Early Welsh poems depict Merlin as environmentalist

A re-examination of Welsh poems dating back to 10th century have shown Myrddin – Merlin – as a prophet and environmentalist.

The mythical mentor to the young King Arthur was previously thought of as a wizard and shapeshifter.

But a detailed re-examination by Welsh academics of over 100 poems has revealed that Myrddin could also be characterised as a eco-activist deeply worried about human interaction with the natural world.

The Myrddin Poetry Project was a joint venture between Cardiff University, the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies and Swansea University.

It saw scholars compare and organise poems from more than 500 medieval Welsh manuscripts.

Mystery

Dr David Callander, based at Cardiff University’s School of Welsh, said: “Myrddin is an internationally recognised literary figure, whose influence can be seen across everything from films and TV shows to books and computer games. Yet despite this, some of the earliest poems about him have remained a mystery until now.

“The legend of Myrddin is a massive part of Welsh and British culture. But there is still so much more to be discovered.

“Being able to read and take insights from literature that was written hundreds of years ago gives us the chance to connect more deeply with our heritage, as well as showing the world a rich literary history that we can be proud of.”

Medieval

The team looked at the relationship between the Welsh Merlin poems and broader Arthurian tradition, popularised throughout Europe by Geoffrey of Monmouth (d. 1154/5), who was the first to bring the figures of Arthur and Merlin together.

In total, academics edited 102 poems – which adds up to 4,450 lines across 519 manuscripts.

This includes seven major early poems in medieval manuscripts, as well as 95 later poems surviving from the early modern period.

Research exploring the character’s origins revealed that unlike the popular idea of Merlin being a wizard – the earliest writing about him actually depicts him as a poet and a prophet telling of the future of the Island of Britain.

Dr Callander said: “One could even argue that Merlin’s fixation on nature and how humans can affect the world around them makes him one of the earliest environmentalists to be found.

“One poem sees him talk to apple trees and his sympathy is often more with the natural world than with the human. We also learn more about the importance of his sister, Gwenddydd, with newly discovered lines of poetry showing her in conversation with Merlin.”

Bilingual

The poems have been made available by the project in both Welsh and English and can be viewed here.

Alexander Roberts, Research Data and Digital Humanities Manager at Swansea University said: “Swansea University is excited to have realised the vision of developing not only a contemporary bilingual digital edition of Welsh Merlin Poetry but also a well-documented platform that will enable other textual scholars, both within the university and internationally, to present similar content. Instructions, sources, and code will soon be made available on the Swansea University open research data community, ensuring accessibility and reusability for all.”

Professor Ann Parry Owen from the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies said: “It’s been an absolute privilege for us to collaborate with colleagues at the School of Welsh at Cardiff University and Digital Humanities at Swansea University on this important project,  exploring together this fascinating body of poetry ascribed to Myrddin, and designing and implementing an exciting and ground-breaking online digital edition.”