Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe
by H. R. Ellis Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson
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Book Summary Information
Author: H. R. Ellis Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis DavidsonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1989-12
ISBN: 0815624417
Number of pages: 268
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Book Reviews of Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe
Book Review: A broad overview with some problems and gaps, but overall scholarly, useful, and intelligent. Recommended
Summary: 4 Stars
A useful introduction to the structure, key concepts, and beliefs of ancient Scandinavian and Celtic religions. Davidson covers a number of topics, including holy places, feasting and sacrifice, battle rites, land spirits and ancestors, divination, the Otherworld, and what she calls "the ruling powers." Her text is an overview and an introduction: not very deep, but a good place to begin one's study. Because she discusses both Germanic and Celtic religions, there is too much ground to cover to do so in depth. Sometimes the religions feel confused or one of the other is ignored in order to move on to the text subject. Nonetheless, the text is scholarly, well-footnoted and clearly based in research; for the most part her analysis manages to identify key themes and symbols in an analytic, readable fashion. I believe that her attempt to categorize the gods at the very end of the book fails, but with that one exception the book is on the whole a useful, intelligent introduction to these ancient religions, and the writing style is approachable while still scholarly.
The student of either Scandinavian or Celtic religion may find this text unusual: rather than focusing on one of these religions, it discusses both concurrently. Germanic and Celtic religions appear to have a shared origin and a number of similarities, and so the analysis of both together should be interesting and provide a wider background for students of either religion. However, the broader subject matter makes for more cursory analysis and less detail: some subjects are only mentioned briefly; some subjects are discussed only in terms of one of the two religions. Furthermore, Davidson spends a lot of time talking about the similarities between the religions and often fails to discuss the differences beyond the rare mention that they exist. In comparative religious studies, sometimes it's the differences that matter more than the similarities. As such, the comparison between the two religions can at times be frustrating and degrade both.
Near the end of the book, Davidson attempts to group the gods of both Celtic and Norse religions into major groups and types, such as warrior gods and provider gods. She makes this attempt despite a preface which warns that it may be impossible and may even limit or corrupt our understanding of the gods. In her attempt, she categorizes only male gods: female goddess are ignored for the most part of the book. There is some interesting discussion about valkyries and battle goddess earlier on, but other goddess (Such as Brigid and Danu) are not even mentioned. I don't know why she omits them (perhaps they have no Nordic equivalent?); regardless, both the attempt to group the gods and the omission of the goddess do a great disservice to both religions and are the weakest parts of the book.
Despite these complaints, Myths and Symbols of Pagan Europe is still an interesting and scholarly introduction to both Nordic and Celtic religions. Davidson discusses the relationship between history, culture, and location in the formation of a religion. She looks at the root of Celtic and Nordic myths, including the relationship between the two; she looks at how natural and man-made locations and symbols impacted religious practice and the concept of sacred spaces; she looks the nature of religious practice and its role in the life cycle of the ancient Germans and Celts. She searches for symbols, correlations, and derivatives, and her analysis is clear and easy to follow. The book introduces some useful and easily applicable ways to approach a study of the Celtic and Scandinavian faiths, one that depends more on the underlying structure and purpose of the religion rather than its small, contradictory, poorly-understood or unreliable details. I do recommend this book, although I encourage further reading on the specific religions in order to gain a better grasp of their depths, individuality, and roles and identities of the gods (and goddesses in particular).
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