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Ring of Power : The Abandoned Child, the Authoritarian Father, and the Disempowered Feminine - A Jungian Understanding of Wagner's Ring Cycle
The author of The Tao of Psychology examines Wagner's mythic, multigenerational family drama of the Ring Cycle operas for archetypal truths and fundamental insights, showing readers how to free themselves from their personal ""Ring Cycle"" of dysfunction. $20,000 ad/promo.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
About the author
Jean Shinoda Bolen
55 books503 followersJean Shinoda Bolen, M. D. is a psychiatrist, Jungian analyst, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco, a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and recipient of the Institute for Health and Healing’s "Pioneers in Art, Science, and the Soul of Healing Award". She is a former board member of the Ms. Foundation for Women.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 1, 2012
Meu primeiro livro junguiano, quão irônico ele ser sobre o ciclo do anel de Wagner.
March 25, 2021
Listening to Wagner's Ring Cycle operas simultaneously reading this book made me realize the destructive consequences wrought in the operas mirrors real life tragedy. I really enjoyed the discovery of archetypes and symbolism as well as addressing the overarching question of love versus power, while clarifying "what it means" to be a Wotan's daughter, wife, and son- freeing ones self from the ring cycle in a post-patriarchal world.
December 3, 2017
Amo la obra de Wagner y el análisis jungiano. A match made in heaven.
December 27, 2022
The title is packed with promise.
The author “Jean Shinboda Bolen, MD.” delivers on the title's promise and then some.
It gives not have as much of a new perspective but is more in-depth. It is like being told your shoe is untied.
The story becomes more clear and more personal which adds to its enjoyment.
I found it too fascinating to tie it back to some old dry psychology.
It helps to have individual views version aggregation. One can still pick and choose their own ideas. But you have to be exposed before you can pick and choose.
I have put “Gods in Everyman: Archetypes That Shape Men's Lives” on my reading list.
The author “Jean Shinboda Bolen, MD.” delivers on the title's promise and then some.
It gives not have as much of a new perspective but is more in-depth. It is like being told your shoe is untied.
The story becomes more clear and more personal which adds to its enjoyment.
I found it too fascinating to tie it back to some old dry psychology.
It helps to have individual views version aggregation. One can still pick and choose their own ideas. But you have to be exposed before you can pick and choose.
I have put “Gods in Everyman: Archetypes That Shape Men's Lives” on my reading list.
October 22, 2025
Couldn't put it down! The story was beautifully explained and illustrated how familial dysfunction is created when raised in a patriarchal framework. This resonated deeply with my personal experience. I resonated with the story characters and the underlying message of choosing love over power and the pursuit of your own inner truth. A reminder to release the chains of the authoritarian father figure of the patriarchy and to free yourself from others' approval. You do you!
November 4, 2017
Entre a Opera do Anel de Nibelungo e a análise da mesma, este livro não é fácil de ler. Mas é uma boa entrada para entender esta Opera tão famosa.
December 3, 2017
Análisis jungiano del anillo de Wagner. ¿Que mas se puede pedir?
March 17, 2019
It sounds awful but is actually very good. Insightful discussion not only of the characters in the opera but also of the types they represent in real life.
December 8, 2025
Um pouco de trauma, um pouco de surto, um pouco de feminismo, e muitas marcações.
October 25, 2016
جریان زندگی خیلی از ماهاست
January 3, 2021
This book was written in a popular style of Jungian psychology. “This means this and that means that” does not get into the depths of the characters in other than a superficial way. Archetypes can act like silly characters in pulp fiction, but I think Wagner had other ideas in mind, which would have added to the analysis. The depth of the music is an important part of the effect these operas had on the public at that time. Today we have movies which do the same archetypal things.
I am stopping half-way through for now to go on to other more fruitful studies.
I am stopping half-way through for now to go on to other more fruitful studies.
December 10, 2013
Since translating this epic from German for my finals in that language many moons ago, Das Niebelungenlied has resurfaced at unexpected times. Subconsciously I've been worrying it like a dog its bone. Now I know why.
The author breaks the characters of Wagner's operatic Ring Circle into archetypes heavy in symbolism and theme. She addresses the overarching question of love versus power, while clarifying exactly what it means to be a Wotan's daughter, wife, and son. Perhaps what surprised me most was the obvious connection between Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS and DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN. Yes, as an overburdened student, I completely missed that--despite reading both.
Perhaps my favorite chapters come at the end as Shinoda Bolen tackles freeing yourself from the ring cycle, then delves into a post-patriarchal world. Yes, there were a few repetitive and dogmatic portions to this tome, but I came away with such glorious insights that I can only recommend her Jungian-based perspective.
The author breaks the characters of Wagner's operatic Ring Circle into archetypes heavy in symbolism and theme. She addresses the overarching question of love versus power, while clarifying exactly what it means to be a Wotan's daughter, wife, and son. Perhaps what surprised me most was the obvious connection between Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS and DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN. Yes, as an overburdened student, I completely missed that--despite reading both.
Perhaps my favorite chapters come at the end as Shinoda Bolen tackles freeing yourself from the ring cycle, then delves into a post-patriarchal world. Yes, there were a few repetitive and dogmatic portions to this tome, but I came away with such glorious insights that I can only recommend her Jungian-based perspective.
April 23, 2011
Fans of Jean Shinoda Bolen's other works shouldn't miss this book! Rather than just a listing of archetypes and their accompanying psychological characteristics, Ring of Power is an exploration of archetypes in action. The book explores how focusing on power to the exclusion of all other values is a theme running through Wagner's Ring Cycle operas and how the how the destructive consequences wrought in the operas mirrors real life tragedy. Bolen is not, however, a natural storyteller. Readers not very familiar with Wagner's Ring Cycle (me) will still need to watch the operas to really understand the nuances of the stories. Awkward plot summaries aside, the book is really fascinating and a great introduction to psychological analysis of popular culture.
January 26, 2011
It's a good book if you never studied the Nieblungs and want to have a new perspective on themes and characters. However if you have already studied the tale in university, this boook won't give any new information. It might be the best idea ever if you read this book along with the original "Das Niebelungenlied" and then Tolkien's "The Legend of Sigurd and Grudun". Bolen focuses mainly on the character Prünhilt and Sivrit and leaves Krimihilt and Gunther behind, which was great for me, beacuse I have always been curious with the history of Prünhilt and was very unhappy with the medieval version of the myth.
August 8, 2013
I honestly knew very little about Wagner's Ring Cycle operas before reading this book and while I did find Jean Shinoda Bolen's break-down of the archetypes in action in this epic tale interesting, it was a bit hard for me to connect deeply with the symbology. She implies that the power dynamics revealed in this series of stories applies to ALL families and I don't necessarily find that to be true. The power dynamics between the male and female characters feels extremely "black & white" and doesn't address the much more complex "grey areas" of power and gender that are really at play in all family and relationship dynamics. It's definitely well-written, I just didn't connect with it.
September 10, 2023
The title is packed with promise.
The author “Jean Shinboda Bolen, MD.” delivers on the title's promise and then some.
It does not have as much of a new perspective but is more in-depth. It is like being told your shoe is untied.
The story becomes clearer and more personal which adds to its enjoyment.
I found it too fascinating to tie it back to some old dry psychology.
It helps to have individual views version aggregation. One can still pick and choose their own ideas. But you must be exposed before you can pick and choose.
I have put “Gods in Everyman: Archetypes That Shape Men's Lives” on my reading list.
The author “Jean Shinboda Bolen, MD.” delivers on the title's promise and then some.
It does not have as much of a new perspective but is more in-depth. It is like being told your shoe is untied.
The story becomes clearer and more personal which adds to its enjoyment.
I found it too fascinating to tie it back to some old dry psychology.
It helps to have individual views version aggregation. One can still pick and choose their own ideas. But you must be exposed before you can pick and choose.
I have put “Gods in Everyman: Archetypes That Shape Men's Lives” on my reading list.
April 23, 2013
Such a terrible book that one almost has to assume that it is a failed attempt at satire of Jungian analysis and feminism. Bolen herself is a hack writer who apparently has no musical education, and the analysis itself ignores the score and leitmotifs and instead focuses on the libretto. This book should be avoided at all cost.
May 24, 2019
Interesting Jungian take on Wagner´s ring cycle, although at times it feels a bit like the author projected her analysis of a dysfunctional family onto the opera a priori, rather than analyzing it from scratch. There is also barely any mention of the music and what it intends to communicate. Nonetheless an enjoyable read for me.
November 25, 2007
Fascinating insights into family dysfunction through analysis of Carl Jung and Wagner's Ring Cycle operas.
September 16, 2012
Una forma de entender como el patriarcado marco al mundo y a las mujeres.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews