This section of this site intends to accomplish two things: to provide a general survey of the beings within Teutonic mythology and a summary of the characters and elements in Richard Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung simultaneously, the following is essentially compare/contrast. In no way is this exploration meant to be a complete presentation of all the subjects in Teutonic mythology. The subject is too diverse. Any attempt here to try to encompass everything the Teutons imagined in their stories could not possibly do justice to the richness of their mythology. But, hopefully, this page at least will inspire curious souls to discover the gods and characters of Teutonic myths and of Richard Wagner on their own.

Also, in order to give a deeper understanding of the four operas of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, wherever possible, included is a parenthetical citation of the opera in which the character or element occurs.

• Das Rheingold ("Rhinegold")
• Die Walkure ("The Valkyries")
• Siegfried
• Gotterdammerung ("The Twilight of the Gods")

[Above]: Siegfried reforging Notung, his father's sword. (Engel, Erich W., Richard Wagner's Leben und Werke im Bilde, C.F.W. Siegel's Musikalienhandlung; Leipzig, 1922; 577.)