Siegmund

Summary

Dominique Pagani discusses Siegmund in connection with Wagner's Die Walküre, in sessions devoted to amnesia, the sciences of history, Götterdämmerung and anthropology. He places him in Wotan's line: a fugitive descended from the god and the twin brother of Sieglinde, Siegmund is the one who pulls the sword from the tree1, the only one able to draw it2. With Sieglinde, he forms the pair of twins from whom Siegfried is born3. He dwells above all on one choice the character makes: Siegmund refuses Valhalla if he must go there without Sieglinde, and would rather die with his beloved than leave her4. He then dies, his sword shattered by Wotan5. In a 2022 session devoted to Siegfried and Perceval, he also notes that in Die Walküre the character gives himself several names6. In these passages, Siegmund matters chiefly as a link in the lineage leading to Siegfried and through his refusal of Valhalla.

1. 1#9.15 How can sciences of history be real?18 Feb 2021 · 30:22
2. 2The aporias of anthropology23 Nov 2022 · 46:35
3. 3#9.19 Twilight of the Gods, or from repetition to liberation (part 2)14 Apr 2021 · 39:18
4. 4#2 Benefits and harms of amnesia…23 Oct 2020 · 1:17:51
5. 5#9.15 How can sciences of history be real?18 Feb 2021 · 54:35
6. 6Hesitation fascinated by hearing and by sight: Siegfried and Perceval12 Dec 2022 · 55:10

Summary produced automatically from 6 of the passages below, to be reviewed; the numbers link to the moment in the session.