The Goddess and Guinevere
Date of Graduation
Fall 1996
Degree
Master of Arts in English
Department
English
Committee Chair
George Jensen
Abstract
The worship of the female archetype, or Great Mother Goddess by Stone Age peoples appears to have been prevalent world wide. By the High Neolithic Age, the goddess is depicted in statuary with an infant son who will be worshipped with her as the Sun King. During the Dark Age, Guinevere, as a Picti priestess-queen, carried on the traditions of the goddess, which revolved around matriarchal order in a heroic society. Although the goddess was eclipsed by Christianity in the following age, beneath the gloss of a Christian veneer, she is, with Guinevere as her representative, evident throughout Arthurian literature.
Subject Categories
English Language and Literature
Copyright
© Paula Jarrett
Recommended Citation
Jarrett, Paula, "The Goddess and Guinevere" (1996). MSU Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 365.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/365
Dissertation/Thesis
