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Der Ring des Nibelungen
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Franz von Lenbach: portrait of Richard Wagner Art of Music: From "Siegfried" (Act III) by Richard Wagner.
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Story summary of Die WalkĂŒre

in

Der Ring des Nibelungen

Also known as: “The Ring of the Nibelung”
Written by
Betsy Schwarm
Betsy Schwarm is a music historian based in Colorado. She serves on the music faculty of Metropolitan State University of Denver and gives pre-performance talks for Opera Colorado and the Colorado Symphony...
Betsy Schwarm
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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‱History

Wotan had fathered twin children with a mortal woman, a male (called Siegmund) and a female (called Sieglinde). Separated early, the twins are now young adults. Siegmund, who has helped a woman being forced into marriage, is fleeing enemies and traveling under the assumed name Wehwalt (meaning “woeful”). In the course of his flight, he loses his weapons. Sieglinde is living with her husband, Hunding, in a forest cabin.

Act I

Siegmund takes shelter in a remote house built around a massive ash tree. The house proves to be that of Sieglinde, who offers the stranger sustenance. The two are strongly attracted to one another. When Hunding returns, it develops that he was one of the men pursuing Siegmund. Rules of hospitality declare that he must offer this wayfarer safe shelter for the night, but he declares that they shall duel in the morning.

Ordered by Hunding to prepare him a drink, Sieglinde brings a sleeping potion. Away from her husband, she tells Siegmund of a mysterious man (Wotan) who came to the house and plunged a sword into the ash tree, declaring that only a great hero could remove it. Many had tried, but all had failed. Empowered by destiny and by the passion he and Sieglinde feel for one another, Siegmund easily retrieves the sword, dubbing it “Nothung”: the necessary one. Pledging their love, the two flee from Hunding’s house before he awakes.

Act II

Knowing of the twins’ actions and having himself placed the sword in the tree to await Siegmund, Wotan orders his daughter the Valkyrie BrĂŒnnhilde to ensure Siegmund’s triumph over Hunding. Wotan’s wife, Fricka, appears. As the goddess of marriage, she demands that Wotan right multiple wrongs—against herself and also Hunding—by letting Siegmund die in the forthcoming contest. Angrily, Wotan changes his order to BrĂŒnnhilde, declaring that Siegmund must die.

BrĂŒnnhilde brings to the fugitives word of Siegmund’s destiny. Upon hearing that Sieglinde cannot follow him to Valhalla, Siegmund refuses to go, preferring that they die together. BrĂŒnnhilde decides to disobey Wotan’s order, not only to save Siegmund but also to satisfy Wotan’s true wish. Wotan arrives, as does Hunding. Wotan shatters Siegmund’s sword, and Siegmund is slain. Seizing the shards of the sword, BrĂŒnnhilde flees with Sieglinde.

Act III

Wagner, Richard: Die WalkĂŒreExcerpt from the prelude to Die WalkĂŒre (“The Valkyrie”) by Richard Wagner; from a 1954 recording of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm FurtwĂ€ngler.

The other Valkyries are assembling, as it is their duty to carry slain heroes to Valhalla. BrĂŒnnhilde arrives with Sieglinde, announcing that Sieglinde is pregnant with Siegmund’s child. Because that child will become the greatest of heroes, Sieglinde must be protected. Although the other Valkyries fear Wotan’s wrath too much to assist, BrĂŒnnhilde gives the sword fragments to Sieglinde and sends her off into the forest, declaring that she must live for the sake of the child.

Wotan arrives in a fury. Knowing that BrĂŒnnhilde has acted for his sake, he would rather forgive her, but the laws are clear. As punishment for her disobedience, she will lose her place among the gods and become a mortal woman, and she will be left to sleep upon a rock until a mortal man has claimed her.

BrĂŒnnhilde first declares that she would rather die. Then she begs to be surrounded by a fearsome defense so that only the greatest of heroes will be able to reach her. Wotan accedes. Placing BrĂŒnnhilde in a magic sleep, he calls upon Loge to ignite a blaze around her. With his parting words, Wotan declares that only one who does not fear the god’s spear will be able to pass the fire.

Story summary of Siegfried

Some years have passed since the scenes that close Die WalkĂŒre. Sieglinde had died after giving birth to a son she named Siegfried, who was raised by the Nibelung Mime. Siegfried has grown to be a strong and bold young man who is disdainful of his foster father.

Act I

Wagner, Richard: Siegfried“Forest Murmurs” from Act II of Richard Wagner's opera Siegfried; from a 1954 recording of the Paris Opera Orchestra conducted by AndrĂ© Cluytens.

Mime is attempting to forge a new sword from the shards of Siegmund’s sword, Nothung, hoping that, with such a sword, Siegfried will be able to retrieve the Ring from Fafner the giant, who has taken the form of a dragon. Mime intends thereby to obtain the Ring for himself. Siegfried returns home and argues with Mime, eventually forcing him to tell the young man about his mother. He tells Mime to forge the sword, and he goes back into the forest.

Next to arrive is a mysterious man known as the Wanderer, actually Wotan in disguise. From this visitor, Mime learns that only one who has never experienced fear will be able to forge the sword. After Mime fails in his attempts to teach Siegfried fear, he suggests that the youth should confront the dragon Fafner. To do so, Siegfried will need the sword Nothung, which he merrily and successfully forges himself.

Act II

Wotan comes upon Alberich outside the dragon Fafner’s cave and tells him of Siegfried’s approach. They awaken Fafner, who is not interested in giving up the Ring simply to avoid a fight. Siegfried and Mime arrive. Undismayed by the prospect of confronting the dragon, Siegfried attempts to understand the speech of birds and, when Fafner awakens, asks for instruction in how to feel fear. Fafner charges at him, but soon Siegfried plunges Nothung into the dragon’s heart.

Siegfried enters the cave and emerges with both the Tarnhelm and the Ring, to the dismay of Alberich and Mime. The voice of the bird, which Siegfried can now understand, warns him not to trust Mime. When Mime attempts to drug Siegfried so as to be able to seize the Ring, Siegfried kills him. As Act II closes, the bird shares with Siegfried word of the sleeping BrĂŒnnhilde, who lies awaiting a hero who knows no fear. Siegfried promptly takes off.

Act III

Erda, the goddess of the earth, learns from Wotan that he will be content to face the destruction of the gods, because he is certain that the good-hearted Siegfried will inherit the gods’ power. Siegfried arrives to find Wotan barring the way to BrĂŒnnhilde’s mountainside. Siegfried shatters Wotan’s spear with Nothung, proving his lack of fear. Wotan leaves, and Siegfried plunges through the flames surrounding BrĂŒnnhilde. The sleeping BrĂŒnnhilde, lying on the rock in full armour, is the first woman Siegfried has ever seen. Overcome with an emotion that he first believes must be fear, he recognizes that he is feeling passion. He kisses BrĂŒnnhilde, awakening her. She quickly realizes who Siegfried must be, for she had asked Wotan to ensure that only the greatest of heroes could reach her. She declares that she had already loved Siegfried by reputation, and he reciprocates. The opera ends with rhapsodic praise of love in the face of all challenges.