Gwerful Mechain

Gwerful Mechain

Gwerful Mechain (fl. 1462-1500), who lived in Mechain in Powys, is perhaps the most famous female Welsh-language poet. Little is known of her life.

Her work, composed in the traditional strict metres, including cywyddau and englynion, is often a celebration of religion and sex, sometimes within the same poem. Probably the most famous part of her work today is her erotic poetry, especially "Cywydd y Cedor" ("Ode to the Pubic Hair"), a poem praising the vulva. It is a work in which she upbraids male poets for celebrating so many parts of a woman's body, but not the genitals. "Let songs about the quim circulate," she adjures her readers. As to the pubic hair: " Lovely bush, God save it."

References

Howells, Nerys Ann (ed.) "Gwaith Gwerful Mechain ac Eraill", University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, 2001, ISBN 0947531262

External links

* [http://www.webexcel.ndirect.co.uk/gwarnant/beirdd/cywyddwyr/gwerful.htm A short biography]
*
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20030307185238/http://www.webexcel.ndirect.co.uk/gwarnant/beirdd/cywyddwyr/gwerfulcedore.htm English translation] ; [http://www.resurgencecymru.org/cedor.html another English translation]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mechain (disambiguation) — Mechain may refer to: Mechain, a cantref in the Kingdom of Powys Gwerful Mechain, a female Welsh poet of the later Middle Ages, from Mechain Pierre Méchain, a French astronomer This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same… …   Wikipedia

  • Mechain — Coordinates: 52°10′16″N 3°21′04″W / 52.171°N 3.351°W / 52.171; 3.351 For other uses, see Mechai …   Wikipedia

  • List of Welsh language poets (6th century to c.1600) — See also Welsh language poetry has, until quite recently, been regulated by specific verse forms (Canu Caeth), with the encouragement of the eisteddfod movement. The following list is as inclusive as possible for the years prior to 1600. It… …   Wikipedia

  • Ieuan Dyfi — (c. 1461? ndash; c. 1500?) was a Welsh language poet.Very little information has survived relating to Ieuan and his poetry. Ieuan composed a poem to a woman named “Anni Goch” in which he accuses how false women have been throughout history ( Anni …   Wikipedia

  • Liste Des Poètes De Langue Galloise — La poésie de langue galloise a toujours été marquée, au moins jusqu au dernier tiers du XXe siècle, par la forme spécifique de sa versification, forme encouragée et promue par l eisteddfod. Voir aussi: Liste d écrivains de langue gallois (d… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Liste des poetes de langue galloise — Liste des poètes de langue galloise La poésie de langue galloise a toujours été marquée, au moins jusqu au dernier tiers du XXe siècle, par la forme spécifique de sa versification, forme encouragée et promue par l eisteddfod. Voir aussi: Liste d… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Liste des poètes de langue galloise — La poésie de langue galloise a toujours été marquée, au moins jusqu au dernier tiers du XXe siècle, par la forme spécifique de sa versification, forme encouragée et promue par l eisteddfod. Voir aussi: Liste d écrivains de langue gallois (d… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Cynghanedd — In Welsh language poetry, Cynghanedd (Welsh pronunciation: [kəŋ̊ˈhaneð], literally harmony ) is the basic concept of sound arrangement within one line, using stress, alliteration and rhyme. The various forms of cynghanedd show up in the… …   Wikipedia

  • Medieval Welsh literature — History of Literature Bronze Age literature Sumerian Egyptian Akkadian Classical literatures …   Wikipedia

  • Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Dafydd Llwyd o Fathafarn) — Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, usually referred to as Dafydd Llwyd o Fathafarn (fl. c.1400–c.1490 was a Welsh language poet, a native of Mathafarn, Powys. The bulk of Dafydd Llwyd s surviving poetry is characterised by his hopes and… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”