StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The essay "Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology" has attempted to show the problematic nature of the different sources used by historians in the study of Celtic mythology. It is these problems of authenticity, reliability and bias, inherent in each source, which makes our knowledge fragmentary…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER92.6% of users find it useful
Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology"

Why, despite seemingly copious sources, is our knowledge of Celtic mythology so fragmentary? The Celts were a culturally dominant and diverse people,whose beliefs and practices spread across a vast part of Ancient Europe. Although much of their history and ideas have been lost, there are many sources of reference available in the study of mythology. However, the problematic nature of the sources has created a fragmentary knowledge. This essay will focus on understanding the different types of sources available to historian and, more importantly, why they are so problematic. The major obstacle to our understanding of mythology comes from the fact that the Celts were not a literate race. They did not write down their knowledge and understanding of religion or of the supernatural. They relied wholly on the oral tradition to pass their mythology down to the next generation (Brezina, 2008, p. 4) Historians are also in agreement that the term “mythology” is problematic; how is “mythology” defined, and, what does it include? The Dictionary Of Celtic Religion and Culture defines mythology as the “sum total of the religious narratives” of the Celts which “interpret” and “affirm human experience.” It should be noted that their mythology was not”uniform” but rather made up of many different myths which were regarded as compatible. Mythology includes gods and goddesses, the story of our creation, and ideas about life after death (Maier, 1997, p. 204). MacKillop has shown how the definition of mythology has changed over time and has been redefined many times, which may have hindered historians in the study of this subject (MacKillop, 2004, p. xx). According to Aldhouse-Green, there are three categories of evidence when studying Celtic mythology; the evidence of Classical writers, vernacular sources from Ireland and Wales, and archaeology (1998, p. 8). These will now be discussed in turn. The Romans considered their Celtic neighbours to be barbarians, but their observations provide much of our body evidence in the study of mythology, in particular Julius Caesar, Lucan and Posidonius (Brezina, 2008, p.11). The two cultures co-existed but often clashed, as they were built on entirely different beliefs, traditions and values (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, p. 8). Furthermore, their relationship was also marked by conflict; the Romans successfully conquered Celtic Britain in the first-century, only to have their capital sacked by the Celts two centuries later (Brezina, 2008, p. 7). Consequently, historians such as Aldhouse-Green, have warned of the problems of using Roman sources as evidence. She argues that that there is a real danger of "bias distortion, misunderstanding and admission" which will affect the authenticity and usefulness of their opinions and observations. Classical writers may well have sensationalised or deliberately selected aspects of Celtic behaviour and ideas to create the image of an "uncivilised" race, and thus add to their own sense of superiority (1998. p. 8). The Romans may well have “singled out” or exaggerated particular Celtic ideas and beliefs which seemed alien to them. Brezina has commented that they offer “confused” and “fragmentary” accounts of the gods especially as they seemed very strange to the Romans ( 2008, p. 11). Their accounts also present difficulties for the historian because they employed Roman terminology when describing Celtic religion. This further compounds the difficulties of interpretation (Maier, 1997, p. 24). The second type of source to be discussed come from the Middle Ages and were compiled throughout Britain. Once again, the historian is immediately confronted with a problem which potentially affects their reliability and authenticity; the influence of Christianity (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, p. 9). Maier argues that this influence means that such accounts are not a true reflection of “pre-Christian mythology” and should actually be viewed as a “creative interpretation”. To be able to use them correctly also requires an excellent knowledge of Medieval Welsh and Irish sources, and a constant reviewing when new material is discovered (1997, p. 204). Ireland has produced a rich array of mythological and religious sources. Historian have grouped the tales into useful categories; the Mythological cycle, the Ulster cycle, the kings cycles, and the Fenian cycle. There is also a collection of romances and Arthurian tales (Koch, 2006, pp. 994-996). There has been much controversy over the value of these texts, and it has been argued that they are more “indicative of medieval Ireland” than of Celtic mythology. Another problem is that Christian contemporaries may have deliberately ignored aspects which they disapproved of or did not understand. Thus the historian is left with a “diluted version” of Celtic mythology and Gods completely cut off from their systems of belief (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, p. 11). Similarly, it has been argued that the Welsh vernacular sources have undergone serious modification and there is generally far less evidence at our disposal. They allow us to see some important themes in Celtic mythology and religion, such as shape-changing, which are in common with other sources, but offer a fragmentary view at best (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, pp. 11-12). Finally, what contribution has archaeology made to our understanding of mythology and what problems has it posed? Archaeology is concerned with the material culture of a particular group. It can potentially tell us about the material aspects of religion, such as rituals and burial rites. Mythology, however, is based on beliefs and the two consequently appear incompatible. However, there have been some important finds in the field of mythology; numerous inscriptions, dated from the Roman period, have given historians the names of key gods and goddesses (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, pp. 12-14). Images of deities, ritual objects and calendars with the dates of festivals have also been unearthed (Potter & Johns, 1992, p. 159).Archaeological evidence can also be used in conjunction with textual sources to further inform and understand (Denault, 2003). This essay has attempted to show the problematic nature of the different sources used by historians in the study of Celtic mythology. It is these problems of authenticity, reliability and bias,inherent in each source, which make our knowledge so fragmentary, as neither can be taken on face value, or offers a complete guide of mythology. In addition, defining the term mythology has also been an obstacle, as it has been redefined on many occasions and, even now, appears a subjective idea. Studying beliefs and values which were verbally articulated is not an easy task and the Celts illiteracy and oral traditions have proved a major barrier in our understanding. That is not to say that our knowledge will not continue to grow as more investigation is completed. The point of central importance is to be aware of the problems outlined in this essay and ensure that the perceptions of other cultures and religions do not allow us to forget the Celts. References Aldhouse-Green, Miranda J. 1998. Celtic Myths. Texas: University of Texas Press. Brezina, Corona. 2008. Celtic Mythology. New York: Rosen. Denault, Leigh T. 2003. Celtic Europe. (http://www.watson.org/~leigh/celts.html), Accessed 3rd April 2010. Fee, Christopher., & Leeming, David. 2001. Gods, Heroes and Kings:The Battle For Mythic Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Johns, Catherine., & Potter, Timothy. 1992. Roman Britain. Berkeley: University of California Press. Koch, John T. 2006. Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. California: ABC-CLIO. MacKillop, James. 2004. Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Maier, Bernhard. 1992. Dictionary of Celtic Religion and Culture. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. . Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words, n.d.)
Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/history/1564827-why-despite-seemingly-copious-sources-is-our-knowledge-of-celtic-mythology-so-fragmentary
(Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words)
Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words. https://studentshare.org/history/1564827-why-despite-seemingly-copious-sources-is-our-knowledge-of-celtic-mythology-so-fragmentary.
“Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/history/1564827-why-despite-seemingly-copious-sources-is-our-knowledge-of-celtic-mythology-so-fragmentary.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology

Ferdinand de Saussure's Influence on Russian Federalism

By Russian formalism, the term points to “the distinctive effect achieved by literary works in disrupting our habitual perception of the world, enabling us to see things afresh” which also happens to be necessary for the contexts regarded in the poetry of the English romantics (Baldick, 1990)....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Literary Analysis Of White Teeth By Zadie Smith

-Zadie Smith, White Teeth If World War II and the knowledge of oppression it represents are absent from all too many postcolonial studies, fifty-five years after its ending, the event and its lingering effects have found a critical position in the remarkable novel White Teeth, by Zadie Smith, Britain's most celebrated postcolonial prodigy.... our children will be born of our actions.... our accidents will become their destinies....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Representation of Women in Hamlet and The Rover

Women played a variety of active roles in both the stories its thematic center is their faithfulness.... 'Hamlet' view that women are frail because their reason gives way to passion.... 'The Rover', itself was of woman creation and has leading role in the play. … In 'Hamlet', we are forced to consider in a new light the oldest prejudice against women: what is it that they do with their bodies, that, in men's eyes, is less than and antithetical to what men do with their minds' As Plato put it, men in their sexual relations with women produce babies, but in their sublimated relations with other men ("Platonic"), they produce philosophy....
9 Pages (2250 words) Book Report/Review

Intelligence in Ancient Celts

The most well-known characteristic of this culture is the development of celtic languages, many of which are still spoken today.... celtic languages are said to have been developed initially, as a branch of Indo-European languages.... Among the celtic languages still spoken today are “Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Breton, Manx, and Cornish “ ... Keeping in mind that the Celts did not make much use of written word, measurement of such knowledge will not be included....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Christianity Accomodationist vs. Protectionist Biblical Critics

At the tail end of the industrial revolution, people found themselves with new technologies, means of transportation, and definitions of living.... Factory lifestyles caused… Science became a profession in the nineteenth century; Darwin offered theories on evolution, Edison gave the world light, Faraday determined how batteries worked, and Marie Currie, a woman, discovered radiation....
11 Pages (2750 words) Essay

The Role of Communication and Care of the Dementia Patients

This approach helps in framing of quality decisions and provides nursing care which is determined by personal clinical experience in combination with researched knowledge acquisition on the particular aspect of care giving.... Patients all over the world are generally satisfied with the care approach in the indoor settings however there might not be a uniform level of satisfaction across all aspects of care giving....
8 Pages (2000 words) Assignment

The Major Symbols Inherent in the Ancient Stories of Britain

This paper describes the exploration of Carl Gustav Jung.... His path of exploration followed to some degree the thoughts of the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, who was also his mentor for a while, but eventually veered off in their own direction causing an irreparable rift between the men....
14 Pages (3500 words) Essay

Prescribing Practices and Cost of Drugs for Peptic Ulcer Disease

The paper "Prescribing Practices and Cost of Drugs for Peptic Ulcer Disease" states that the majority of patients were using Ranitidine (Zantac), while only a few others using Omeprazole (Losec).... This pattern is inconsistent with most of the guidelines.... nbsp;… Studies conducted in 1998 revealed that prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors amounted to two million....
7 Pages (1750 words) Coursework
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us