Mythological origins of Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle (idea) by frankdeluxe
Prose Edda (Elder and Younger, respectively) presented Wagner with a wealth of resources in characters such as Odin (Wotan), Frigg (Fricka), and Freyja (Freia), as well as in events such as the theft of Andvari (Alberich) the dwarf's gold. What is fascinating is the dextrous fashion in which Wagner combines and reinterprets his sources to construct a vehicle that has historicalliteraryrelevance as well as an infusion of Wagner's own thought. In his book it might even be argued that The Ring is as valid and coherent a dramatic synthesis of the complex mythology of Northern Europe as we are...
Source: everything2.com