Elves and Fairies: A Short History of the Otherworld [Hardcover]

An enchanting history of the otherworld of elves and fairies, from the nature spirits of Iceland and Ireland to Avalon and Middle Earth
 
Originating in Norse and Celtic mythologies, elves and fairies are a firmly established part of Western popular culture. Since the days of the Vikings and Arthurian legend, these sprites have undergone huge transformations. From J. R. R. Tolkien’s warlike elves, based on medieval legend, to little flower fairies whose charms even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle succumbed to, they permeate European art and culture.
 
In this engaging cultural history, Matthias Egeler explores these mythical creatures of Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, and England, and their continental European cousins. Egeler goes on a journey through enchanted landscapes and literary worlds. He describes both their friendly and their dangerous, even deadly, sides. We encounter them in the legends of King Arthur’s round table and in Shakespeare’sA Midsummer Night’s Dream, in the terrible era of the witch trials, in magic’s peaceful conquest of Victorian bourgeois salons, in the child-friendly form ofPeter Pan, and even as helpers in the contemporary fight against environmental destruction.A fascinating cultural and social history that traces the development of a particular, regionally distinctive lore in relation to the history of diverse peoples passing through changes of social, economic, cultural, and intellectual conditions.David Bentley Hart,The Lamp

“An erudite history.”—Kirkus Reviews

Rich in its account of the fairy theme in British and Irish art and literature, right up to the present day, and it is surely [among] the best account of fairies as a cultural theme.Francis Young

Matthias Egeler takes us on a fascinating journey through space and time to explore the history of elves and fairies.Angelika H. Rudiger,FollÓ