Bres - Celtic Fertility God Term Paper by Nicky

Bres - Celtic Fertility God
A look at one of the Celtic gods.
# 149083 | 803 words | 5 sources | MLA | 2011 | US
Published on Nov 24, 2011 in Anthropology (Europe) , Religion and Theology (Other)


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Description:

This paper presents an overview of ancient Celtic culture, focusing on their religion and the role of the fertility god known as Bres. First, the paper describes the Celts, where they lived and their way of life which centered on agriculture and war. The paper then related the story of Bres as a major god who was virile and connected with fertility. Additionally, the paper points out the mythological lore surrounding the life of Bres, and particularly his relationship with Brigid his wife and its importance and influence on many other Celtic/Irish myths. The paper concludes by stating that Bres, and his wife Brigid, were very powerful fertility deities at a time in the ancient past when Ireland was devoid of fertile ground for planting crops.

From the Paper:

"Exactly how Bres became the king of the Tuatha De Danann is not clear, but according to prevailing Celtic/Irish mythology, a former king known as Nuada "lost his hand in the first Battle of Magh Tuireadh" (Lindemans, Internet) and was quickly deemed as unfit to rule as king, one reason being his addiction to hard drink. Although Bres' father Elatha was the ruler of the Fomorians, there appears to have been some kind of tension between the Fomorians and the Tuatha De Danann; nonetheless, in an act of "reconciliation, the Tuatha De decided to name Bres as their king" and allowed him to marry Brigid, one of the most important fertility goddesses in Celtic/Irish mythology and folklore (Lindemans, Internet).
"As previously mentioned, Bres turned out to be a very brutal and untrustworthy king for his people. As a ruler, Bres was "tyrannical. . . raised taxes to a near unbearable level" (Lindemans, Internet) and forced many of the Tuatha De Danann to be his personal slaves, "working in his house as unpaid laborers and in the fields from sun-up to sundown" "

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Brezina, Corona. Celtic Mythology. Berlin: Rosen Publishing Group, 2007. Accessed fromCalifornia State University--San Bernardino on-line library (http://www.lib.csusb. edu/book/findbooks.cfm).
  • Cymres, Winter. "Brigid: The Survival of a Goddess." 1995. Internet. Accessed June 17,2009 from http://www.druidry.org/obod/deities/brigid.html.
  • Lindemans, Micha F. "Bres." Encyclopedia Mythica. 1998. Internet. Accessed June 17, 2009 from http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/bres.html.
  • MacKillop, James. Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Accessed from California State University--San Bernardino on-line library (http://www.lib.csusb.edu/books/findbooks.cfm).
  • Monaghan, Patricia. Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. New York: Checkmark Books, 2008. Accessed from California State University--San Bernardino on-line library ((http://www.lib.csusb.edu/books/findbooks.cfm).

Cite this Term Paper:

APA Format

Bres - Celtic Fertility God (2011, November 24) Retrieved December 03, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/term-paper/bres-celtic-fertility-god-149083/

MLA Format

"Bres - Celtic Fertility God" 24 November 2011. Web. 03 December. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/term-paper/bres-celtic-fertility-god-149083/>

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