Re: Burning questions about the Ring's symbolism and leitmotifs

> Wouldn't it be the valkyries?

If you were a fallen Norse or Teutonic hero, perhaps a case can be
made for valkyries.  But for a run-of-the-mill human, who took care of
you?  And what do the Valkyries take to Valhalla?  Simple souls, or
something more. . .uh. . .tangible to protect Wotan?  The actual dead
bodies which then return to a robust (after?)life once all those
Wunschmaddchens get going (hubba hubba)?

But, this might raise an even larger question about Wagner's
construction of The Ring.  In The Ring there are no, sort of,
"average" or "normal" or "regular" humans until the second act of GD
(the vassals), but then they remain onstage right through the
Immolation--and in some productions they are there even beyond that. 
At first glance, one might wonder why Wagner took so long to introduce
"common" folk into the the Ring.  However, since he wrote the text in
a descending order, wouldn't the actual question be then why did he
abandon common people so quickly?  Was it purely for artistic reasons?
 eg. he no longer felt the need for a chorus? or didn't have any more
dead bodies that needed convenient  removal from the stage a la
Siegfried?

Or is the a deeper reason?  For example, had Wagner in his egotistical
mind begun to feel that composing music depicting common people was,
after Meistersinger, beneath him?  Or, the other side of this coin: 
did Wagner inherently know that he wrote his best music when inspired
by the loftiness of heroes, gods, giants, and even, dwarfs?  Or is
there something else? or nothing at all?  That artistically this is
the way the cookie crumbles, so to speak. (btw, does anyone remember
the picture on the cover of the Jankowski (sp?) low budget GD?  No one
ever mentions this particular cycle and as I recall when it came out
30+ years ago, reviews weren't all that bad.  I think Fritz Uhl--a
perfect low budget heldentenor--was in it.)

RICK