Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung: Possible Essay Topics

Since this is a substantial writing component course several essays are required. All essays must relate to the Ring. Depending on the nature of your topic you may choose to do three, two or just one essay, though the total number of pages should be 16-20 (about 250 words per page). One of the essays can be a World Wide Web-based project. Finally, I urge you to come up with your own topic––the following list provides some suggestions.

Analyze a character's role, or the interaction of two characters.

The use of harmony and/or tonal structure.

The dramatic organization of scenes.

Influences on Wagner: Greek literature, theater (e.g. Shakespeare, Goethe, etc.); earlier music (Beethoven, Mozart, Weber); E. T. A. Hoffmann; ideas: Schopenhauer, Feuerbach, Nietzsche, Proudhon.

Wagner's conception vs. original sources of: Wotan, and other characters; ideals: e.g. honor, blood vengeance, etc.

Wagner and his critics: e.g. Hanslick, et al.

Wagner and political ideas.

Wagner's artistic ideals.

Wagner and the social revolution of 1848-49.

Opera and drama; myth as the source of material; music drama as operatic consequence of aesthetic autonomy.

Germanic alliterative verse, Stabreim.

Wagner and anti-Semitism, Jewish composers.

Wagner and Ludwig II.

Cosima's diaries; Wagner's autobiography; Wagner's correspondence; diaries.

Wagner and neo-romanticism.

Wagner vs. Hegel.

Wagner's operas vs. absolute music.

Brahms vs. Wagner: developing large forms from brief musical ideas.

Wagner's leitmotifs.

Industrial revolution: relationship of innovation to progress.

Wagner: achieving classical status through modernity.

Wagner's vocal style: how different? Dramatic declamation and melody.

Voice + orchestra = melody + accompaniment?

Wagner's influence on younger composers and music, e.g. on symphonists.

Wagner's style: unending melody, Gesamtkunstwerk, leitmotif, music drama; changes in his style over time.

Leitmotif and critics.

"Infinite" melody for Wagner: constantly expressive and significant––not just formulas.

Music drama: music as one of means of expression available to drama vs. events on stage are acts of music made visible.

Gesamtkunstwerk: Shakespearean drama and Beethoven's symphonies "redeemed" in musical drama.

Wagner and Baudelaire: beginning of modern music and literature.

Ring: as myth of nature; as man's exploitation of nature; as political allegory; as psychological revelation of inner self; as "national" opera; nationalism.

Reemergence of old Germanic myths: other outcomes besides the Ring.

Wagner and Greek drama: teaching the people their heritage through myths.

Hegel––role of heroes: through them a new world comes into being.

Wagner and Bakunin.

Bayreuth.