12016-01-17T19:41:23-08:00Mabinogion12image_header2016-02-09T11:10:49-08:00The Mabinogion is the earliest prose literature of Britain. Much the same as Perceval is a work that has such unknown origin and contested authorship, Mabinogion was comprised of stories that were first compiled in the 12-13th centuries from much earlier spoken word traditions of Medieval welsh authors. It has two main source manuscripts (1350-1410). They are considered fine quality storytelling. There are eleven prose stories in the collection that have drama, romance, tragedy, sensitivity, philosophy, and humor, which have all been developed throughout its long oral history by countless storytellers who have refined it.
It is composed of
a classic tale of quest (much the same as Perceval), called Culhwch and Olwen
Loud and Llefelys
King Arthur, in a much different context than modern popular culture portrays
The Four Branches of the Mabinogi with categories ranging from
historic legend
folklore
mythology, etc.
Scholars of the 18th century to the 1970's have argued its authenticity as a whole. It has even been argued by some who have studied it, that the elven stories are fragmentary Celtic pre-Christian tales, and have thus been challenged as a collection at all.
However, since the 1970's, it's generally considered to have integrity. The plot structures, characterization, and language styles were analyzed. Thus, the conclusion that they are indeed a collection, with complex oral history overlaid with Anglo-French influences, arose. It was deemed a sophisticated narrative tradition.
Lady Charlotte Guest is credited with translation (in both English and Welsh), who allowed for subsequent translations to take place.
