On Fairies

Hello Friend, today I’m writing about my absolute, undisputed favourite mythical creatures, fairies. Fairies are the most well-known and well-researched mythical creatures, fascinating and intriguing children and adults alike [though some adults choose to conceal their fascination with fairies under a cloak of indifference]. Why did I choose this particular topic? I’ve always been fond of mythical characters, and fairies, due to the various ways in which they have been represented in art and literature, have a very special place in my heart. They’re my best imaginary friends; whenever I’m down in the dumps, I draw comfort and solace from their presence [I obviously can’t see them, but I like to believe that they’re always by my side]. Indeed, now that we’re partway through the twenty-first century, no-one seems to think about fairies much anymore; can you blame these lovely creatures for not revealing themselves? Just because we can’t see them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Faith can work wonders, and I like to believe that there will come a time when fairies will see fit to reveal themselves and interact with humans again [though this is highly unlikely, considering the direction the world has taken. There’s so much rage and envy and jealousy, not to mention impurity. But I digress. [Oh, and I forgot to mention, my sister is the best real friend I have].

As I stated before, there’s no standard representation of fairies. Myths and legends associated with them have evolved over the centuries. Fairies are mainly “supernatural, preternatural, or mythological” beings or legendary creatures in European folklore [particularly Celtic, Slavic, German, English and French folklore]. Sometimes, they are depicted as sweet-tempered and lovable, forever willing to lend struggling humans a helping hand. They are often depicted as devastatingly beautiful, able to take on forms that bewitch humans. Besides, they’re not always tiny—yes, fairies are quite tiny, but they’ve been portrayed as human-sized as well. French painter Sophie Gengenbre Anderson [1823-1903] created an absolutely lovely version of fairies, titled “Take the Fair Face of Woman, and Gently Suspending, With Butterflies, Flowers, and Jewels Attending, Thus your Fairy is Made of Most Beautiful Things”; the fairy is human-sized.

   Dear friend, myths and legends about fairies do not have a single source. It’s largely a matter of belief—several stories originated from people of different religions, each with their own, often contrasting, interpretations of what a fairy is. For instance, Christian folklore classifies fairies as demoted angels or demons, pre-Christian beliefs state that they are minor deities; they are also seen as spirits of the dead, elemental forces, and a pre-historic version of humans.  The label of “fairy” varies as well—it is often used to describe tiny, powerful creatures with quick minds and a penchant for trickery, while at other times, it has been used as a broad definition for all kinds of magical creatures, such as leprechauns, goblins, gnomes, elves, merrow etc.

In Medieval literature, fairies were often portrayed as antagonistic and mischievous. A common motif in such myths is that fairies can be warded off using particular “charms”: crosses made of rowan, church bells, clothing worn inside-out, four-leaf clover, and food. Fairies are also said to haunt particular locations, and to lure travellers away from their chosen paths using will-o’-the-wisps.  Prior to the advent of  modern medicine, fairies were often blamed for illnesses [particularly tuberculosis and birth deformities]. Wow, because of our ignorance, we were blaming sickness on poor and innocent fairies… [well, they’re not that poor or innocent though, are they?].

Fairies were commonly featured in Renaissance Literature and Romantic Art and Poetry. One of the most prominent depiction of fairies is William Shakespeare’s critically acclaimed romantic comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”; fairies are extremely significant to the plot, as the play deals with two inter-connected realms—our world and the realm of the fairies. A disturbance in nature caused by a massive dispute between the King of the fairies, Oberon, and his Queen, Titania, serves to create tension and disrupts the lives of the human characters as well. Maurice Hunt, Chair of the English Department at Baylor University, stated that the blurring of the identities of fantasy and reality makes possible “that pleasing, narcotic dreaminess associated with the fairies of the play.”

Have you heard of Morgan Le Fay? She is a prominent character in legends connected to King Arthur; she appears as a woman whose magic powers are derived from rigorous study. She isn’t the only one with supernatural powers, though—"Sir Gawaine and The Green Knight" is a late tale, but the Green Knight himself is a preternatural creature. And, of course, one can’t forget Merlin and the Lady of the Lake; 15^th century poet and monk John Lydgate stated that King Arthur was “crowned in the land of fairy” and guarded by four fairy queens, who took him in death and buried him under a “fairy mound”, where he lies to this day [legend has it he will rise when he is needed again].

There’s this really beautiful poem that I absolutely must write about—“La Belle Dame Sans Mercy” [The Beautiful Woman Without Mercy] by Romantic poet John Keats. This poem, which I consider the peak of the Romantic Movement, is a great example of Keats’ melancholic poetic style and preoccupation with love and death. The poem narrates the story of a knight who is condemned to an unpleasant fate after a fairy seduces him with her lovely eyes and beauteous voice. This fairy inspired later representations of mythical creatures, including the trope of fairies as femme fatales. The poem continues to be referenced in many works of literature, music, art, and film.  [John Keats is immortal…].

There’s a lot about fairies that still hasn’t been revealed—I don’t think we know everything there is to know about them yet; it would be arrogant to think that we have studied them minutely enough to know everything about them. Fairies, like humans, constantly re-invent themselves, and they can’t be read all that easily. They are still shrouded in mystery, in a way.

What are your opinions on fairies? Do let me know!

Thank you! See you next time!

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