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Table of Contents

Title Page
Dedication Page
General Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations for key references
Guide to abbreviations used in text
Allen Dunning's numbered Guide to the Ring's Musical Motifs
Detailed Table of Contents

The Ring

Introduction


References
Appendix I
Appendix I I

Key Colour Coding

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I would be grateful for donations of any size, small or large, to help defray the cost (1) of maintaining this website, (2) and to finance my past and present research which produced my book posted here, Volume One of "The Wound That Will Never Heal," and my forthcoming revision of Volume One (to be submitted for publication), and completion of Volume Two on Wagner's six other canonic operas and music-dramas. I sacrificed at least seven years of paid employment and incurred debts to complete this project, and am currently unemployed, so I thank you in advance for any financial help you can provide. Your friend, Paul Heise.

now lies heaped on the hearth! (#119
/#103
Fragment >>) Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Hohei! Hoho; [[ #121
]] Blow, you bellows, fan the flames!”

 

[[#120
]] “Siegfried’s Smelting Song”

Siegfried’s re-forging of his father Siegmund’s (ultimately, Wotan’s) sword Nothung, the embodiment of Wotan’s grand idea for redemption. Siegfried’s re-forging of Nothung is Wagner’s dramatization of Wotan’s futile hope that the free hero he longed for could create (or forge) himself

(#120
possibly related to #105
, and thus to #111
and #127
)

[See #119
for #120
’s dramatic context]

 

[[#121
]] Siegfried’s blowing of the bellows while smelting Nothung

(#121
’s motival links, if any, not yet ascertained)

[See #119
for #121
’s dramatic context]

 

[[#122
]] Nothung as Siegfried’s fiery Phallus – the natural necessity of Loge’s (Siegfried the artist-hero’s archetype) authentically inspired artistic creativity – cooled and stiffened in the bucket (womb) of water (a metaphor for the Rhine, and for Siegfried’s cooling the fire which is consuming his heart, in Bruennhilde’s flood)

(#122
transforms into #123
; their other motival links, if any, not yet ascertained)

“Mime: (Downstage aside: #46
Fragment) When he’s fought himself weary with the dragon, a drink may refresh him from his efforts. (#30
Vari; #97
Vari) From herbal juices I’ve gathered, I’ll brew a drink for him; (#97
[strongly emphasized!!!) He’ll need to drink only very few drops before sinking, senseless, into sleep: (#109
Vari) with the selfsame weapon he won for himself (more and more animatedly: #109
?) I’ll easily clear him out of the way and attain to both Ring and hoard. (He rubs his hands with glee.) Hey, wily Wanderer, though you thought (#120
>>) me a fool, how does my subtle wit (#41
?) now suit you? Have I not won me respite and peace? (#109
)

 

Siegfried: (#119
>>) Nothung! Nothung! Fearsome Steel! Now your chaff-like steel’s been melted down: you’re swimming in your own sweat.