Blodeuwedd, the Maid of Flowers
"Blodeuedd", Jessica Galbreth
Who is Blodeuwedd?
Is Blodeuwedd the fair flower maid, graceful and passionate? Or is she the predatory bird of night, shunned by the daylight and all other creatures, solitary and mournful, bloodthirsty and amoral?
Is Blodeuwedd a scheming adulteress, shallow and selfish and fickle? Or is she merely misunderstood--a woman rebelling against the purpose for which she was made and choosing her own destiny, making her life her own?
Could she be both?
These questions are explored in one of my favorite books, the young-adult novel The Owl Service by Alan Garner. In this tale, Blodeuwedd can be either a ravaging predator consumed by fury, or a gentle and loving flower-maid who brings beauty with her wherever she goes. Why do I love this book? Because it shows both sides of one of my favorite Goddesses...Flower-Face...Blodeuwedd.
The Story of Blodeuwedd
Many of you are already familiar with the legend of Blodeuwedd found in the _Mabinogion_. I'll spare you yet another retelling, but I will provide links to different versions of the tale for those of you unfamiliar with the Maid of Flowers.
Blodeuwedd
From Hrana's Goddess Gallery. Includes Patricia Monaghan's retelling of Blodeuwedd's story and Hrana Janto's lovely painting. Monaghan presents several theories: perhaps Blodeuwedd was merely treacherous; perhaps she was a symbol of the turning seasons; perhaps she was flouting the patriarchy.
"The Death of Llew"
An article by Mike Nichols, exploring the legend of Llew, Blodeuwedd, and Goronwy from the angle of symbolism and allegory, speculating on the forces of nature each may have represented, and when in the year the events of the tale occurred.
Links
"Blodeuwedd's Song"
A beautiful poem by Rowan Fairgrove.
Blodeuwedd, another beautiful poem, this one by C. Leigh McGinley.
The Owl Pages
A site about owls.
Llew's Death
An image of Llew, balanced on the tub and the goat, being pierced by Gronw's spear and transformed into an eagle. I found this at Lugodoc's Guide to Celtic Mythology.
Recommended Reading
Here are some of my favorite books dealing with this Lady:
The Mabinogion, various translations--this is where the original story can be found. The part about Blodeuwedd is in the fourth branch, "Math son of Mathonwy".
The Owl Service by Alan Garner--a young adult novel in which three adolescents vacationing in Wales find themselves haunted by Blodeuwedd and trapped within her legend.
Ladies of the Lake by Caitlin and John Matthews--the chapters on Guinevere and Ragnell deal with the archetype called the Flower Bride, and there is some discussion of Blodeuwedd as a manifestation of this archetype.
On the Edge of Dream by Jennifer Heath--a book that moved me to tears. Poetic and mildly feminist retellings of many Celtic myths, including Blodeuwedd, who is presented beautifully.
Art on this page
Bar from Nevr2L8's Bars
"Blodeuedd" painting from The Enchanted Art of Jessica Galbreth
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