Fairy Fée Zana ................. A fairy (also fay, fae; from faery, faerie, realm of the fays) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature in European folklore, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural. Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term fairy offers many definitions. Sometimes the term describes any magical creature, including goblins or gnomes: at other times, the term only describes a specific type of more ethereal creature or sprite.[1] Various folkloristic traditions refer to them euphemistically, by names such as wee folk, good folk, people of peace, fair folk (Welsh tylwyth teg), etc.[2] Much of the folklore about fairies revolves around protection from their malice. Although in modern culture they are often depicted as young, sometimes winged, humanoids of small stature, they originally[clarification needed] were depicted quite differently: tall, radiant, angelic beings or short, wizened trolls being two of the commonly mentioned forms. One common theme found among the Celtic nations describes a race of diminutive people who had been driven into hiding by invading humans. When considered as beings that a person might actually encounter, fairies were noted for their mischief and malice. Fairies are generally described as human in appearance and having magical powers. Their origins are less clear in the folklore, being variously dead, or some form of demon, or a species completely independent of humans or angels.[3] The concept of fairy in the narrow sense is unique to English folklore, conflating Germanic elves with influences from Celtic and Romance (French) folklores, and later made diminutive according to the tastes of Victorian era fairy tales for children. The English term fairy can be applied to comparable beings in any of these cultures, more generally to similar beliefs in other European folklores (Slavic fairies), or in comparative studies even worldwide. Fairies have their historical origin in the conflation of Celtic (Breton, Welsh) traditions in the Middle French medieval romances, e.g. as one of the beings that a knight errant might encounter. Fairie was in origin used adjectivally, meaning enchanted (as in fairie knight, fairie queene), but was used as a name for enchanted creatures from as early as the Late Middle English period. Fairies as the term is now understood were shaped in the literature of Romanticism during the Victorian era. Writers such as Sir Walter Scott and James Hogg were inspired by folklore which featured fairies, such as the Border ballads. Folklorists have suggested that their origin may lie partially in a conquered race living in hiding,[clarification needed][4] or in religious beliefs that lost currency with the advent of Christianity Une fée est un être imaginaire, généralement décrit comme anthropomorphe et féminin, dune grande beauté, capable de conférer des dons aux nouveau-nés, de voler dans les airs, de lancer des sorts et dinfluencer le futur. Lidée que lHomme se fait des fées varie selon les cultures et les pays : revenantes, anges déchus, élémentaires ou même humaines, minuscules ou immenses, toutes sont étroitement liées aux forces de la nature et au concept de monde parallèle. La Befana, la Dame blanche, les sirènes, les nymphes, Morgane, Viviane et une grande variété dêtres et de créatures généralement féminines peuvent être considérés comme des « fées ». Les Anglo-Saxons utilisent le nom « fairies » pour désigner les fées, mais également toutes les petites créatures anthropomorphes du folklore païen telles que les lutins, les nains et les elfes. Issues des croyances populaires et de mythologies anciennes, de la littérature inspirée du folklore et des contes celtiques ainsi que danciennes divinités, les fées sont une création de lOccident médiéval. Elles jouent des rôles très variés. Si certaines aident, soignent, guident des personnes ou leur fournissent des armes enchantées, dautres fées sont plus connues pour leurs « tours », leur habitude de danser en cercle et denlever des personnes, en particulier les nouveau-nés humains quelles remplacent par un changeling. Douées de facultés magiques, elles se déguisent et modifient lapparence de ce qui les entoure. Dès le XIIe siècle, deux grandes figures féeriques se distinguent dans la littérature dEurope de lOuest : la fée marraine et la fée amante. Bien connues de la littérature médiévale, les fées disparaissent des récits à larrivée de la Renaissance, pour réapparaître sous de nouvelles formes dans Le Songe dune nuit dété de William Shakespeare, et les contes merveilleux qui modifient leur taille, leur apparence et leur symbolique. Les petites fées anglo-saxonnes sont popularisées durant lépoque victorienne, notamment par la peinture féerique. Les fées font toujours partie intégrante des croyances populaires dans les régions de culture Celte, en Islande et dans toute la Scandinavie, où des précautions à tenir envers elles sont popularisées par le folklore. Elles restent connues des folklores allemand, français et wallon, bien que les croyances aient largement reculées au XXe siècle. De tous temps, des personnes ont affirmé voir les fées, communiquer avec elles et invoquer leur aide, en Angleterre, laffaire des fées de Cottingley entraîne un long débat sur la réalité de leur existence. Les fées sont désormais des personnages incontournables de la littérature fantastique et fantasy et du cinéma, entre autres grâce à Walt Disney qui les a largement popularisées aux États-Unis, et à des films comme Dark Crystal. Elles intéressent des chercheurs comme Katharine Mary Briggs, des illustrateurs tels que Cicely Mary Barker, Brian Froud et Alan Lee, ainsi que des conteurs comme lelficologue Pierre Dubois à qui lon doit, en France, la redécouverte du folklore qui leur est lié. Zânele sunt semidivinități feminine, adesea nominalizate atributiv, prezente în mai multe mitologii populare. În mitologia românească, acestea sunt de 2 categorii morale: bune și rele. Zânele bune sunt preponderente numeric și categorial, sunt fecioare frumoase, zvelte, foarte tinere, năzdrăvane, prielnice omului cinstit și având totdeauna soluțiile esențiale pentru dificultățile ori impasurile inevitabile de care este asaltat eroul arhetipal (de obicei Făt-Frumos Zânele bune sunt socotite ca născându-se din flori. Zonal, numărul lor e variabil: fie 3 (surori) sau 12, fie nenumărate. Cazurile de hierogamie sunt rare, dar posibile: unele zâne îndrăgostindu-se de Făt-Frumos, erou muritor, dispar și lasă o chemare, iar însoțirea devine cu putință după ce el săvârșește mai multe încercări supraomenești (sau inițiatice); cazurile inverse se efectuează prin viclenia lui Făt-Frumos, care fură veșmintele unei zâne aflate la scăldat. Totuși zânele bune au limite în bunăvoință și uneori pedepsesc îndeosebi pe cel care le calcă un tabu declarat (de exemplu, intrarea neîngăduită pe un teritoriu controlat de zâne), pedeapsa curentă fiind orbirea. Zânele rele sunt uneori bătrâne, urâte, uscățive, alteori tinere, ispititoare, dar sadice față de oamenii îndrăzneți. Acestea sunt adesea confundate cu Ielele, însă prin contaminare, căci sunt divinități structural și atributiv diferite.[1]
Posted on: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:37:20 +0000
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