Suddhaseel Sen, Brünnhilde, the Aryan Satī: Wagner and German Orientalism

‘Why do they burn Brünnhilde at the end?’ famously asked Anton Bruckner at the end of a performance of Götterdämmerung. Bruckner’s question is often seen as indicative of the composer’s total, all-exclusive obsession with the music of Wagner, and the very limited appreciation of Wagner’s art that can ensue from such an approach. In fact, Bruckner’s question is far more relevant than it seems. Why does Brünnhilde die by burning? Why does Wagner make her choose such a horrific death, causing her Immolation Scene to be one of the most difficult to stage in all opera?