阿瓦隆之雾

With the search of the Goddess, the Druidism power behind the throne secretly controls all of Britain. However, the Christian priests and bishops fail to realize this power. They prohibit the talk of the Goddess. Gwenhwyfar, for example, is raised in Christian convent. In Gwenhwyfar’s first encounter with Morgaine, she perceives her as an evil symbol with no place in her land. By keeping the pagan religions outside British Isle, the priests and bishops keep out women’s power. In Britain, women’s power is repressed, brought down by the male society members. The attitude toward women resembles the attitude toward pagan religion. Gwenhwyfar says “A day will come with all false Gods shall vanish and all pagan symbols shall be put to the service of the one true God and his Christ” (Bradley 718). Christianity cannot allow any pagan religion to exist along side it. But the priests cannot see that women also hold the ultimate power to men through their power of creation. This power will never cease to exist. It means to tell us that Druidism will continue to exist; even Christianity represses its existence, because it essentially holds power to all of Britain.

By giving women the power to access male roles, Druidism does not perceive Christianity as an evil religion. In Hildebrand’s article, she states that “The portrayal of the Goddess herself carries the echoes of patriarchy” (Hildebrand 117). The goddess religion empowers women with male characteristics. Women take the duties of men. There are also important males in Druid society. The men also hold important positions and duties. The echoes of patriarchy within the Druid society foretell the inseparable destiny of Christianity and Druidism. Bradley writes “The holy thorn grows on the hills of Avalon, struck by Christ’ stuff into the ground” (Bradley 873). It secretly implies that Christianity is part of Avalon. The Goddess tells her followers that men’s existence is as important as women. The portrayal of Goddess religion intends to include patriarchy values as well. The Goddess religion never thought of parting the Christian God and the Druid Goddess.

By bringing down women’s equal power, the transformation of religion from one to another is about to happen. Repression of a gender’s power initiates this transformation. Hildebrand writes in her article “The Mists of Avalon presents the change of religion in Britain as initiated not by the gods, but by narrow minded bishop Patricius” (Hildebrand 107). Bradley describes the priests as single-minded and stubborn old men. Their gender implies patriarchal power. Patricius insists the transformation of religion must take place. Patricius achieves his goal by repressing women’s power. He forbids women to learn reading and writing. By enforcing this education, he brings down Druidism. People of old religion slowly quit. Arthur says “What is the Goddess to me? When the Goddess rejected me, I sought another God….” (Bradley 866). The refusal of feminine power pushes men into the hands of Christianity. The absence of Lady of the Lake implies the waning power of women. By bringing down women’s power, the Goddess religion transforms into something else.

When Morgaine visits the Christian convent, she sees in the lady’s hand “it is in Avalon, but it is here. It is everywhere. And those who have need of a sign in this world will see it always” (Bradley 876). Bradley indicates that the Goddess has joined the world in another form. The Goddess lives in women’s power and minds. Margarine realizes “these women know the power of the Immortal. Exile her as they may, she will prevail. The Goddess will never withdraw herself from mankind” (Bradley 875). The Goddess may be Virgin Mary, Brigid, or any symbol that holds the ideal of Druidism. Bradley tells us that even in patriarchal culture, women’s power will prevail. It will never withdraw. She tells us that Christianity does not replace Druidism. It can never replace Druidism. A reincarnation of the feminine voice will continue to prevail. Walking past the veil lying between the worlds, the two religions eventually unites into one that holds both in its ideal.

With the voice of Morgaine, Bradley concludes this novel with her reflective implication of the fate of a pagan religion. It takes a lifetime for Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar to realize the importance of their sisterhood. Their entangled fate leads the inseparable religions into a greater involvement. With the announcement that Christianity shuts out women’s power, it only binds Druidism to itself more closely. With women holding the great power to patriarchy, they can claim “where the veil lying between the worlds was thin” (Bradley 876). The separation once struggled to bring apart the two different religions becomes thin, until it is no longer a barrier to cross. By understanding the inseparable power of men and women, our strong-willed Morgaine and pious Gwenhwyfar are eventually able to understand their relationship as sisters. With this very understanding, exile does not end the existence of Druidism. The Goddess will come back, in the form of Virgin Mary, Brigid, Morgaine, or any woman who holds key to that feminine power. Gods or no, the power of Druidism continues to prevail...“For all the Gods are one…” (Bradley 872).

Works Cited

• Bradley, Marion Zimmer. The Mists of Avalon. New York: Ballantine, 1982.
• Hildebrand, Kristina. “Priestess of the Goddess.” The Female Reader at the Round Table: Religion and Women in Three Contemporary Arthurian. Uppsala: Ubsaliensis S, 2001.
• Hughes, Melinda. “Dark Sisters and Light Sisters: Sister Doubling and the Search for Sisterhood in The Mists of Avalon and The White Raven” Mythlore: A Journal of J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and the Genres of Myth and Fantasy Studies. (1993): 24-28
• McClain, Lee Tobin. “Gender Anxiety in Arthurian Romance.” Extrapolation: A Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy. 19(1997) : 193-99
• Noble, James. “The mists of Avalon: A Confused Assault on Patriarchy.” The Middle Ages after the Middle Ages in the English-speaking world. Ed. Marie-Françoise Alamichel and Derek Brewer. N.Y.: D.S. Brewer Press, 1997. 145-152.
• Spivack, Charlotte. “Morgan Le Fay: Goddess or Witch?” Popular Arthurian Traditions. Ed. Sally Slocum. Bowling Green: Popular Press, 1992. 18-23.