Brünnhilde

Brünnhilde is a prominent figure in Germanic mythology and Wagner's Ring Cycle operas. In the mythology, she is a Valkyrie, a warrior maiden tasked with escorting fallen heroes to Valhalla. She is often depicted as a powerful and independent figure, capable of defying the gods.

In Richard Wagner's opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen, Brünnhilde's story is central. She is the daughter of Wotan, the king of the gods, and Erda, a primordial goddess. Initially, Wotan orders her to punish his mortal son Siegmund. However, Brünnhilde disobeys, leading to her punishment by Wotan: she is stripped of her divinity and placed in a magical sleep, surrounded by a ring of fire, to be awakened only by a hero who has never known fear.

Siegfried, the grandson of Siegmund, eventually finds and awakens Brünnhilde. Their love story and subsequent tragic fate form a significant part of the opera cycle, exploring themes of love, fate, power, and redemption. Brünnhilde's character arc is one of awakening, love, and ultimately, sacrifice. Her actions in the final opera, Götterdämmerung, lead to the destruction of Valhalla and a new beginning for the world.