Juliette Wood

This elusive creature was originally thought to inhabit the edge of the known world. Biblical and classical material, travellers' tales, clerical writings and theological speculation influenced the perceived appearance of this noble beast, but the graceful white horse with a single long horn remains is most recognizable embodiment. The medieval unicorn became a potent symbol of religious and secular love which has continued to inspire poets, writers and artists. As belief in the unicorn's reality waned, a renewed interest in the medieval past provided a context for it to flourish once again as a subject for art, literature and mystical meditation. Nineteenth- and twentieth-century medievalism infused pictorial and poetic unicorn imagery with an aura of romantic nostalgia that paved the way for its dramatic revival: it gained wings and took flight within the genre of fantasy literature. More recently unicorns have inspired a variety of contemporary trends, from merchandising to financial rhetoric, and the 'animal that never was' shows no sign of disappearing.

This elusive creature was originally thought to inhabit the edge of the known world. Biblical and classical material, travellers’ tales, clerical writings and theological speculation influenced the perceived appearance of this noble beast, but the graceful white horse with a single long horn remains is most recognizable embodiment. The medieval unicorn became a potent symbol of religious and secular love which has continued to inspire poets, writers and artists. As belief in the unicorn’s reality waned, a renewed interest in the medieval past provided a context for it to flourish once again as a subject for art, literature, and mystical meditation. Nineteenth- and twentieth-century medievalism infused pictorial and poetic unicorn imagery with an aura of romantic nostalgia that paved the way for its dramatic revival: it gained wings and took flight within the genre of fantasy literature. More recently unicorns have inspired a variety of contemporary trends, from merchandising to financial rhetoric, and the ‘animal that never was’ shows no sign of disappearing.

Who can resist the allure of Merlin? In British and Celtic mythology, Merlinus Ambrosius is perhaps the most compelling of the many charismatic figures associated with King Arthur and the Grail. For 1500 years the great enchanter has ensnared legions of willing interpreters in his web of powerful charms and spells. In her ebullient new history, one of Britain's foremost authorities on Welsh and Celtic folklore traces the `birth' of Merlin in the writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth to the rise of the wise royal counsellor in Sir Thomas Malory; disentangles the benign, donnish Merlin who lives time backwards in T H White's The Once and Future King from the dangerous, atavistic Merlin of C S Lewis' novel That Hideous Strength; and transports her readers to Merlin's multiple settings in Wales (from mythic Carmarthen to a towering, windswept Cader Idris). Richly illuminating both historical sources and intertwined strands of legend and myth, the author shows that, whether in literature, art, TV or cinema, this primeval mage and sorcerer has been a constant, mesmerising presence in the foundation stories of the British Isles.

Drawing on historical sources, myth and folklore, Fantastic Creatures in Mythology and Folklore explores the roles of fantastical beasts - particularly the unicorn, the mermaid, and the dragon - in a series of thematic chapters organised according to their legendary dwelling place, be this land, sea, or air. Through this original approach, Juliette Wood provides the first study of mythical beasts in history from the medieval period to the present day, providing new insights into the ways these creatures continue to define our constantly changing relationship to both real and imagined worlds. It places particular emphasis on the role of the internet, computer games, and the cyberspace community, and in doing so, demonstrates that the core medieval myth surrounding these creatures remains static within the ever-increasing arena of mass marketing and the internet.This is a vital resource for undergraduates studying fantastic creatures in history, literature and media studies.

Drawing on historical sources, myth and folklore, Fantastic Creatures in Mythology and Folklore explores the roles of fantastical beasts - particularly the unicorn, the mermaid, and the dragon - in a series of thematic chapters organised according to their legendary dwelling place, be this land, sea, or air. Through this original approach, Juliette Wood provides the first study of mythical beasts in history from the medieval period to the present day, providing new insights into the ways these creatures continue to define our constantly changing relationship to both real and imagined worlds. It places particular emphasis on the role of the internet, computer games, and the cyberspace community, and in doing so, demonstrates that the core medieval myth surrounding these creatures remains static within the ever-increasing arena of mass marketing and the internet.This is a vital resource for undergraduates studying fantastic creatures in history, literature and media studies.

The sacred allure of the Holy Grail has fascinated writers and ensnared knights for over a thousand years. From Malory to Monty Python, the eternal chalice--said to be the very cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper--has the richest associations of any icon in British myth. Many different meanings have been devised for the Grail, which has been linked to the Celts and King Arthur, the eucharistic rites of Eastern Christianity, ancient mystery religions, Jungian archetypes, dualist heresies, Templar treasure and even the alleged descendants of Christ himself and Mary Magdalene. The common thread running through all these stories is the assumption that the Grail legend has a single source with a meaning that--if only we could decode it--is concealed in the romances themselves. That meaning has become the subject of coded, secret documents and is the central feature of a vast conspiracy supposedly stretching back to the dawn of western civilization. Juliette Wood here reveals the elusive and embedded significance of the Grail story in popular consciousness--as myth, medieval romance, tangible holy relic and finally as the centre of an esoteric theory of global conspiracy. The author shows how various interpretations of the Grail, over the centuries, reflect changing cultural needs and desires. Her book will enthral those who, like Sir Perceval, seek to unlock the mysterious secrets of western mythology's most extraordinary and tantalising enigma, and will delight students of history, myth and religion alike.