On Furphies: what we really don't know about the 'Celts'

[la_marquise]

I have my professional hat on, today, over on the SF Novelists blog. I'm talking about the concept of 'Celts', the origin of myths about their history and the law around women. You can find the article here. You can comment here or there.

SKirt of the day: flippy blurred floral.

Comments

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

I love much of Robert Graves, but not this. I lack taste, quite possibly.

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

Probably you have too "rigidly scientific" an imagination.

...It's basically conspiracy-theory mythology.

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

It's the historian in me. Or maybe it's because my mother was a science teacher. Or maybe both...

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

It hit the wall for me when it demonstrated that it took the Lebor Gabála Érenn's Milesian invasion narrative literally.

Also when it fitted Crom Crúaich and Herakles into the same universalising schema by claiming that they were entirely alike. HELLO GRAVESY WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW MUCH AT ALL ABOUT CROM CRÚAICH.

I expect my review will be entertaining but will not satisfy any Gravesians or THIS IS TRUE neopagans.

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

It sounds as if it will not make people like me at all unhappy, though.

Graves was hard to write critically about when he first wrote, though. He is so stylish and touched upon on the nice popular thoughts and gave them mythic value.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

He reduced The Golden Bough to manageable size and incorporated ideas from Jung and the spiritualists. It's a fascinating book if considered as fiction. But only then.

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

I admit it's fascinating. I also admit that I own a copy.. but that I keep it with my fiction.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I hereby dare you to read Fraser. He is the Source. I read the short version of the Golden Bough in my teens and it explained an awful lot about Graves. Mary Renault and others.
The reigning king of 'you what?' books about the Celts is Celtic Heritage, Alwyn and Brinley Rees. Wonderfully wrong.

[hawkwing-lb.livejournal.com]

I only read such things for pay.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Very wise :-)