Facts vs Fantasy Or Myth In Medieval Times
Author: Article Syndicators
The mention of Medieval Times brings about visions of Knights
in Shining Armor, often saving a beautiful young Maiden from
the flaming jaws of a great Dragon...Or possibly, a mentioning
of the times brings about thoughts of beautiful Castles
gleaming in the sun...while I just KNOW that in one of those
tall towers dwells a Sleeping Princess..just waiting for the
kiss of her true love to wake her. As the fairy tale would have
it, the couple would then live "happily ever after" and the
kingdom would flourish in the wake of such magical love and
utter happiness.
Did I say "Fairy" tale? Oh YES! We dare NOT forget the Fairies
of yore and folklore. There were Fairies of the forest who, I
believe, were guardians of all things natural there. There were
also Fairy Godmothers, or simply "good fairies", who, on
occasion, were called forth to help a deserving human..usually
in matters of the heart once again. Let me not leave out the
Wizards and Witches of olden days also. It was all about
MAGIC!...(or was it simply slight-of-hand and a few herbal
remedies?)
It seems that the Middle Ages held just the right combination
of romance and scientific knowledge...or "LACK OF".. to be a
backdrop for the creatures of Imagination and Magic that we,
today, have as treasures of legend and myth to keep forever.
Of course, many things that we assume are absolutely from the
realm of fantasy, myth, or legend are based, some more loosely
than others, on fact. Consider for a moment, the "dragon". It
is becoming known, through scientific discovery, that there may
indeed have been dragon-like, winged creatures, at least in
prehistoric times. It is known definitely that there were VERY
large, swimming serpents. The question is: If certain species
had been left to evolve, would they...could they... have been
the flying, dinosaurs that, in our minds, are the Dragons of
Medieval Fantasy?
Wise Authors knew how to dress up a story of Good vs. Evil
based almost solely on Fantasy and Myth. King Arthur and his
Knights of the Round Table for example. King Arthur himself is
mainly a fictitious in Character...although a man named Arthur
DID exist. Debating the good mans mere existence is something
that still keeps historians quibbling. He was not a king, but
may have actually been a chieftain living in Wales in the 6th
Century.
No matter though, the stories thrived like a living thing..they
grew and they changed per each Authors personal ideas. A look at
King Arthur's kingdom of Camelot might give us a hint as to why
these legends are so popular, everlasting, and often accepted
as truth. The many-towered Camelot, in it's essence, stood for
values that we all hold dear, and that is that GOOD should
always fight EVIL. "Might for Right", as described in one or
the other of the stories. The Arthurian Tales of the Middle
ages have been driven by romance and heartbreak, ongoing human
conditions that we all can relate to.
The stories are woven together with just the right touches of
fantasy...beginning when Arthur was only a lad and he pulled
Excalibur, the mighty sword, from it's stone...to the very end
when, upon Arthur's demise, the creature "The Lady of the Lake"
rises to retrieve Excalibur and return it to the safety of her
arms at the bottom of the lake. The story, in most forms, also
encases the search for the Holy Grail. Some see it as the
search for God...others as the search for the Meaning of Life.
In either case...I think it is very meaningful in most of our
lives as we do our own searching.
It is especially in this part of the story of King Arthur that
the use of Fantasy and Symbolism bring the stories idea across
to us in a way that we can take from it what we wish.
A Myth is history that has been touched by emotion, and altered
a bit in it's telling over time. I guess it's safe to say that
it COULD be rather hard to get an absolutely accurate telling
of stories passed down from the Middle Ages..it WAS quite a
while ago and the stories have been told and REtold too many
times to count.
One thing that I know as FACT is that people of today, who
dress in Renaissance Period, Medieval Costumes, and attend the
Festivals or Fairs of the same time period, have SO much fun
that they will be chatting about it until they attend the NEXT
one! It is a chance to live out a fantasy of your dreams. Not
only are there things available to buy and see...but you can
also participate in things like jousting, bow and arrow target
shooting, or simply attending court. Be sure to check online
for scheduled Renaissance Festivals and have your fantasy's
come true.
I don't know about you, but at my age of 52, I prefer a little
Fantasy with my Fact wherever and whenever I can get it.
Medieval Times is just NOT the same to me without it's Wizards,
Tiny Fairies, and Dragons-Breath Fogs.
Although I used to believe the stories of the "little people"
that my Grandmother from Ireland told me as a child, I now, as
a "reasoning" adult, must believe it as just a story of
"fantasy", although, between you and me, I'd rather NOT.
About The Author: Coletta Daniel Discount Halloween Costume
http://www.costume-works.com Your source for costumes, children
costumes, Halloween costumes, adult costumes, wigs, makeup,
accessories, masks, hats, and more.
in Shining Armor, often saving a beautiful young Maiden from
the flaming jaws of a great Dragon...Or possibly, a mentioning
of the times brings about thoughts of beautiful Castles
gleaming in the sun...while I just KNOW that in one of those
tall towers dwells a Sleeping Princess..just waiting for the
kiss of her true love to wake her. As the fairy tale would have
it, the couple would then live "happily ever after" and the
kingdom would flourish in the wake of such magical love and
utter happiness.
Did I say "Fairy" tale? Oh YES! We dare NOT forget the Fairies
of yore and folklore. There were Fairies of the forest who, I
believe, were guardians of all things natural there. There were
also Fairy Godmothers, or simply "good fairies", who, on
occasion, were called forth to help a deserving human..usually
in matters of the heart once again. Let me not leave out the
Wizards and Witches of olden days also. It was all about
MAGIC!...(or was it simply slight-of-hand and a few herbal
remedies?)
It seems that the Middle Ages held just the right combination
of romance and scientific knowledge...or "LACK OF".. to be a
backdrop for the creatures of Imagination and Magic that we,
today, have as treasures of legend and myth to keep forever.
Of course, many things that we assume are absolutely from the
realm of fantasy, myth, or legend are based, some more loosely
than others, on fact. Consider for a moment, the "dragon". It
is becoming known, through scientific discovery, that there may
indeed have been dragon-like, winged creatures, at least in
prehistoric times. It is known definitely that there were VERY
large, swimming serpents. The question is: If certain species
had been left to evolve, would they...could they... have been
the flying, dinosaurs that, in our minds, are the Dragons of
Medieval Fantasy?
Wise Authors knew how to dress up a story of Good vs. Evil
based almost solely on Fantasy and Myth. King Arthur and his
Knights of the Round Table for example. King Arthur himself is
mainly a fictitious in Character...although a man named Arthur
DID exist. Debating the good mans mere existence is something
that still keeps historians quibbling. He was not a king, but
may have actually been a chieftain living in Wales in the 6th
Century.
No matter though, the stories thrived like a living thing..they
grew and they changed per each Authors personal ideas. A look at
King Arthur's kingdom of Camelot might give us a hint as to why
these legends are so popular, everlasting, and often accepted
as truth. The many-towered Camelot, in it's essence, stood for
values that we all hold dear, and that is that GOOD should
always fight EVIL. "Might for Right", as described in one or
the other of the stories. The Arthurian Tales of the Middle
ages have been driven by romance and heartbreak, ongoing human
conditions that we all can relate to.
The stories are woven together with just the right touches of
fantasy...beginning when Arthur was only a lad and he pulled
Excalibur, the mighty sword, from it's stone...to the very end
when, upon Arthur's demise, the creature "The Lady of the Lake"
rises to retrieve Excalibur and return it to the safety of her
arms at the bottom of the lake. The story, in most forms, also
encases the search for the Holy Grail. Some see it as the
search for God...others as the search for the Meaning of Life.
In either case...I think it is very meaningful in most of our
lives as we do our own searching.
It is especially in this part of the story of King Arthur that
the use of Fantasy and Symbolism bring the stories idea across
to us in a way that we can take from it what we wish.
A Myth is history that has been touched by emotion, and altered
a bit in it's telling over time. I guess it's safe to say that
it COULD be rather hard to get an absolutely accurate telling
of stories passed down from the Middle Ages..it WAS quite a
while ago and the stories have been told and REtold too many
times to count.
One thing that I know as FACT is that people of today, who
dress in Renaissance Period, Medieval Costumes, and attend the
Festivals or Fairs of the same time period, have SO much fun
that they will be chatting about it until they attend the NEXT
one! It is a chance to live out a fantasy of your dreams. Not
only are there things available to buy and see...but you can
also participate in things like jousting, bow and arrow target
shooting, or simply attending court. Be sure to check online
for scheduled Renaissance Festivals and have your fantasy's
come true.
I don't know about you, but at my age of 52, I prefer a little
Fantasy with my Fact wherever and whenever I can get it.
Medieval Times is just NOT the same to me without it's Wizards,
Tiny Fairies, and Dragons-Breath Fogs.
Although I used to believe the stories of the "little people"
that my Grandmother from Ireland told me as a child, I now, as
a "reasoning" adult, must believe it as just a story of
"fantasy", although, between you and me, I'd rather NOT.
About The Author: Coletta Daniel Discount Halloween Costume
http://www.costume-works.com Your source for costumes, children
costumes, Halloween costumes, adult costumes, wigs, makeup,
accessories, masks, hats, and more.
