Alfredo's query re Morgan

[einar@cvn.net (carl christianson)]

Poster: einar@cvn.net (carl christianson)

>
>Poster: Elen Prydydd
>
Alfredo wrote:

>..., where they meet Queen Morgan le Fay, King Arthur's
>wise sister, who announces that she's looking for Arthur.
>The emperor then reveals,...and he is
>attended by an aged knight named Breunis Saunce Pite'"
>... they lead the reunited legends back to Morgan's
>ship, which is no longer draped in black. Then they have supper.

>This episode raises several questions in my mind:

including:
>* Did Morgana's role in the legend start out good and
>gradually change to evil?

Your Talmudic quote I find quite interesting; my own bias should be evident
in my answer to this specific question.  If you mean that her role changed
over the course of the evolution of the Arthurian legend cycle, yes, I
believe that to be true, due to my own religious biases and subsequent
delvings into Celtic legends.  I honestly think that the figure of Morgan le
Fay started out as one of the great Celtic mother goddesses; there is, in
fact, an Irish goddess called the Morrigan.  She rules the battlefields and
is attended by and/or seen as a raven(s).  Considering the cyclic nature of
pagan Celtic belief, it is absolutely consistent for the same deity to
encompass birth, life, death and rebirth.  Certain Celtic goddesses were
adopted as saints by the Christian church:  Brigid/Brigantia is a prime
example.  Most were not so kindly treated:  the Morrigan, or Morgan, was one
of those.  One could easily take this story as a metaphor for reincarnation
(once and future king) or for initiation into a religious/spiritual life.
The fact that, in this story, her ship arrived draped in black, as befitting
a funeral barge, and left sans black draperies bears out this
interpretation.  By the time of Malory's writings, Morgan had become the
most evil woman who ever lived.  It's my humble opinion that she did not
start out that way in these legends.  

As for Breunis, sorry, can't help you there.  Anybody out there know
anything about Breton/French legends?  I'll bet that's where he originates.

That's about all I can respond to on this.  Hope my answer about Morgan
didn't raise too many hackles.  But then, I'm a heretic, it's in my job
description/persona to be ...well, controversial!

Elen


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