| dc.description.abstract | This paper focusses on the role of birds in early Irish literature. It offers a narratological approach to a number of early Irish texts in which birds make an appearance. Birds appear frequently in these texts, which makes an examination of these appearances and what narratological function they might have interesting and fruitful. By studying a number of texts closely it is possible to discern certain patterns in the role which birds play and to group these together into motifs. In this paper nine texts of the Ulster cycle, all composed before the 12th century, have been investigated, Compert Con Culainn, Táin Bó Cúailgne, Táin Bó Regamna, Tochmarc Emire, Aided Con Culainn, Aided Con Roí, Aided Óenfhir Aífe, Serglige Con Culainn and Longes Mac nUislenn. This in order to determine the narratological function of the appearance of birds within this corpus. Four motifs have been discussed, two with regard to the action in which the birds are involved and two concerning their species. Two dynamic motifs, one where the hunting of birds signals a change in the narrative and one where birds, often ravens/crows, function as a prognosticator of death. And two static motifs, where catching birds alive is an attribute of Cú Chulainn and one where carrion birds are used ornamentally in the description of battle scenes. All four motifs contribute to the investigation of the narratological function of birds in this corpus, the birds fulfill several functions. They can signal change, in narrative but also in motivation, catching them can be the mark of a great hero, and their species can invoke the image of death or even prognosticate it. The same case can fulfill multiple functions, and one story can contain several of these motifs. | |
