Reply To: Blodeuwedd – Welsh words for flowers

The British Druid Order Forums BDO Public Forum Blodeuwedd – Welsh words for flowers Reply To: Blodeuwedd – Welsh words for flowers

#18095
Dowrgi
Participant

    Glad to have been of some assistance.

    A bit of extra information.

    The word dâr, ‘oak tree’, can also carry a figurative sense in Welsh, referring to a mighty chieftain or warlord.

    Meadow-sweet (Filipendula ulmaria) in English was originally ‘mead-sweet’, a name linked to its mediaeval use as a sweetener for mead. Another English name for meadow-sweet is ‘queen of the meadows’, and one of its Welsh names, brenhines, may likewise be used figuratively to refer to a queen or even a goddess. The Cornish word for meadow-sweet is medhles – ‘mead-plant’.

    Broom, banadl, is cognate with Cornish banadhel and Breton balan. Its derivation may trace back to an ancient Proto-Indo-European root meaning either ‘a way or path’ or ‘to strike’. When broom was in full bloom, with abundant flowers, it was considered a good omen. It was also the emblem of the House of Plantagenet. Given that the Mabinogi manuscripts date to around the fourteenth century, and considering the strained relationship between the Welsh kingdoms and England at that time, this may hint — perhaps in true bardic fashion — at a pointed reference to Anglo-Welsh relations. This, I should stress, is only personal speculation.

    Given the context of the Fourth Branch, and Blodeuwedd’s unhappy relationship with Lleu, it may be worthwhile to explore some of the deeper interpretive possibilities.

    Regarding Blodeuwedd herself, it is worth noting that the origins of her name are not as straightforward as they may seem. Although Blodeuwedd (‘flower-face’) is the usual form, there are alternatives: Blodeufedd, which may connect the name to mead, and Blodeuedd, an older plural form simply meaning ‘flowers’. In light of the points discussed above, it is tempting to consider a possible association with mead and female sovereignty — a theme that recurs throughout Insular Celtic mythology and literature.

    Bennathow,
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