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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.

• [T.P: C] Norns: (#116) Runes of trustily counseled treaties (#115) Wotan  carved on his spear which he held as his  grip  on the world. A hero shattered Wotan’s spear. Wotan made his heroes chop down the World-Ash, and place its logs around Valhalla. Wotan sits and waits for the twilight of  the gods.   739-740 
  

• [T.P: D] Norns: Wotan tamed Loge. Loge gnawed at Wotan’s spear to free himself. Wotan made him protect Bruennhilde's sleep. Wotan will plunge  his spear into Loge to light the fatal fire.   741-742
  

• [T.P: E] Norns: Alberich’s curse gnaws at the rope of fate [but Nothung (#57) and Siegfried's  Youthful Horncall (#103) cut it]. The wise women no longer spin their rope. They descend  into Erda's sleep!        742-748
  

 

Twilight of the Gods: Prologue, Part Two      749-770

[T.P] On top of Bruennhilde's rocky peak: Bruennhilde and Siegfried       749-770           

• [T.P: F] Prelude: (Sunrise) (#148) Bruennhilde: (#149) My love inspires your new adventures. (#150) I gave you Wotan's Hoard of  runes. Siegfried: (#150) You gave me more than I know how to guard. (#149) Your teaching left me  untaught.    749-753

• [T.P: G] Bruennhilde: To love me, think of yourself and your exploits I inspire! Preserve the  trust we have in each other!    754-755

• [T.P: H] Siegfried: In exchange for your runes take this Ring. It enfolds the virtue of all my deeds. Keep its power  safe. Bruennhilde: For the Ring (#13) (#12) take my horse: like me, he  can  no longer fly.    755-756

• [T.P: I] Siegfried: (#150) Through your virtue alone I undertake adventures. You choose my battles. (#111) I'm no longer Siegfried, but only your arm! Bruennhilde: We each  of  us are both you and I!    757-766

• [T.P: J] Siegfried’s Rhine Journey (#145) in search of adventures inspired by the love of his muse Bruennhilde: Wagner’s metaphor for the history of secular art up to the time of Wagner and  his revolutionary music-drama. (#151) (#152)    766-770  

 

Twilight of the Gods: Act One   771-850

Twilight of the Gods: Act One, Scene One      771-786

[T.1.1] Gibichung Hall: Hagen, Gunther, and Gutrune     771-786

• [T.1.1: A] Gunther: (#152) How’s my fame on the Rhine? Hagen: (#151) Worthy of envy, yet your fame remains poor. The world's noblest woman, high on a fell encircled by fire. Siegfried alone can  win her for you.          771-775