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Abstract: »The article examines whether Richard Wagner intended to depict the character Brünnhilde’s assault in Act I of *Götterdämmerung* as rape, analyzing the music, libretto, stage directions, and various productions. Wagner’s text and score contain violent imagery and musical elements expressing Brünnhilde’s terror and struggle, yet the scene remains ambiguous, with Siegfried’s actions portrayed as both threatening and equivocal, reflecting 19th-century gender norms and Wagner’s complex attitudes toward women. Contemporary directors have interpreted the scene divergently, ranging from explicit portrayals of sexual violence to more ambiguous or symbolic stagings, highlighting ongoing debates about the representation of sexualized violence in opera. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of sensitive and nuanced engagement with such themes in modern productions, given their cultural and feminist significance.« (Source: EBSCOhost)

Note: Rieger, Eva. »Wurde Brünnhilde vergewaltigt? Eine Spurensuche in Musik, Text und Regie.« Wagnerspectrum 2 (2024): 139-152. - Bibliographic Entry: Info

Wikipedia: History of Europe: History of Germany | Music: Richard Wagner / Götterdämmerung | Myth: Germanic mythology / Brunhild | Sex and the law: Rape