aneides's review against another edition
2.0
There were two things I didn't like about the Mabinogion:
1. The storytelling.
Excessively archaic for a 19th century translation, all behold-verily-forsooth. Each story, very repetitive internally.
2. The stories.
All the same shitty elements repeat themselves. Knights always spoiling for a fight, ready to kill and be killed for women they had barely (or not at all) met. Women always throwing themselves at the hero, eventually if not from the get-go. Rulers sacrificing the lives of their entire retinue and then begging for mercy when their own lives are at stake. (Otherwise, everyone is unhealthily obsessed with honor.) Everyone seems to be able to cast effective spells or curses.
Stories of King Arthur from other sources are... marginally better but in general, these tales are not appropriate for modern persons. Bleh.
1. The storytelling.
Excessively archaic for a 19th century translation, all behold-verily-forsooth. Each story, very repetitive internally.
2. The stories.
All the same shitty elements repeat themselves. Knights always spoiling for a fight, ready to kill and be killed for women they had barely (or not at all) met. Women always throwing themselves at the hero, eventually if not from the get-go. Rulers sacrificing the lives of their entire retinue and then begging for mercy when their own lives are at stake. (Otherwise, everyone is unhealthily obsessed with honor.) Everyone seems to be able to cast effective spells or curses.
Stories of King Arthur from other sources are... marginally better but in general, these tales are not appropriate for modern persons. Bleh.
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