The Germanic and Celtic Tradition by George MacDonald :: Germanic Celtin Macdonald Fairytales Essays

The Germanic and Celtic Tradition by George MacDonald One of the most arouse things about fairytales is how the author has borrowed ideas from ancient myths and legends and kept them alive in their writings. The Princess and the brownie is one of these fairytales. In writing this novel, George MacDonald has incorporated much of the folk tradition in his characters and plot. Specifically, his concept of goblins seem to be drawn from the tradition of dwarfs, gnomes, and kobolds of Germanic myth and the fairies, or elves, of Celtic myth.In accordance with the Celtic and Germanic traditions, the goblins of The Princess and the Goblin dwell inside mountains, off from sunniness and especially away from those who live on the earths sur pose. The Celtic story of the Green Children tells of two children who, later accidentally wandering up to the surface, had fainted under the sheer brightness of the fair weather (Curran, 129). The Germanic dwarfs only d argond to venture out to the su rface after nightfall, because the sunlight would turn them into stone (Kafton-Minkel, 34). Although MacDonalds goblins would not encounter the same fate as the Germanic dwarfs if they were to surface during the day, they do detest the brightness of the sun, and prefer to hold on underground, surfacing infrequently and only at night (4, 61). The goblins irregular, grotesque features are most likely a consequence of their subterranean habitat. The once creation had greatly altered in the course of generations (MacDonald, 4) and very much correspond the dwarfs and other mine spirits of the folk tradition. Due to the lack of cheer and unbalanced diet, MacDonalds goblins are short and ludicrously grotesque in face and form (4). Their long arms, nail-less hands, and toeless feet are only some examples of their deformations. However, because of their work, archeological site out precious stones, tunnelling through the mountainous rock, and living hard lives in their rough and crude c avern homes (Kafton-Minkel, 35), dwarfs and goblins are not weak, but broad, stocky, and implausibly strong. Dwarfs are known to be stronger, craftier, and more skilful than humans (Kafton-Minkel, 34), and this characteristic is also attributed to the goblins in The Princess and the Goblin although the goblin queen was surrounded by such skilful workmen (MacDonald, 207), she still hadnt had a replacement shoe made.Those are not the only similarities between MacDonalds goblins and the subterranean creatures of the folk tradition.