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Allen Dunning's numbered Guide to the Ring's Musical Motifs
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The Ring

Introduction


References
Appendix I
Appendix I I

Key Colour Coding

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greaves, so that Bruennhilde now lies before him in a woman’s soft garment. #66 followed by trill: He starts up in shock and astonishment.)

 

Siegfried: No man is this! (#23 vari: He stares at the sleeping woman in a state of utter turmoil. #66?; #137?; #132b>>) Burning enchantment charms my heart; fiery terror transfixes my eyes: (#137b?) my senses stagger and swoon! (#66 Vari: He is filled with immense apprehension.) To save me, whom shall I call on to help me? (#66>>) Mother! Mother! Remember me!

 

(He sinks, as if fainting, on Bruennhilde’s breast. He starts up with a sigh.)

 

Siegfried: How shall I waken the maid so that she opens her eyes for me? (#132b) Opens her eyes for me! (#132b) what though the sight might yet blind me! Might my bravery dare it? (#132b vari) Could I bear their light? [[ #137a ]] Around me everything floats and sways and swims; [[ #137a>> ]] searing desire consumes my senses: on my quaking heart my hand is trembling! (#98) What is this, coward, that I feel? [[ #137a>> ]] Is this what it is to fear? O mother! Mother! Your mettlesome child! A woman lies asleep: (#98; #87?) she has taught him the meaning of fear! (#139?) How can I overcome my fear? How can I summon up courage? That I myself may awaken, I must waken the maid!”

 

[Bruennhilde later experiences her own overwhelming fear of the consequences of having sexual union with Siegfried, and has warned Siegfried that if he is going to love her he must respect her and not force himself upon her, i.e., that he not risk exposing the unspoken secret of Wotan’s confession which she keeps. #137b is introduced as Siegfried embraces what formerly he had feared, full loving union with Bruennhilde, and strives to persuade her to acquiesce:]

“Bruennhilde: O Siegfried! Light-bringing youth! (#87) Love but yourself and let me be: (#98) do not destroy what is yours!

Siegfried: (#137 Vari [sounding like #164?]; #132 Varis) It is you that I love: if only you loved me! No longer do I have myself: would that I might have you! [[ #137b>> ]] A glorious floodtide billows before me; with all my senses I see only it – the wondrously billowing wave: (#144) though it shatter my likeness, I’m burning myself now to cool raging passion within the flood; I shall leap, as I am, straight into the stream: o that its (#98/#142 vari) billows engulf me in bliss and my longing be stilled in the flood! (#134)”

 

[[#138]] Kissed by Siegfried, Bruennhilde opens her eyes: the artist-hero Siegfried can now access mankind's (Wotan's) collective unconscious to obtain inspiration