The Mabinogion (Everyman's Library (Cloth))
by:
John Updike (author)
Gwyn Jones (author)
Thomas Jones (author)
The 11 stories of The Mabinogion, first assembled on paper in the fourteenth century, reach far back into the earlier oral traditions of Welsh poetry.Closely linked to the Arthurian legends--King Arthur himself is a character--they summon up a world of mystery and magic that is still evoked by...
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The 11 stories of The Mabinogion, first assembled on paper in the fourteenth century, reach far back into the earlier oral traditions of Welsh poetry.Closely linked to the Arthurian legends--King Arthur himself is a character--they summon up a world of mystery and magic that is still evoked by the Welsh landscape they so vividly describe. Mingling fantasy with tales of chivalry, these stories not only prefigure the later medieval romances, but stand on their own as magnificent evocations of a golden age of Celtic civilization.This translation of The Mabinogion has, since its first appearance in 1949, been recognized as a classic in its own right. It was last revised by Gwyn Jones and his wife, Mair, in 1993.Preface by John Updike(Book Jacket Status: Not Jacketed)
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Format: hardcover
ISBN:
9780375411755 (0375411755)
Publish date: February 13th 2001
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Pages no: 304
Edition language: English
Category:
Fantasy,
Classics,
Academic,
School,
Literature,
Historical Fiction,
Medieval,
Poetry,
Mythology,
Folklore,
Arthurian,
Gods
Not really a review, but I was asked for a opinion, so: I'm nowhere near a qualified scholar of anything Welsh; therefore, I probably missed a lot of intricacies. On the top of that, I read the translation that is generally viewed as inferior. But needs (student's ever-empty pockets) must, so free...
This is a very old series of legends. In fact, many of the stories have inconsistencies and some of the stories break off and end without explanation. (Even the footnotes admit that they are missing information.) While that is not the fault of the editors of the book (they can't just make up the end...
I have tried reading various translations of The Mabinogion, by far this is the easiest translation to read. It helps that the hardcover has two bookmarks, so you can read the notes easily as you go.As an introduction to these myths, this is a great place to start.
Welsh myths that provided the basis for some of the later Arthur stories.
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) by Gwyn Jones, Thomas Jones, John Updike, now listed on BookLikes)