Book contents
- Wagner in Context
- Composers in Context
- Wagner in Context
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Musical Examples
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- I Place
- II People
- III Politics, Ideas, and Bodies
- Chapter 15 National Politics
- Chapter 16 Revolutionary Politics
- Chapter 17 World-Drama: Wagner’s Hegelian Heritage
- Chapter 18 Towards an ‘Ideal’ Feminine
- Chapter 19 Health and Wellness
- Chapter 20 Sexuality and Social Mores
- Chapter 21 Sentient Bodies
- Chapter 22 Racial Theory
- IV Life, Language, and the Ancient World
- V Music and Performance
- VI Reception
- Further Reading
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 17 - World-Drama: Wagner’s Hegelian Heritage
from III - Politics, Ideas, and Bodies
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2024
- Wagner in Context
- Composers in Context
- Wagner in Context
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Musical Examples
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- I Place
- II People
- III Politics, Ideas, and Bodies
- Chapter 15 National Politics
- Chapter 16 Revolutionary Politics
- Chapter 17 World-Drama: Wagner’s Hegelian Heritage
- Chapter 18 Towards an ‘Ideal’ Feminine
- Chapter 19 Health and Wellness
- Chapter 20 Sexuality and Social Mores
- Chapter 21 Sentient Bodies
- Chapter 22 Racial Theory
- IV Life, Language, and the Ancient World
- V Music and Performance
- VI Reception
- Further Reading
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This chapter explores the Hegelian context of Wagner‘s works by considering the theoretical texts authored by Wagner in advance of and in preparation for his music-dramatical works. The focus is on the philosophical foundations of The Ring of the Nibelung in the politico-philosophical works Wagner wrote in the context of the Dresden uprising of 1849, in which he took part. The first section reviews the extent and import of Wagner’s theoretical writings, including State and Revolution (1849), The Artwork of the Future (1850) and Opera and Drama (1852). The second section examines the philosophical background of the Ring of the Nibelung, moving from the overt influence of Feuerbach and Schopenhauer to its deeper shaping by Hegel‘s philosophy of world history. Special consideration is given to the agreement between Hegel and Wagner in their civico-political understanding of Greek tragedy, especially Sophocles’ Theban plays, Oedipus the King and Antigone.
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- Wagner in Context , pp. 168 - 177Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024