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Pivotal moments in the formation of the medieval Irish hero: conception/birth and death, and the case of Conall Cernach
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Date
2023
Authors
Notaridis, Iordanis
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University College Cork
Published Version
Abstract
The present study deals with the two most important moments that define human life: conception/birth and death. It focuses in particular on the births and deaths of heroes. The heroes under investigation here are martial heroes whose lives are placed in the Irish pre-Christian era. A hero is often a semi-divine figure in human form, living a mortal life and destined to experience an uncommon and often painful death. In other words, a hero is commonly what regular human beings would like to be, occupying a role they cannot attain. In heroic literature, conception- and birth-related narratives are part of the prefiguring of the hero; Otherworldly elements and/or a god/goddess are frequently involved in the begetting of the hero, who may sometimes be interpreted as a mortal version of this god/goddess. Similar importance attaches to the hero’s death. These two events central to the formation of the hero as conception and birth narratives read the heroic life cycle forwards and death narratives read it backwards with reference to the main events that comprise a heroic biography.
By examining the beginnings and aftermaths of medieval Irish heroic biographies, this study also examines the heroic ethos and how it is outlined. As we shall see, in conception and birth narratives we may find elements of heroic ethos in relevant taboos and in advice bestowed upon the unborn or newly born hero. Additionally, one may find mentioned the general traits and attributes of the hero that adhere to him during his life. In death narratives, one may also find elements of heroic ethos in the events which lead to the demise of the hero. Moreover, death narratives often include references to previous significant life events of the hero. One question which arises from the examination of these birth and death tales is: are the patterns the same for all medieval Irish heroes? Or do they differ depending on the presentation and general characteristics of the hero? Is there a difference in the presentation of king-heroes and warrior-heroes? If so, why and on what grounds?
Upon examining these issues and some possible patterns that emerge from this investigation, the present research will focus on a specific case study: that of Conall Cernach. The reason for choosing this particular hero as the object of the case study is that Conall Cernach has not been the subject of extensive analysis by modern scholarship when compared (for example) with Cú Chulainn, Finn mac Cumaill, Conchobar mac Nessa and Cormac mac Airt. Moreover, Conall Cernach’s peculiar death tale includes many unheroic elements and seems to break the norms present in other Irish heroic biographies of prominent warrior heroes. A comparative analysis of Conall Cernach’s birth and death narratives will attempt to place these within the broader context of the formation and demise of heroes from medieval Irish literature and beyond.
The overall intention is that this study will provide an inter-disciplinary methodological approach to our understanding of the presentation and ethos of the hero in both conception/birth and death in medieval Irish literature. Moreover, any conclusions that emerge from establishing common heroic patterns will be put to the test in the case of Conall Cernach. What literary motifs lie behind the presentation of this hero? Is he a specific type of hero present in other medieval literatures? Does his presentation align with common Celtic, Classical, Indo-European or universal heroic ideologies? May we realise his death narrative as a didactic one? Or is it possible to relate his heroic ethos to specific types of historical warfare and martial arts? I hope that this study will provide answers to some of these questions and contribute to the debate on the origins and influence of heroic presentation in medieval Irish literature.
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Keywords
Medieval Irish literature , Medieval Irish heroes , Conall Cernach , Finn mac Cumaill , Cú Chulainn , Conchobar mac Nessa , Heroic biography , Old Irish , Classical literarure , Mythology
Citation
Notaridis, I. 2023. Pivotal moments in the formation of the medieval Irish hero: conception/birth and death, and the case of Conall Cernach. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.