundinsbane. It is some sons of Hunding that are later responsible for Sigmund’s death in Norse tradition.

Wotan
Óðinn (Odin)
< Proto-Germanic *Wōđanaz ‘Ecstasy’.

Brünnhilde
Brynhildr
The Valkyrie in sleep on the mount is named Sigrdrifa in the earliest Norse account and later retellings only dubiously identify her with Brynhildr.

Fricka
Frigg
The form Fricka is an invention of Wagner or some contemporary folklorist. In southern Germanic mentions and Old English mentions the wife of Wotan/Óðinn is Freia who in Norse tradition is differentiated from Frigg.

For the text of the opera in English and German, see
http://home.earthlink.net/~markdlew/shw/Ring.htm

For the main Norse source in English, see http://www.marxists.org/archive/morr...ters/index.htm , chapters I to XII.

For Tolkien’s recreation of this material, see The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún, “Völsungakviða en nýja (‘The New Lay of the Völsungs’)”, chapters II to IV.

The Norse sources make out Sigmund to be the son of Vǫlsung, son of Rerir, son of Sigi, son of the god Óðinn. Vǫlsung was a powerful king in Hunland until treacherously defeated by his son-in-law, King Siggeir of Gothland. Wagner makes his Siegmund to be a robber along with his supposed father Wälse who was, in reality, Wotan/Óðinn and along with Siegmund’s twin-sister, Sieglinde.

In the Norse sources Óðinn come unnamed and places a sword in Vǫlsung’s oak in his hall. In Wagner’s version it is Hunding’s hall that is built around a tree and there Wotan places the sword which Siegmund is destined to find along with his twin-sister Sieglinde.

When Vǫlsung is slain by Siggeir’s doing along with all Vǫlsung’s children except for Sigmund and Signý, Signý is able to preserve Sigmund’s life and plots to aid him to avenge themselves on Siggeir using her own sons fathered by Siggeir as helpers. None proves suitable and by Signý’s grim command Sigmund slays them. Then by magic, Signý lies with her brother Sigmund, he not knowing it is Signý, and Signý bears a son named Sinfjotli who proves worthy, is brought up by Sigmund, and aids him in his revenge. When Siggeir’s hall is burnt, Signý willingly goes to her death in it.

Sigmund fathers Sigurð much later on another wife.

Wagner has much changed this tale to make it into a wildly incestuous love match in which both Siegmund and Sieglinde know that they know that they are brother and sister and do not care that love making is forbidden in such a case..

In the Norse sources Sigrdrifa, the Valkyrie who is sometime identified with Brynhildr, is cast into a sleep by Óðinn when she caused a warrior named Helm Gunnar to die in battle instead of Agnar, Audi’s brother, against Óðinn’s wishes. Nothing else is known of these warriors. Wagner ties his tales strongly into the main plot by making Brünnhilde instead attempt to save Siegmund and cause Hunding to be slain.

That Wotan fathered the nine Valkyries on the Earth goddess is Wagner’s invention.

Arguably the most popular Wagner piece, the Ride of the Valkyries: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PHINKZrwRs .

Tolkien’s story of Túrin, available in various versions in various places, also contain an incestuous carnal relationship between brother and sister.

Film review on Saturday.

05-10-2012, 09:50 PM	#7
jallanite Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 479	Die Walküre: Commentary Wagner now jumps to the early history of Brünnhilde and the history of Siegmund, the father of his ultimate hero. But here the sources are quite variant, and Wagner builds a new story from elements of the Norse story of Sigmund, although rendering the names in German form. Here is a table of the cast members of Die Walküre in order of appearance, omitting only the eight Valkyries other than Brünnhilde whose names are Wagner’s own invention, along with the Norse names of the characters and some notes on the names. Characters: German/Wagnerian Name Norse Name Commentary Siegmund Sigmund sieg/sig ‘victory’ + mund ‘power’ Sieglinde Hjǫrdis (Hjördis) Sieglinde < Sieglind, the mother of Siegfried in the Nibelungenlied. Hjǫrdis is the name of Sigurð’s mother in most Norse tales. But an earlier wife of Sigmund is named Sigrlinn, she being the mother of Sigmund’s son Helgi Hundingsbane according to one source. The sister with whom Sigmund has intercourse is named Signý. In the Þiðreks saga the wife of Sigmund and mother of Sigurð is named Sisibe. Hunding Hunding Hunding is a foe slain by Helgi son of Sigmund when Helgi was 15, whence he is known as Helgi Hundinsbane. It is some sons of Hunding that are later responsible for Sigmund’s death in Norse tradition. Wotan Óðinn (Odin) < Proto-Germanic Wōđanaz ‘Ecstasy’. Brünnhilde Brynhildr The Valkyrie in sleep on the mount is named Sigrdrifa* in the earliest Norse account and later retellings only dubiously identify her with Brynhildr. Fricka Frigg The form Fricka is an invention of Wagner or some contemporary folklorist. In southern Germanic mentions and Old English mentions the wife of Wotan/Óðinn is Freia who in Norse tradition is differentiated from Frigg. For the text of the opera in English and German, see http://home.earthlink.net/~markdlew/shw/Ring.htm For the main Norse source in English, see http://www.marxists.org/archive/morr...ters/index.htm , chapters I to XII. For Tolkien’s recreation of this material, see The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún, “Völsungakviða en nýja (‘The New Lay of the Völsungs’)”, chapters II to IV. The Norse sources make out Sigmund to be the son of Vǫlsung, son of Rerir, son of Sigi, son of the god Óðinn. Vǫlsung was a powerful king in Hunland until treacherously defeated by his son-in-law, King Siggeir of Gothland. Wagner makes his Siegmund to be a robber along with his supposed father Wälse who was, in reality, Wotan/Óðinn and along with Siegmund’s twin-sister, Sieglinde. In the Norse sources Óðinn come unnamed and places a sword in Vǫlsung’s oak in his hall. In Wagner’s version it is Hunding’s hall that is built around a tree and there Wotan places the sword which Siegmund is destined to find along with his twin-sister Sieglinde. When Vǫlsung is slain by Siggeir’s doing along with all Vǫlsung’s children except for Sigmund and Signý, Signý is able to preserve Sigmund’s life and plots to aid him to avenge themselves on Siggeir using her own sons fathered by Siggeir as helpers. None proves suitable and by Signý’s grim command Sigmund slays them. Then by magic, Signý lies with her brother Sigmund, he not knowing it is Signý, and Signý bears a son named Sinfjotli who proves worthy, is brought up by Sigmund, and aids him in his revenge. When Siggeir’s hall is burnt, Signý willingly goes to her death in it. Sigmund fathers Sigurð much later on another wife. Wagner has much changed this tale to make it into a wildly incestuous love match in which both Siegmund and Sieglinde know that they know that they are brother and sister and do not care that love making is forbidden in such a case.. In the Norse sources Sigrdrifa, the Valkyrie who is sometime identified with Brynhildr, is cast into a sleep by Óðinn when she caused a warrior named Helm Gunnar to die in battle instead of Agnar, Audi’s brother, against Óðinn’s wishes. Nothing else is known of these warriors. Wagner ties his tales strongly into the main plot by making Brünnhilde instead attempt to save Siegmund and cause Hunding to be slain. That Wotan fathered the nine Valkyries on the Earth goddess is Wagner’s invention. Arguably the most popular Wagner piece, the Ride of the Valkyries: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PHINKZrwRs . Tolkien’s story of Túrin, available in various versions in various places, also contain an incestuous carnal relationship between brother and sister. Film review on Saturday.