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THE WHITE GODDESS: A HISTORICAL GRAMMAR OF POETIC MYTH DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK Robert Graves | 544 pages | 23 Aug 1999 | FABER & FABER | 9780571174256 | English | London, United Kingdom The White Goddess : A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth Most of his ideas on the "tree alphabet" are his own and sourceless. June 14, I'll confess that I didn't delve deep into the logic by which he made various numerological connections to build several variants of ancient alphabets based on tree taxonomy and linked to bardic cyphers and finger languages. It's not so different from what I've read of Frazer's The Golden Bough whom Graves cites here and there, at times with the modest assertion that old Frazer in his giant work simply hadn't carried things forward to their obvious conclusionsso perhaps there is tradition or prior art for this sort of work. Also, he has a number of theories referencing Shakespeare that could blow some texts wide open. I got the impression Graves was a bit xenophobic, homophobic and sexist OK, I don't know if he actually was homophobic etc The White Goddess is a peculiar and intriguing book-length essay in which The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth Graves asserts the existence of a pan-European prehistoric goddess worship that both invigorated thousands of years of poetry and was slowly supplanted and obscured by what he called iconotropy--the steady erasure of the goddess and her stories in favor of male gods The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth theirs. Send me an email when my question is answered. These arts objectively conjure effects the same way a ritual is supposed to work, to make a deity present in the mundane world through a charm, a rhythm, even invoking a god's true name, as opposed to "Artemis" or "Hera. He has no issue with equating the mythological traditions of Greece and the Mediterranean with the Celtic and pre-Celtic mysteries of ancient Britain and Ireland. Visual iconography was also important to Graves's conception. Sign up Log in. Feb 25, Ange rated it liked it. Nevertheless, despite the erratic, over-rich and often obscure prose, his reconciliation of the Tree Ogham Alphabet with the calender of the Year, the stations of both sun and moon, is an inspiring and potentially convincing demonstration of how the ancient mythographers may have created meaning and managed the seasonal and social rituals of their times. Average rating 4. Still, I like his chutzpah and the fact that he's willing to play the provocateur, as he forces the reader to think about exactly why he's The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth. Instead it had a series of themes, such as the evils of patriarchy, and modern estrangement from the natural world -- ideas one can share without accepting his premises-- to which he keeps returning. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. He makes a possible exception of Sappho, for what it's worth. The prosaic method was invented by the Greeks of the Classical age as an insurance against The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth swamping of reason by mythographic fancy. In Dedication. It ties together ancient history, poetry and myth, drawing from traditions around the world. These arts objectively conjure effects the same way a ritual is supposed to work, to make a deity present in the mundane world through a charm, a rhythm, eve I would call this Joe Campell's Power of Myth for grownups. Metre, they would all probably agree, is the norm to which a poet relates his personal rhythm, the original copybook copper-plate from which he gradually develops a unique personal handwriting; unless such a norm is assumed, his rhythmic idiosyncrasies are meaningless. Using classical sources he constructed a complexly compelling tale of the life of the Roman emperor Claudius, a tale extended in Claudius the God Prose has been my livelihood, but I have used it as a means of sharpening my sense of the altogether different nature of poetry, and the themes that I choose are always linked in my mind with outstanding poetic problems. Graves' essay on the downfall of a matriarchal, goddess worship, societal structure in stone age Europe is the premise of this book long essay. In Sassoon tried to rebel against the war by making a public anti-war statement. There he wasn't so much explaining what the myths originally meant, as adding a new layer to them. The Golden Ass and wonderful historical novesl e. Because what is magic? The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth …more Don't take the book too seriously, it's not that scholarly. I Claudius did a great service to the reading public by maintaining an interest in the remarkable literary heritage we all have received from the authors of classical Rome. The White Goddess by Robert Graves Noonday pbk. Images Donate icon An The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth of a heart shape Donate Ellipses icon An illustration of text ellipses. The White Goddess is a peculiar and intriguing book-length essay in which Robert Graves asserts The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth existence of a pan-European prehistoric goddess worship that both invigorated thousands of years of poetry and was slowly supplanted and obscured by what he called iconotropy--the steady erasure of the goddess and her stories in favor of male gods and theirs. Add to registry. Graves, the master Latin scholar, decides in The White Goddess to enter the field of Celtic The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth an area in which he is utterly lacking in professional competence. His method is distinctly poetic and mythological rather than historical, his analysis inspirational and intuitive instead of demonstrably supported by facts Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Much of the last half of the book is dedicated to these arguments. His first volume of poems, Over the Brazierreflected his experiences in the trenches during World War I and was followed by many works of poetry, nonfiction, and fiction. This is a great book. And from the inability to think poetically — to resolve speech into its original images and rhythms and re-combine them on several simultaneous levels of thought into a multiple sense — derives the failure to think clearly in prose. It's The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth and amusing to observe that ancient methodology applied to Celtic myths and legends. They would also probably agree about diction, that it should be neither over-stylized nor vulgar. He is best known for his historical novels, I, Claudius and Claudius the God. I found them somewhat convincing, but I still have strong doubts about a few of his inferences regarding some sects of Christianity and the Jewish tradition from which they stemmed. What this book isn't: traditional history or scholarship. Jun 17, Jessica added it Recommends it for: souls stuck in purgatory. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Prose has been my livelihood, but I have used it as a means of sharpening my sense of the altogether different nature of poetry, and the themes that I choose are always linked in my mind with outstanding poetic problems. Audio Software icon An illustration of a 3. I finished it! Only certain epithets and metaphors were authorized; themes were similarly restricted, metres fixed, and Cynghanedd, the repetitive use of consonantal sequences with variation of vowels, became a burdensome obsession. I wonder, somewhat, though, whether or not Graves was trying to inoculate himself against arguments from the outside that perhaps the rigor of his research was lacking? But where can they study metre, diction, and theme? Here at Walmart. And he took a lot of evidence from Celtic sources -- that is, in languages which he couldn't read for himself, unlike Greek and Latin -- in antiquated translations, which he revised as needed to suit his argument. Get A Copy. He also uncovers the obscure and mysterious power of "pure poetry" and its peculiar and mythic language. Graves own words: "language of poetic myth anciently current in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe was a magical language bound up with popular religious ceremonies in honor of the Moon-goddess, or Muse, some of them dating from the Old Stone Age, and that this remains the language of true poetry He discounts any poetry as not being real or true poetry if it doesn't conform to his standards. But he follows his hind without faltering once, and by the time pages is up, you do feel a sort of Palace of Wisdom effect has been achieved. Yes No. For me, reading this book is like walking through the preserved home of a reclusive genius: Look, there's his astrolabe, his roomful of scrolls, his private "exercise room" full of bright orange pogo sticks. The White Goddess Quotes It's rare for a book to send my mind in so many directions with such enthusiasm. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. For the Greek sea goddess, see Leucothea. Sep 21, H added it Shelves: theory-criticism. The White Goddess is perhaps the finest of Robert Graves's works on the psychological and mythological sources of poetry. Reviewed by gwernin gwernin. Poets and Gleemen. In Sandra Billington, Miranda Green ed. According to the Welsh Laws, the Penkerdd, or Chief Bard, was only the tenth dignitary at Court and sat on the left of the Heir Apparent, being reckoned equal in honour with the Chief Smith.