Re: Meleagant

[nachtanz@patriot.net (Susan and Ken Reed)]

Poster: nachtanz@patriot.net (Susan and Ken Reed)

>Alfredo wrote:
>
>..And was that Malagant character made up of whole cloth, or what?
>>
>>As you can tell, my knowledge of Arthureana is rather sketchy.

Malagant comes from Chretien de Troyes's The Knight of the Cart (the
earliest recorded Lancelot story) under the name "Meleagant." In "First
Knight" Malagant is a cross between "Melwas" or "Medrawt" of Welsh
literature, "Meleagant" from Chretien, "Mardoc" of the Modena Archivolt,
and "Mordred" from Malory all of whom abduct or attempt to abduct
Guenevere. The story of Guenevere's abduction to the Summer Country is
found in various forms in the literature and folk story from many places in
Medieval Europe. Malory is not the only or definitive source of Arthurian
legends, although it is the most frequently encountered version.

Sources:  Lacy, Norris ed. _The Arthurian Encyclopedia_; Chretien de
Troyes. _Chevalier de la charrete_; Thomas Malory. _Le Morte Darthur_.

Elen Prydydd wrote:

[snip] the queen then becomes a figure of utmost
importance:  she IS the land itself, the living representative of
Albion/Brittania.  (Gwynhwyfar, to use the Welsh spelling, means white
shadow - she represents the mother goddess.)

For further reading on how Guenevere represents the "embodiment or spirit
of the land," _Arthur and the Sovereignty of Britain_ by Caitlin Matthews
makes interesting, if somewhat mystical (and speculative), reading.
However, a 7-year kingship cycle for Celtic peoples is highly speculative
and not really supported by concrete facts (it may be metaphorically true,
but not factually proven.... See _The Pagan Religions of the Ancient
British Isles_ by Ronald Hutton for a critical review).

Forgive me, I have academic tendencies!

Teleri Talgellawg
nachtanz@patriot.net


******
Susan and Ken Reed                    AFPOPA
nachtanz@patriot.net


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