Re: Eogan's apologizes

[RowenRhys <RowenRhys@aol.com>]

Poster: RowenRhys <RowenRhys@aol.com>

In a message dated 98-04-14 10:31:50 EDT, gbonar@auspex.com writes:

<< To my knowledge there isn't any solid scholarship to show that Excalibar
 even existed, if anyone has some let me know.  Until then I can't see the
 good of having a serious historical discussion about what made it "magical".
  >>

As a History teacher I feel that, especially in early historical periods, the
interweaving of the history and myth is important to the study of history from
an Anthropological perspective.  The fact that people included such "magical"
concepts tells us about something which they found to be of importance in
their society, at least enough to include it in their "history" (everyone
please notice the quotation marks).  Even though the objects or events may not
have been real or occurred in the manner stated they do serve a symbolic
purpose.  Many of these same symbols are repeated throughout various
civilizations.  For example, when telling my students of the Ramayana (a Hindu
epic) I related the story of the hero Ram and how he was the only man who
could string a great bow and therefore win the contest for the beautiful
Sita's hand.  Immediately the students were reminded of Excalibur (be it real
or not).
And also, as my husband (also a History teacher) has found, "if there were as
many babies in baskets as their appear in historical tales then the rivers
would be full of babies in baskets".


Rowen ferch Rhys
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