| Myths & Legends of the British Isles Contributor(s): Barber, Richard (Author) |
|
 |
ISBN: 1843830396 ISBN-13: 9781843830399 Publisher: Boydell Press OUR PRICE: $37.95 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: June 2004 Annotation: The British Isles have a long tradition of tales of gods, heroes and marvels, hinting at a mythology once as relevant to the races which settled the islands as the Greek and Roman gods were to the classical world. The tales drawn together in this book, from a wide range of medieval sources, span the centuries from the dawn of Christianity to the age of the Plantagenets. The Norse gods which peopled the Anglo-Saxon past survive in Beowulf/I>; Cuchulainn, Taliesin and the magician Merlin take shape from Celtic mythology; and saints include Helena who brought a piece of the True Cross to Britain, and Joseph of Arimathea whose staff grew into the Glastonbury thorn. Tales of the British Arthur are followed by legends of later heroes, including Harold, Hereward and Godiva. These figures and many others were part of a familiar national mythology on which Shakespeare drew for Lear, Macbeth and Hamlet, creating the famous versions that are known today. Here the original stories are presented. RICHARD BARBER's other books include The Holy Grail, King Arthur: Hero and Legend, Arthurian Legends: An Anthology and The Knight and Chivalry. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Literary Criticism | Medieval - Social Science | Folklore & Mythology - History | Europe - Great Britain - General |
| Dewey: 398.209 |
| LCCN: 99021492 |
| Physical Information: 1.78" H x 4.7" W x 9" (2.03 lbs) 572 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - Medieval (500-1453) - Cultural Region - British Isles |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: The British Isles have a long tradition of tales of gods, heroes and marvels, hinting at a mythology once as relevant to the races which settled the islands as the Greek and Roman gods were to the classical world. The tales drawn together in this book, from a wide range of medieval sources, span the centuries from the dawn of Christianity to the age of the Plantagenets. The Norse gods which peopled the Anglo-Saxon past survive in 'Beowulf'; Cuchulainn, Taliesin and the magician Merlin take shape from Celtic mythology; and saints include Helena who brought a piece of the True Cross to Britain, and Joseph of Arimathea whose staff grew into the Glastonbury thorn. Tales of the British Arthur are followed by legends of later heroes, including Harold, Hereward and Godiva. These figures and many others were part of a familiar national mythology on which Shakespeare drew for 'Lear, Macbeth' and 'Hamlet', creating the famous versions that are known today. Here the original stories are presented. RICHARD BARBER's other books include The Holy Grail, King Arthur: Hero and Legend, Arthurian Legends: An Anthology and The Knight and Chivalry. |
Contributor Bio(s): Barber, Richard: - Richard Barber has published widely on medieval history. The Knight and Chivalry won the 1971 Somerset Maugham Award. His other major interest is historical biography with books on Henry Plantagenet and the Black Prince. His most recent book is Edward III and the Triumph of England: The Battle of Crécy and the Order of the Garter. |