The Legend of St Brendan: A Comparative Study of the Latin and Anglo-Norman Versions (The Northern World)

Contents
......Page 8
Acknowledgements......Page 12
Abbreviations......Page 14
The aims of the study......Page 16
Summary of the narratives......Page 18
Methodology......Page 20
Other scholarship......Page 23
Introduction......Page 28
The dates, manuscripts and audience of the Navigatio......Page 29
Genres of the two narratives......Page 34
The author, dates, manuscripts and audience of the Anglo-Norman Voyage......Page 46
Before the Voyage......Page 58
Peregrinus and Exile......Page 65
The Voyage of Brendan: an actual journey or fantastic fiction?
......Page 68
The Voyage of Brendan and the immrama......Page 70
The Otherworld and other early influences
......Page 74
The Voyage Home......Page 77
Conclusion......Page 82
Introduction......Page 84
Todorov's model......Page 85
Application of the model......Page 90
Definition of the 'uncanny'......Page 91
Mundane or uncanny?......Page 92
Uncanny-familiar......Page 96
Establishing the coracle as 'familiar'......Page 99
The Supernumeraries......Page 101
The patterns of the journey......Page 110
The 'pure uncanny'......Page 113
Uncanny silence and spiritual darkness: the Deserted Citadel......Page 114
Religious symbolism and preordination......Page 115
The uncanny......Page 117
Fantastic-uncanny......Page 119
Leading towards the fantastic-uncanny......Page 121
Enormous creatures: the Island of Sheep and Jasconius......Page 122
From the uncanny to the fantastic-uncanny......Page 123
Gradation towards the fantastic......Page 130
The Neutral Angels......Page 131
Sources......Page 132
A respite from the fantastic imagery?......Page 134
Conclusion......Page 139
Introduction......Page 142
The transition from the 'fantastic-uncanny' to the 'pure fantastic' and the monastic ideal......Page 145
The Isle of Ailbe......Page 146
The ascent towards the pure fantastic......Page 152
The pure fantastic: the mysterious provision of food and the flaming arrow
......Page 153
The provision of food......Page 154
The flaming arrow and other elements
......Page 157
A vital ingredient in the gradation towards the fantastic......Page 160
The negative connotations of water......Page 161
The springs on the Isle of Ailbe......Page 162
The Intoxicating Spring......Page 165
The Coagulated Sea......Page 169
The significance of these scenes......Page 171
The conflicts of monsters......Page 173
The first conflict......Page 175
The second conflict of monsters......Page 178
The credibility of the conflicts of monsters......Page 179
The rewards of faith—a temporary respite from the fantastic?......Page 181
Conclusion......Page 186
Introduction......Page 190
Todorov's model......Page 191
The Crystal Pillar......Page 192
A natural phenomenon......Page 193
Fantastic-uncanny......Page 195
Religious symbolism......Page 196
Sources......Page 197
Unlocking the symbolism......Page 199
A natural phenomenon or a supernatural experience?......Page 202
Religious significance......Page 206
Claustrophobia......Page 207
A safe environment for discussing damnation......Page 208
The significance of the Crystal Pillar and the Smithy of Hell......Page 210
Part Two Human representations of the diabolical and the divine......Page 211
Sources......Page 212
The moral treatment......Page 216
The punishments......Page 217
Christ's mercy......Page 220
Judas on the 'threshold'......Page 221
Paul the Hermit......Page 229
Source......Page 230
Preparation for Paradise......Page 231
Fantastic imagery......Page 235
The significance of the two meetings......Page 236
Part Three Achieving Paradise......Page 237
Sources......Page 238
Christian allegory and Celtic mythology......Page 240
Liminality......Page 241
The treatment of the fantastic......Page 243
Conclusion......Page 247
Principal differences between the Navigatio and the Anglo-Norman Voyage......Page 250
Todorov and the fantastic......Page 253
Appendix One The genealogy of the manuscripts of the Navigatio and the Anglo-Norman Voyage......Page 260
Appendix Two Translation of the Anglo-Norman Voyage of St Brendan......Page 272
Bibliography......Page 328
Index......Page 342