People cannot see the elves anymore because they no longer exist. They left their natural habitat because the priests and friars over took the forest land where the elves once lived.
The Wife of Bath explained that people can not see fairies and elves anymore because they are gone and their places and environments have been taken over by friars and other mendicants.
Which goes back to the theme--did Beowulf go to Heaven? The battle between the "new" Christianity and the old, more mystical religion, is pretty apparent in works from this period.
Elves are pagan, therefore they have been driven away by the Christian monks and friars. People don't see them anymore, because it would have probably meant that you looked crazy or anti-Christian if you claimed you had seen one, which could have been very bad to your health (if you get what I mean).
People cannot see the elves anymore because they no longer exist. They left their natural habitat because the priests and friars over took the forest land where the elves once lived.
ReplyDeleteThe Wife of Bath explained that people can not see fairies and elves anymore because they are gone and their places and environments have been taken over by friars and other mendicants.
ReplyDeleteSO--the "old religion" versus Christianity again????
ReplyDeleteThe fairies were driven out by the religious monks. I think that it was the old relgion versus new in this story.
ReplyDeleteWhich goes back to the theme--did Beowulf go to Heaven? The battle between the "new" Christianity and the old, more mystical religion, is pretty apparent in works from this period.
ReplyDeleteElves are pagan, therefore they have been driven away by the Christian monks and friars. People don't see them anymore, because it would have probably meant that you looked crazy or anti-Christian if you claimed you had seen one, which could have been very bad to your health (if you get what I mean).
ReplyDelete