White Rose of Avalon

Arthurian Legend

  • Are the Adar Rhiannon Starlings?

    Today I would like to look into one of the most important symbols of the goddess Rhiannon, her three birds, known as the Adar Rhiannon.    In most cases it is not specified what type of birds they are, and I want to focus on why they may, in fact, be starlings!    In part…

  • Guinevere and Morgan as Aspects of the Goddess

    For today’s post I want to take a look at the Arthurian figures of Guinevere and Morgan Le Fay as aspects of goddesses.   Guinevere can be seen as the flower bride and light goddess, while Morgan can be seen as a darker aspect of a death goddess.    This can also explain some of…

  • Rhiannon as Moon Goddess

    For today’s post I would like to take a brief look at a particular aspect of the goddess Rhiannon!   Rhiannon is most associated with sovereignty and horses, however she is also a lunar goddess.    The moon has long been associated with the feminine and feminine mysteries!    Her lunar associations are often connected…

  • Rhiannon Becoming the Lady of the Lake

    Today I want to discuss the theory that the Welsh Celtic goddess Rhiannon later became seen as the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legends.    This is something that is discussed briefly in some sources, and there are some parallels that make it seem likely that Rhiannon went from being a goddess to the…

  • The Rhiannon and Guinevere Connection

    I have written about Guinevere’s connection to goddesses and historical figures before.    Today I want to focus on the connection between Guinevere and one of my favorite goddesses, Rhiannon!    Rhiannon is the Welsh Celtic goddess of sovereignty, horses, and a faerie queen.    Guinevere is the wife of Arthur and queen of Camelot…

  • Vivienne or Nimue: By Any Name the Enchantress of Merlin

    For this weeks’ Femme Fatale Friday I have chosen to take a brief look at the deadly aspect of Vivienne, or Nimue, the Lady of the Lake that became the undoing of Merlin!    No matter which of her many names you call her by, it is evident that in several versions of the Arthurian…

  • The Influence of the Mabinogion and Arthurian Legends

    For today’s post I would like to take a brief look at how the tales of the Mabinogion became influential to later tellings of Arthurian legends, inspired real monarchs (especially during the Wars of the Roses), and how those historical monarchs inspired more modern fantasy (namely Game of Thrones, or in book form A Song…

  • My Top 5 Favorite Vanessa Redgrave Costume Drama Roles

    For today’s post I would like to do a count down of my favorite roles played by Vanessa Redgrave in costume dramas.    All five of these films are worth watching, and some are even masterpieces in my opinion.   Without further ado here are the top five costume drama roles portrayed by the great…

  • The Elizabeth Woodville and Guinevere Connection

    For today’s post I would like to discuss the connection between the legendary figure of Guinevere and the real queen Elizabeth Woodville!    This may seem a bit far fetched, but given the prevalence of Arthurian legends during the medieval period, many real royals would take inspiration from these legends.    Elizabeth Woodville’s daughter and…

  • Birds as Emblems of Goddesses

    For today’s post I have chosen to discuss the birds that are sacred to my four favorite goddesses!    These goddesses are Aphrodite (Venus), Freya, Rhiannon, and Blodeuwedd!   All of these goddesses have bird associations, that make birds sacred to them in some way. First I would like to look at Aphrodite.  The Greek…