Wagner And Suicide

Composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) likely suffered from a manic-depressive disorder but in his time very little was known about mental illness, and suicide was not a topic for general discussion. Wagner was often plagued by extreme mood swings; he used his operas, especially the librettos, to express himself and his personal difficulties. This investigation of the suicidal themes in Wagner's life and operas--Die Fliegender Hollander, Tannhauser, Lohengrin, Tristan und Isolde, Die Meistersinger, the Ring cycle, and Parsifal--shows how manic-depressive illness, particularly the depressive part of it, affected Wagner's life and art. It also analyzes the influence of Giambattista Vico's theories of cycles (and how these theories appeared in Wagner's work), suicide as a theatrical and operatic phenomenon, and the way in which the theme of suicide has appeared in other works of the literary and performing arts.

In this remarkably clear and readable evaluation of the research on this topic, Barry Wagner presents the current state of knowledge about suicidal behaviors in children and adolescents, addressing the trends of the past ten years and evaluating available treatment approaches. Wagner provides an in-depth examination of the problem of suicidal behavior within the context of child and adolescent behavior. Among the developmental issues covered are the evolving capacity for emotional self-regulation, change and stresses in family, peer, and romantic relationships, and developing conceptions of time and death. He also provides an up-to-date review of the controversy surrounding the possible influence of antidepressant medications on suicidal behavior. Within the context of an integrative model of the suicide crisis, Wagner discusses issues pertaining to assessment, treatment, and prevention.

With recent studies using genetic, epigenetic, and other molecular and neurochemical approaches, a new era has begun in understanding pathophysiology of suicide. Emerging evidence suggests that neurobiological factors are not only critical in providing potential risk factors but also provide a promising approach to develop more effective treatment and prevention strategies. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide discusses the most recent findings in suicide neurobiology. Psychological, psychosocial, and cultural factors are important in determining the risk factors for suicide; however, they offer weak prediction and can be of little clinical use. Interestingly, cognitive characteristics are different among depressed suicidal and depressed nonsuicidal subjects, and could be involved in the development of suicidal behavior. The characterization of the neurobiological basis of suicide is in delineating the risk factors associated with suicide. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide focuses on how and why these neurobiological factors are crucial in the pathogenic mechanisms of suicidal behavior and how these findings can be transformed into potential therapeutic applications.

Nate Wagner faced despair in his early twenties. After the loss of his only brother to suicide, Nate struggled to find hope, reimagine his life, and achieve a new normal. As he slowly found a path through sorrow and discovered constructive ways to deal with his grief, he also discovered two new vocations: first counselor and then writer. Drawing on his clinical training and work and his own life experience, Nate shares his story with readers, offering practical suggestions and honest reflections to invite the reader into his journey from despair to hope. Written for those who have experienced sibling suicide, for those who want to support them, and for anyone seeking to understand, this memoir offers hope. Foreword written by Kevin Briggs Whether you suffer from a mental illness or not, are a suicide attempt survivor, suicide loss survivor or contemplating suicide, or just want to educate yourself on the ramifications of suicide, I highly recommend Nathan Wagner's book, Sibling Suicide: Journey from Despair to Hope. I am positive you will find this book educational, filled with insight and thought-provoking testimony from lived experience. Most importantly, it may help you save a life, including your own. Kevin R. Briggs Sergeant, California Highway Patrol (Ret.) Author of Guardian of the Golden Gate Marin County, CA

Laceys Sister, 3/29/13 Davids Sister, 10/26/12 Bella, 8/21/12 A sibling loss to suicide is even more unique because the sibling(s) left behind are often forgotten mourning the loss of their brother or sister alone in the shadows of their parents grief. This book discusses some of the challenges sibling survivors of suicide will face, both individually and as a family unit, including: -- What can I expect during the grieving process as a sibling survivor of suicide? -- How can I set boundaries to take care of myself? -- Will my relationship with my parents change? -- How do I answer questions about my now-departed sibling? -- What can I do to get through the holidays and anniversaries? -- How do I keep my brother or sister alive in my life, without him or her physically present? These questions and more are answered directly from the authors experiences following the loss of her eighteen year-old brother to suicide in November 2001. Hopefully, her experiences will give sibling survivors of suicide a bit of strength, hope, and peace in navigating the long road to healing ahead.

Richard Wagner: A Research and Information Guide is an annotated bibliography concerning both the nature of primary sources related to the composer and the scope and significance of the secondary sources which deal with him, his compositions, and his influence as a composer and performer.

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) aimed to be more than just a composer. He set out to redefine opera as a "total work of art" combining the highest aspirations of drama, poetry, the symphony, the visual arts, even religion and philosophy. Equally celebrated and vilified in his own time, Wagner continues to provoke debate today regarding his political legacy as well as his music and aesthetic theories. Wagner and His World examines his works in their intellectual and cultural contexts. Seven original essays investigate such topics as music drama in light of rituals of naming in the composer's works and the politics of genre; the role of leitmotif in Wagner's reception; the urge for extinction in Tristan und Isolde as psychology and symbol; Wagner as his own stage director; his conflicted relationship with pianist-composer Franz Liszt; the anti-French satire Eine Kapitulation in the context of the Franco-Prussian War; and responses of Jewish writers and musicians to Wagner's anti-Semitism. In addition to the editor, the contributors are Karol Berger, Leon Botstein, Lydia Goehr, Kenneth Hamilton, Katherine Syer, and Christian Thorau. This book also includes translations of essays, reviews, and memoirs by champions and detractors of Wagner; glimpses into his domestic sphere in Tribschen and Bayreuth; and all of Wagner's program notes to his own works. Introductions and annotations are provided by the editor and David Breckbill, Mary A. Cicora, James Deaville, Annegret Fauser, Steven Huebner, David Trippett, and Nicholas Vazsonyi.

This is a new biography of the German composer Richard Wagner, 200 years after his birth, re-examining his life in light of new documents and new sensibilities. Since World War II Wagner has often been wrongly associated with Adolf Hitler because Hitler liked Wagner's music and used it in Nazi propaganda. But Wagner died in 1883--fifty years before Hitler's regime. It is time to have a fresh look at Wagner's life without the Nazi associations. His life was a series of abandonments and traumas for the self-destructive but creative genius, as he tried to survive as a freelance composer in the hostile environments of 19th century Germany.