In
Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology (Welsh: ''Mytholeg Cymru'') consists of both folk traditions developed in Wales, and traditions developed by the Celtic Britons elsewhere before the end of the first millennium. As in most of the predominantly oral societies Cel ...
, Olwen (or Olwyn) is the daughter of the giant
Ysbaddaden and cousin of
Goreu. She is the heroine of the story ''
Culhwch and Olwen'' in the
Mabinogion
The ''Mabinogion'' () are the earliest Welsh prose stories, and belong to the Matter of Britain. The stories were compiled in Middle Welsh in the 12th–13th centuries from earlier oral traditions. There are two main source manuscripts, create ...
. Her father is fated to die if she ever marries, so when
Culhwch (sometimes spelled as Kilhwch) comes to court her, he is given a series of immensely difficult tasks which he must complete before he can win her hand. With the help of his cousin
King Arthur
King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
, Culhwch succeeds and the giant dies, allowing Olwen to marry her suitor.
Description
In the tale ''Culhwch and Olwen'' in the Mabinogion, she is described as a vision of beauty: wearing a flaming-red dress with a red-gold
torc and many golden rings, she has "hair yellower than the
broom", red (ruddy) cheeks, white skin and pale hands. She is also depicted as having the ability to spring white flowers from every step she takes.
Other tales
The name "Olwen" reappears in the non-Arthurian
folktale
A folktale or folk tale is a folklore genre that typically consists of a story passed down from generation to generation orally.
Folktale may also refer to:
Categories of stories
* Folkloric tale from oral tradition
* Fable (written form of the a ...
''Einion and Olwen'', about a
sheep herder
A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' 'herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, i ...
who travels to the
Otherworld to marry Olwen; they later have a son named
Taliesin
Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the '' Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to have sung at the courts ...
.
[ The tale was collected at the turn of the 20th century but is related to ''Culhwch and Olwen''.
English author and publisher of the Mabinogion, ]Lady Charlotte Guest
Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Guest (née Bertie; 19 May 1812 – 15 January 1895), later Lady Charlotte Schreiber, was an English aristocrat who is best known as the first publisher in modern print format of the '' Mabinogion'', the earliest prose l ...
noted that Olwen became the object of later poetry by Dafydd ap Gwilym and Sion Brwynog. The latter begins a poem with the verse ''Olwen gulael lan galon'' ("Olwen of slender eyebrow, pure of heart").
Etymology
The meaning of the name Olwen is "white footprint" or "white track".[ According to legend, she was so gentle and fragile that white trefoils would grow in her footprints. Some authorities consider her to have been originally a ]solar goddess
A solar deity or sun deity is a deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it. Such deities are usually associated with power and strength. Solar deities and Sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The ...
, based on the etymology of her name and light-related attributes.
Professor John T. Koch
John T. Koch is an American academic, historian and linguist who specializes in Celtic studies, especially prehistory and the early Middle Ages. He is the editor of the five-volume ''Celtic Culture. A Historical Encyclopedia'' (2006, ABC Clio). He ...
states that "recent Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
generally employs ''olwyn'' rather than ''rhod'' for 'wheel'."
Notable persons with this name
* Olwen Brogan, British archaeologist
*Lad
Olwen Carey Evans, DBE
daughter of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...
* Olwen Fouéré, Breton-Irish actress on stage and in film
*Dame Olwen Hufton, British historian of early modern Europe, women's history and social history
*Olwen Wymark
Olwen Margaret Wymark (née Buck, 14 February 1932 – 14 June 2013) was an American writer and playwright.
Biography
Olwen Margaret Buck was born on 14 February 1932 in Oakland, California, the daughter of Philip W. (a professor of political s ...
, American playwright and author
* Olwen Davies, Headmistress of St Swithun's School and St. Mary's Hall, and sister of the conductor Meredith Davies
* British singer, actress Petula Clark born Petula Sally Olwen Clark.
*Olwen Burton, American physicist and scientist.
See also
* List of solar deities
A solar deity is a deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it, usually by its perceived power and strength. Solar deities and Sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The following is a list of solar de ...
References
Arthurian characters
Welsh mythology
Welsh feminine given names
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