This, dear read is the part where I will disclose my own
musings on the legend of Deirdre. Of course, this is a sorrowful legend, yet at
the same time, I cannot help but feel little to no pity for the characters. You may wonder, then, why it is my favorite
legend. It is my favorite for the fantastical romance of it, but when
practically and logic sink it the tale completes suicide just as Deirdre was
said to do.
This is because of the characters themselves, mostly Naoise
and King Conor, tough Deirdre is not blameless either. Which one do I side with more? Neither, actually. As a king, I
feel that King Conor should not listen to the warning of the prophet and not
allow himself to be taken by the promise of a beautiful woman. After all, he
was king and it was his job to protect his kingdom, something he failed to do
when he betrayed the trust of Fergus.
Naoise was also not very sensible in my mind. Yes, the king
was his family and had given his word, but when it comes down to it, you should
protect the ones you love. I would assume that he knew Deirdre had the gift of
second sight and it would have been wise had he listened to her pleas instead
of rushing back to Ireland.I also believe that Deidre could have prevented a lot of this. Though I am not saying she should have married King Conor, I do believe that she had a responsibility (if she loved her country, of course) to try to prevent, if possible, any wars or feud because of her beauty...I have no doubt she knew of the prophesy about herself. Though she may have tried to stop Naoise from going back to Ireland, she could have refused to go back. I hate to think that Deirdre was s...docile in her love for Naoise that she refused to use her logic when it mattered most.
I do not want you to think, dear readers, that the
characters annoy me. If anything, I am simply over analytical. The legend
itself is beautiful and heartfelt. Personally I would love to see the trees
which are said to have sprouted from their bodies. The sadness of the poem is
striking and speaks to the soul (so long as I can stop over-thinking it!)
I can only hope that my retelling has shed either new light
or renewed enjoyment on that legend which sorrowfully sings to us in the darkness,
calling softly to never forget nor deny true love… should such a thing really exist!
For a beautiful telling of the story, I suggest looking up A
Celtic Tale: The Legend of Deirdre on youtube.
Now- A song for your enjoyment!
This is the Celtic metal band called Cruachan. This song is
from their album “Folk-Lore”. If you cannot understand what they are saying,
the lyrics are in the video description on youtube! Enjoy it Darkly!
-Midi
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Although I've always enjoyed this legend, I have never analyzed it very deeply. I have always viewed it as a sad and deeply romantic story that ends in tragedy. Of course, the characters behave in a fashion that was typical of the time. I lay no blame, but like to consider that western culture has moved somewhat away from that type of patriarchy; some countries more than others.
ReplyDeleteAs for King Conor's listening to the prophet, well, wizards and magicians (Druids) were powerful people during that time as well as highly respected. Not listening to them and allowing their prophecy to manifest could be a sort of political suicide, I would think. The interesting thing about this story however, is that in spite of all the king's efforts to the contrary, the prophecy ultimately came true.
Matters of the heart certainly are a powerful thing to contend with.
I enjoyed the music as well. Celtic metal rocks!
I agree. I am a very analytical person and it sometimes shows- as it does with this. I think that if it were going to happen it was likely to happen regardless of what the kind choose to do. That happens to be the case often.
ReplyDeleteTake Oedipus for instance, or Paris from the Trojan War (though in truth, its been a while since I read it, but I think that I recall his sister was the prophet but due to a spell placed on her by Apollo no one believed her). Both were said to bring doom upon their birth and despite any measures taken- it happened regardless. It's a recurring theme.
Legends, myths, folklores, old wives tales, etc...no matter how much or how often I dissect them will always hold a special place in my heart.
And I am glad you like the song!