Robert Graves
Paperback | Pages: 512 pages Rating: 4.03 | 3221 Users | 192 Reviews
Define Books To The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth
| Original Title: | The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth |
| ISBN: | 0374504938 (ISBN13: 9780374504939) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Description Supposing Books The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth
The White Goddess is perhaps the finest of Robert Graves's works on the psychological and mythological sources of poetry. In this tapestry of poetic and religious scholarship, Graves explores the stories behind the earliest of European deities—the White Goddess of Birth, Love, and Death—who was worshipped under countless titles. He also uncovers the obscure and mysterious power of "pure poetry" and its peculiar and mythic language.Declare Regarding Books The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth
| Title | : | The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth |
| Author | : | Robert Graves |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Amended, Enlarged |
| Pages | : | Pages: 512 pages |
| Published | : | January 1st 1966 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (first published 1948) |
| Categories | : | Fantasy. Mythology. Poetry. Nonfiction. History. Religion |
Rating Regarding Books The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth
Ratings: 4.03 From 3221 Users | 192 ReviewsJudgment Regarding Books The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth
Rambling nonsense when he steps beyond what he knows.Most of his ideas on the "tree alphabet" are his own and sourceless. Unfortunately a lot of the celtic magic industry owes too much to this as a gospel of sorts. Better and more scholarly book are out there if you can be bothered looking. But they are without the glamour of Graves which I suppose is part of the attraction to the sidhe huggers.Edit:This is a dreadful book...yet Ive read it twice, the 1st time in the early 80s and again in 13.I came for the witchcraft, I stayed for the poetics . . .While I was on my one-day book-procurement trip to the "booktown" of Hay-on-Wye, Wales, I stopped at Richard Booths bookshop (among many others) and picked up Robert Graves The White Goddess. I knew, vaguely, that the book was about the witch cults of Great Britain and something about druids, and thats about it. I had read several works that referenced Graves book, so I thought Id cut to the source and see what all the fuss was about. I
Astonishing. By Graves' claim, the measure of a poet is by his accuracy/faithfulness in depicting the (actual) White Goddess, thus proving the truth and source of his mystical inspiration. All the Welsh stuff goes far above my head but he cites some instances from pre-modern English poetry (pp. 426-36):- Shakespeare's Venus & Adonis, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and more seriously in the Tempest- Donne's "A Fever"- Keats' "Belle Dame Sans Merci"- Nimory (enchantress of Merlin) in Malory's
If you drew a Venn diagram of unreadable books and unputdownable books, this would be in the small area of intersection. It reads like the death-evacuation of a brilliant and eccentric mind.
Francesca Lia Block made me read this. I have no idea if this man is insane or not but I was young enough when I read it that it blew my mind anyway.
All right, let me honest and start by saying this was totally my favorite book in the entire universe when I was, like, 11. Hands down. It gave me my first sense of what scholarship might be - if it were actually fun.Now I did end up becoming a professional scholar, and one who probably does have too much fun for his own good, so perhaps a word here is in order.Those people who say the book provides zero evidence for its points - all I can say is, "yeah, that's right. It's kind of a joke. Or...
I got kicked in the face by this book. For real, it walked up to me, said "i will kick you in the face." I ignored it's warning, and woke up 2 months later with a shattered jaw and lots and lots of information about poetry and bards. Wonderful read if you've ever had a sneaking suspicion all of your favorite "myths" had a certain aura to them.
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