Not all Mabinogion's are created equal. This version has not only the four branches, but the Four Independent Tales, The Three Romances. Result? None are done as well as could be leaving much to be desired. Redemption, that it is in clear English and readable. Celtic mythology, Arthurian romance, and an intriguing interpretation of British history--these are just some of the themes embraced by the anonymous authors of the eleven tales that make up the Welsh medieval masterpiece known as the Mabinogion. Set in dual realms of the forests and valleys of Wales and the shadowy otherworld, the tales are filled by a dreamlike atmosphere. They tell of Gwydion the shape-shifter, who can create a woman out of flowers; of Math the magician whose feet must lie in the lap of a virgin; of hanging a pregnant mouse and hunting a magical boar. Dragons, witches, and giants live alongside kings and heroes, and quests of honor, revenge, and love are set against the backdrop of a country struggling to retain its independence. King Arthur's court provides the backdrop to tales such as "How Culhwch Won Olwen", in which a young man must complete many tasks before he can marry a giant's daughter. The work is divided into 11 disparate tales. Only the four of the first sections are explicitly "Branches of the Mabinogi," or stories of a youth. The youth is, according to a tradition followed by Gwyn Jones in her introduction, is Pryderi, the son of a Welsh King, Pwyll. Paperback: 272 pages Rating: 3 & a half Stars. Review by Bill Tillman |
May 17, 2010
The Mabinogion by Gwyn Jones
Labels:
Celtic-lore,
demons,
dragons,
druid,
enchantress,
fae,
faeries,
fantasy,
Folklore,
gods,
mabinogion,
magic,
mythology,
otherworlds,
Wales
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
Meic Stevens will need no introduction to most readers of this blog ( for anyone who does require some background info there is a 'Roug...
-
Hill House Retreat, Llansteffan from Haikukacho on Vimeo . AmeriCymru spoke to Lance Thomas Burns about the upcoming event 'Dylan T...
-
In this interview AmeriCymru talks to o-Dzin Tridral, founder and owner of Aro Books Worldwide, a Welsh printing press specializing in publ...
-
ENTER STORY COMP HERE ENTER POETRY COMP HERE Croeso/welcome to the 2015 West Coast Eisteddfod online poetry and short story competiti...
-
Ceri: How did you get into acting and theater? Jonny: Basically I was in a band in the mid 90's called The Pocket Devils. We becam...
-
Singer-songwriter David Llewllyn , of Welsh birth and Nashville, Tennessee residence, is the grand prize winner of the John Lennon Songwri...
-
Interview Welsh Crime Writer Cathy Ace | americymru.net
-
Help yourself to a free Welsh language digital album. Download from "Dan Y Cownter/Under The Counter". The album features tracks f...
-
“One of the best debut poetry collections of recent years” John Barnie Here and the Water is a collection of lyrical poetry inspi...
-
AmeriCymru spoke to Graham Williams a Welsh photographer based in Bangor, Gwynedd. Graham's ambition is to photograph t...
No comments:
Post a Comment