G–tterd”mmerung

Götterdämmerung

To read a synopsis of Götterdämmerung click here.

Prelude

The prelude if looked at from the context of the sources should be broken up into two parts, the first part dealing with the Norns and the second the interaction between Brünnhilde and Siegfried.

The Norns (or Fates) are based on numerous tales in the Elder Edda. In the "V–lusp·" from the Elder Edda the Norns decide the lives men are to lead. The Norns are also mentioned in "The Lay of Grimnir" by Odin. In "The First Lay of Helgi Hunding's Bane," the Norns wind the threads of fate into a golden rope. In each of the tales the Norns are responsible for the fate of men. It is in this capacity that Wagner uses them in the operas.

The second part of the prologue concerns the awakening of Brünnhilde by Siegfried. This second part of the prologue is taken from parts of the Elder Edda as well as the Saga of the Volsungs and a part is borrowed from Thidriks Saga. In the Elder Edda the "The Lay of Sigrdrifa" tells the story of how once Sigrdrifa was awakened by Sigurd she taught him the runes. This lay is also important for Sigrdrifa tells Sigurd how she was punished with the magical sleep by Odin.

The story from the Saga of the Volsungs (chapters 21-23) also tells of the awakening of Brynhild and the teaching of runes, but in the Saga, Sigurd and Brynhild promise to marry each other. Brynhild in the Saga is also of human decent. Another important thing to note about the story in the Saga is that in chapter 25 Brynhild says that Sigurd will marry Gudrun (Gutrune).

The final piece to the awakening of Brynhild comes from Thidriks Saga. In the saga, Mimir (Mime) tells Sigfrid (Siegfried) to ask Brynhild for a horse. This horse, Grani (Grane), is given to Sigfrid willingly and he then thanks her and rides away.

Act I

For this act the primary sources are the Nibelungenlied and the Saga of the Volsungs.

The first few chapters of the Nibelungenlied tells of how Siegfried travels to Worms (in the Saga of the Volsungs with Sigurd ends up in a kingdom south of the Rhine) and how he was prevailed upon to go win Brunhild as a wife for Gunther. After Siegfried has been convinced that he should help Gunther, Siegfried and a few others (Hagen and Gunther are in the party) take off for Brunhild's castle (from the Nibelungenlied - in the Ring it is just Siegfried and Gunther who go to Brünnhilde rock). The part of Siegfried drinking the potion of forgetfulness is taken from chapter 28 of the Saga of the Volsungs, but in the Saga the drink is served by Grimhild who is the wife of the King. It is the wife who suggests that Sigurd (Siegfried) should marry Gudrun (Gutrune). In the Nibelungenlied, Siegfried is madly in love with Kriemheld and offers to win Brünnhilde for Gunther in exchange for Kriemheld's hand in marriage. It is from these two stories that Wagner creates this act.

In the Nibelungenlied, Hagen is Gunther's uncle, a member of Gunther's retinue, is responsible for recognizing Siegfried and knows of his past, and he is a strong character that influences the actions of Gunther. Wagner created the idea of Hagen being a descendant of Alberich.

Gunther is also taken from the Nibelungenlied. In the Nibelungenlied he is seen as a weak king who needs to find a wife (Brünnhilde/Brynhild).

Gutrune is based on the character Kriemheld in the Nibelungenlied and Gudrun in the Saga of the Volsungs, and the Elder Edda. In the Ring, she is not as strong mentally as she is in the Nibelungenlied.

The conversation between Waltraute and Brünnhilde (Act I Scene 3) has no basis in any of the source material. The scene of Siegfried re-winning Brünnhilde is modeled after Saga of the Volsungs chapter 29.

Act II

The first scene is used by Wagner as a method to show the family ties between Hagen and Alberich. This scene has no basis within any of the mythologies since Alberich and Hagen are no in no way related in any of the mythologies. Therefore, the interaction in the first scene is created solely by Wagner.

The remaining action of the act Wagner borrows from the Nibelungenlied. The first part is taken from chapter 9 of the Nibelungenlied. Wagner substitutes Hagen for Siegfried in the story (since Brünnhilde has been won for Gunther by Siegfried and it was only the two of them that went on that trek). It is Hagen that calls for the preparations of the wedding ceremony. In chapter 10, Siegfried claims Gutrune as his bride and Gunther is married to his bride (Brünnhilde).

The plotting of revenge is a variation of the stories from the Volsunga Saga and Nibelungenlied. In the Volsunga Saga (chapter 32), Brünnhilde calls for the death of Siegfried and then Gunnar plots Siegfried's death, but in Nibelungenlied it is Hagen and Gunther who plot against Siegfried. Wagner used the two stories by Hagen and Gunther conspiring against Siegfried from the beginning and having Brünnhilde call for the death of Siegfried for betraying her.

Act III

This act is also based on stories from the Saga of the Volsungs and the Nibelungenlied.

The strongest aspect of this scene taken from the Nibelungenlied is Hagen as the murderer of Siegfried. The scene where Brünnhilde orders the building of the funeral pyre and sacrificing herself is taken from the Saga of the Volsungs, chapter 33.