The Wisdom of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung

The Ring of Truth

'The ideal interpreter of the Ring ... a fascinating and valuable study ... absorbing and convincing' Sunday Times 
 
The Ring of the Nibelung is one of the greatest works of art created in modern times. Roger Scruton's brilliant and passionate exploration of the drama, music, symbolism and philosophy of Wagner's masterpiece - with its themes of love, death, sacrifice and freedom - shows how, ultimately, it expresses the truth about the human condition. 
 
'Highly original and penetrating ... tremendous' Tim Blanning, Literary Review 
 
'A rich, historical account ... After reading this book, only the most unadventurous reader would turn down the chance to see Wagner's masterpiece' Economist 
 
'A brilliant gallop through the master's religious, musical and philosophical contexts' Sue Prideaux, Spectator 
 
'Scruton is one of the finest philosopher-musicians since Schopenhauer' Jonathan Gaisman, Standpoint

a masterpiece, all told the best book on Wagner I have ever read

After reading this book, only the most unadventurous reader would turn down the chance to see Wagner's masterpiece.

Roger Scruton is in many ways the ideal interpreter of the Ring

Highly original and penetrating ... he writes about the music authoritatively but comprehensibly... lucidly, cogently and even entertainingly

Admirably lucid ... a perceptive and detailed account ... constantly enlightening commentary

Sir Roger Scruton was a writer and philosopher who held positions at the universities of London, Oxford, Boston and St Andrews and who wrote widely on art, architecture, music and aesthetics. His books include his now classic Short History of Modern Philosophy (1981), The Aesthetics of Music (1997), Death-Devoted Heart: Sex and the Sacred in Wagner's Tristan and Isolde (2004) and The Ring of Truth: The Wisdom of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung (2016). He was a fellow of the British Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Town And Country

Anthony Barnett was the moving spirit behind Charter 88, whose constitutional radicalism has influenced New Labour. 
Roger Scruton is one of the foremost philosophers of conservatism; he is the author of more than twenty books of philosophy, criticism and fiction.

It has become increasingly apparent that in Britain the relationship between town and country is breaking down and that both are in crisis: policies concerning urbanisation, industry, housing and transport are in disarray, while new issues have arisen concerning the environment, farming, the rural economy, food quality. . . 
 
In Town and Country, members of the Town and Country Forum, a body established in 1995 to bring together influential and thoughtful people concerned with this issue, explore the many-faceted problem of the relationship between urban and rural communities, providing both a focus for debate and an authoritative reference point for contemporary argument. The contributors include academics, philosophers, writers, political activists, environmentalists and other experts on urban and rural affairs. The result is a book of immense importance raising fundamental questions about the way we live now.

An Introduction and Survey

Modern Philosophy

'Anyone interested in philosophy should read this book' Nicholas Bagnall, Sunday Telegraph

Modern Philosophy succeeds in inspiring readers to explore the topic further, because one senses Scruton the mark of the true thinker, a deep sincerity and conviction

Scruton is a masterly writer; his book is a paradigm of lucidity

Roger Scruton was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge. He taught for twenty years in the department of philosophy, Birkbeck College, University of London, and is now Professor of Philosophy at Boston University, Massachusetts. He is the editor of the Salisbury Review. His works include Art and Imagination, The Aesthetics of Architecture, The Meaning of Conservatism, Sexual Desire, Modern Philosophy and The Philosopher on Dover Beach. He has written several works of fiction, including the highly acclaimed Xanthippic Dialogues.

Roger Scruton is one of the most widely respected philosophers of our time, whose often provocative views never fail to stimulate debate. In Modern Philosophy he turns his attention to the whole of the field, from the philosophy of logic to aesthetics, and in so doing provides us with an essential and comprehensive guide to modern thinking. Considered by many to be the best philosophical primer since Bertrand Russell's The Problems of Philosophy, this book is a must for both the student and the general reader.

Roger Scruton

In his weaving of philosophy and musicology into an explication of redemption via the vehicle of compassion, this is an unparalleled, sadly posthumously published offering. It is at once required reading and a launch pad for an infinitude of musings. It is also, it should be clearly stated, magisterial.

This is Roger Scruton's final book. Parsifal was Wagner's final opera. Both works are intended to be taken as Last Words: testaments of belief at the end of a long spiritual journey... you [will] find enormous satisfaction in following the journey of one of our great philosophers making sense of his own life though another's sublime work of art.

The Music of Redemption

Wagner's last music-drama tells the story of Parsifal, the 'pure fool, knowing through compassion', who has been called to rescue the Kingdom of the Grail from the sins that have polluted it. The Grail is a symbol of purity in a world of lust and power, but although Parsifal is the culmination of Wagner's life-long obsession with the religious frame of mind, the redemption sought by his characters is far from the Christian archetype. For Wagner, redemption occurs inthis life, when compassion prevails over enslavement, and purity replaces spiritual pollution. His music here ties together suffering and contrition, sin and forgiveness, downfall and redemption in an inextricable knot, healing the fractures and uniting the warring elements in human life in a way that is clear, convincing and uncanny. More than any other of his works, Parsifal expresses in music a depth of feeling for which we do not have words. 
 
This short but penetrating book, by a writer who was uniquely both a leading philosopher and musicologist, shows us how Wagner achieves this profound work, explaining the story, its musical ideas, and their coming together into a sublime whole which gives us the musical equivalent of forgiveness and closure. There are few writers who can so enhance our understanding of one of the greatest works in western music.

Wagner's Parsifal

About us

About Us (Header 4)

Best-Jane-Austen-quotes_Online-Desktop_Penguin

James-Baldwin

Marian-Keyes

haruki-murakami-320×320-1

Richard-Osman

Malorie Blackman

Lisa-Jewell

Charlie-Mackesy

Authors (Header 3)

Children&#039;s

Company

Discover

Fiction

Non-fiction

Penguin Classics

Penguin Shop (Header 5)

Useful links

Work with us

sectionTitle

isEnabled

anchor

anchorLabel

prhuk/featured-book

prhuk/praise-section

maxBooks

showViewMore

prhuk/books-section

hideAuthorAlert

formName

iterableDivision

iterableBrand

buttonText

description

heading

legalText

successHeading

successText

image

alignment

variation

prhuk/email-section

prhuk/series-section

prhuk/biography-section

prhuk/articles-section

prhuk-authors

The perfect gift? A Penguin Shop gift card

Roger Scruton

Praise for Wagner's Parsifal

In his weaving of philosophy and musicology into an explication of redemption via the vehicle of compassion, this is an unparalleled, sadly posthumously published offering. It is at once required reading and a la ...

This is Roger Scruton's final book. Parsifal was Wagner's final opera. Both works are intended to be taken as Last Words: testaments of belief at the end of a long spiritual journey... you [will] find enormous sa ...

Books by Roger Scruton

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter