^t ij^lt flf ^mh. A ^^ 1— A = en ^^^_ 1 J 0- cz r n = = ^^ 3J h- .^i^ ;^ 4 = ^BIV 1 1 — *——• 03 '^ - == ■< 2 = ^= -n / = ^■^n 1 — 5 Aq loferppelatloi} o! Wagner's Nibelaijgen Rid iJrei.a ©^incjoortfi. THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT IN MEMORY OF Squire Coop OPINIONS ABOUT THIS BOOK. Fro?n Professor Ebenezer Prout, B.A., Mus.D. of Dziblin University, and of the Gtiildhall School of Music. — " I can honestly say I like it exceedingly. It gives the best, simplest, and clearest outline I have yet seen of the poem of the ' Ring.'" From Alfred Schulz-Curtius, Esq., London Agent for the Bayreiith Festivals, and organiser of the Wagner Recitals in London. — " It is the best and most exhaustive analysis of his work that I know of, and a great help to any one who wishes to penetrate into the deeper meaning of it." From Walter Damrosch, Esq., the leadim^ exponent of Wagnerism in the United States. — "Perhaps the cleverest analysis of the Nibelungen tetralogj' that has been published, and will be a great help to students. . . . The classifications are very original, but so simple that a child could understand them." — ♦ — Foi Press Notices see end of Volume. Ube lEpic of Sounbs^ FOURTH TJ/OUSAA'D. TO %ctrn ^iesfrteb HOJagner THIS LITTLE WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED {wiiA the gracious consent of Fran Cosima Wagner). TABLE OF CONTENTS. Preface Analytical Introduction Note to the Rkadrr The NiiiKLUNGEN Ring— 1. The Riieingold 2. The Walkure . 3. Siegfried 4. gotterdammerung The Motives Index PAGE i.\ XVIU 3 33 73 '15 159 178 VI Music Library HT /oO PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. For being enabled to issue a second edition of my little work so soon after its first publication, — and at a moment when we are looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to a series of un- curtailed performances of the " Ring " at Covent Garden, — I feel that I am principally indebted to the kindly interest taken in it by many friends, and to the generous welcome accorded to it by my lenient reviewers in the Press. To one and all I beg to tender my respectful thanks. London, March 1S98. Through the deep caves of thought I hear a voice that si tigs." Oliver Wendell Holmes. •' O glad, exulfifig, ciilviinating song." Walt Whitman. ■^ohv> Q|riinn3tfbe. Anxiety. '^ofan. Desire. (Bufrune. « * * Ambition. •Wofcin, ^tesfneb, (x\\i> (^ffiertdi. Power. TTofan anb (^fBeric^. Strength. ^iegfncb. Courage. ^iegfrieb anb (^f6enc3. Justice. 'TTof an. * * « Youth. Sreta. Joy. * -• * Confidence. Q|runn3tfbe anb (Bunf^er. Artlessness. Ctje (Ht3ine;baus5fer6. » ^s- * Sorrow. Q^riinnljtfbe, ^iegmunb, anb ^icg ft'nbe. Despair. 'Wof an. Tenderness. nX'ofan. Calm. nOJofan. Resignation . (^ofan. « * * Wisdom. (grba anb Q^riinngtfbe. Foresight. (Srba anb G3runn6tfbc. ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTION, xxv Love. Compassion. Self-Sacrifice. ^tegmunb, cinb ANIMALS. The Horse (Grane). The Birds. (fl) The Singing Bird. {J}) The Ravens. The Dragon. The Toad. The Bear. THE ELEMENTS AND THEIR BU^ERSONATIONS. Light. Steta. Darkness. ?t3^ (TttSefungen. Earth. <^rba. Air (Storm) /fj^^iT-^.. Fire. BiOge. Water. ^^e (K3t«^'^«"33^e;rfi. (a) Gold, ^^e (King anb f^e (UtBefungen treasure. S i (/O Steel, ^^e ^worb. SYMBOLS. Ring, the Symbol of rtjotver. Tarnhelm, the Symbol of ©ecetf. Sword, the Symbol of ^freugfB. Spear, the Symbol of 'TTofoU^e (^uf^orifg. Draught of Oblivion, the Symbol of JnefaBififg. Rope of the Norns, the Symbol of ^IJe tC^xttlHi) of xxvi ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTION. MAGIC. The Ring Endows its owner with supernatural strength, and ensures the obedience of others to his commands. The Tarnhelm Enables its owner to become invisible, or to assume any form he pleases. The Sword In Siegmund's hands owes its magic power to Wotan, and is deprived of that power by the god. The Golden Apples Grow in Freia's garden, and are the means of preserving eternal youth to all who partake of them. The Draught of Oblivion Effaces all remembrance of past events. The Draught of Memory Effaces all effects of the Draught of Oblivion. The Dragon's Blood Enables Siegfried to understand the language of the birds. ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTION, xxvii TIIF, ETHICAL EXEGESIS OF THE NIBELUNGEN RING. A. The General Lessons AND Their Allotment to Individual Characters. The contemptibility of canning ; exemplified by @f6etric^> 5* %(i^z^\\i anb (Ultme. £ The likelihood that cunning will overreach and betray » itself; exemplified by ^fBertC^t %0.%t\\t anb o ... ^JI The incompatibility of the lust of gain with true pleasure ; % exemplified by ^fBeVtC^. ^ The contemptibility of cowardice ; exemplified by ^time. 2 o « Courage not always inconsistent with the pursuance of g evil; exemplified by (^{"'BertC^. xxviii ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTLON. ^ The incompatibility of the desire for fame with love ; cS exeniplilicd by ^tesfrttb. The temptation to become tyrannical, which the possession of power offers ; exemplified by ^fBertC^. Fear engendered by the lust of power ; exemplified by S The lust of power is its own perdition ; exemplified by The incompatibility of the lust of power with love ; exemplified by (^f6enc3» Safner> (sn^ f^ofan. The incompatibility of the lust of power with true pleasure; exemplified by (^fBertC^ dUb OSJofan. o ~- The inevitable punishment of filial disobedience ; exempli- cS fied by Q^ruun^tfbe. > c£^ ]-> :s «a IS $»- The possibility of an innocent enjoyment of gold ; ex- emplified by the ^^\\\ti'ii9,\X%^itX&. o t-) so ^ A i)ure and noble nature's incapacity of suspecting deceit ^ and untruth in others ; exemphfied by Q^rUtlU^lfbe. o ^5 Compassion for the sorrows of others is the essence of g true humanity; exemplified by Q^runn3ifi>^. 3 «i> True happiness only attained by the complete and volun- ^S. '■'^'^y sacrifice of self, for the good of others ; exempli- §• fied by Q^hinii^ifbe. Id XXX ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTION. B. The Individual Characters IN Their Illustrative Development. The Impersonation of the ^umcin '^tff. The type of the highest humanity, where, on its voHtional side, it merges into the divine. Though the chief of the gods, he lias the usual mythical limitations, his perfection (if the word may be used) being variable, and his power not absolute. In early youth, his first pleasures are those of love : But ambition soon replaces love in his breast. He seeks, therefore, by all possible means, to increase his power ; And, by treaties or by force, subjects all other powers to his will. He employs underhand means (Loge) to further his ends : And thus draws upon himself the inevitable curse of evil. The fear of losing ill-gotten power oppresses him ; And the hatred of hostile forces threatens him and his race with destruction. He listens, however, to Nature's warnings ; And thus escapes all immediate danger. He gains wisdom and foresight by communing with Nature ; And from her he receives a power, with which to figiit evil forces : But she cannot stop, or change for him, the course oi destiny. ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTION, xxxi In his fear of annihilation, he resorts to other means. I le sets estabhslied custom at defiance ; And endeavours to escape from the laws, with which he hoped to bind others : But circumstances prove to be stronger than his will ; And in sorrow and anger, he has to submit to the in- evitable. Heart-broken and weary, he renounces his schemes of ambition, As he realises the futility of fighting against fate. Resignation gradually takes the place of anger and despair in his bosom. He becomes merely a passive spectator of events. Only once more does he oppose his will to that of destiny : But the last vestige of his power is destroyed. His only desire then is for the end ; And calmly and submissively he waits the approach of his doom, and the final extinction of his glory. The impersonation of JnfttSUe. His nature is roving and restless. He delights in the discomfiture of others ; And is possessed of a ready and sarcastic wit. His cunning makes him indispensable to the higher powers ; And his advice and aid are invaluable to Wotan. His cleverness often gets himself and others out of a difficulty : But, in assisting them, he himself contrives to escape from all responsibility. He sees through the folly of others : But he aids and abets them therein, as far as the doing so serves his own ends. xxxii ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTION ©onner. The god of ^^Uttber. His character is bUistering and violent. Master of the atmosphere, he clears away the storm clouds ; And provides a beautiful entrance to the gods' dwelling. Sro5. The God of ^Og. He endeavours to retain the presence of Freia, the Goddess of Love ; And, of all the gods, he is the most joyful at her return. The representative of (Uloraf :&an3 atlb (Drber. She protects those who suffer by a breach of this law. ller intelligence grasps only long-established facts and rules, And she fails to understand the aims of a god (Wotan), who is planning the creation of a new race. She has no pity for those who sui'fer through their own or another's faults. Stern and inexorable, she demands that justice shall be done. By virtue of existing laws she triumphs over Wotan's humanity ; And makes good her right in the eyes of gods and men. Sreta. The Goddess of feoioe ftUb %t nrafgiiren. The Embodiment ul J^erOtC ^frttigf^- Their nature is wild, free, and joyous as the elements, through which they ride. Tlieir mission is, to war against the power of evil ; To protect noble and brave heroes; i\.nd to bring them, after death, to the halls of Walhall. But the warlike element of their nature excludes all hunianer feelings ; And, except Briinnhilde, they all perish under the curse, from which love alone can save. ANALYTICAL INTRODUCTION, xxxvii N.B.-~Wal^Y\&\^ of Battle. Kuren = {.o chose. The Walkiircn are those, who bring to Walhall the heroes chosen by Wotan, after they have been slain on the battlefield. The Impersonation of %Oi)t. The type of the highest humanity, where, on its emotional side, it merges into the divine. See owes her being to a close union of the Human Will with Nature. From her father (Wotan), she inherits courage and strength ; From her mother (Erda), wisdom and foresight. She becomes, as it were, the active expression of her father's Will : But a schism in that Will itself causes the first conflict in her being. The humane side of her nature gains the day ; And compassion for the sorrow of others ends the con- flict in her breast. Becoming affected thus, she also unconsciously becomes free, And so escapes the danger of annihilation which threatens the gods. But she cannot avoid the inevitable consequences of the change in her nature. She has escaped from the laws of the gods : But she must submit to the rule of mortal love. Her maiden purity at first shrinks from the contact of human passion ; Till love finally conquers all other conflicting elements of her nature. xxxviii ANALYTICAL INTIWDUCTION'. But her perfect confidence and affection are ruthlessly betrayed. Her noble simplicity and innocence maT