Ladies of the Lake [Paperback]

Caitlin Matthews (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 25, 1992

Ladies of the Lake portrays nine of the women in Arthurian legend. These are the Ladies of the Lake in whom the ancient Celtic Goddess is fragmented and reflected.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A study of nine women of Arthurian legend, their connection to the goddess and other mythical traditions, and their value to men and women today. This work accords first place to the true nature of feminine power and to the ancestral lore of the ninefold sisterhoods who have acted as priestesses in Celtic tradition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Thorsons (January 25, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855380455
• ISBN-13: 978-1855380455
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #884,229 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Refreshing Perspective on a Tired Story, December 4, 2001

By 

Athelia Nihtscada (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ladies of the Lake (Paperback)

I have always had an interest in mythology and Arthurian legend and have found that few books really touch on the individual personalities or archetypes of the women of Arthurian legend beyond the usual over dramatized stereotypes of "Morgan = Evil sorceress, or confused seeker", "Morgause = "Malignant Manipulator, Power-monger", "Guenevere = Insecure Harlot".

"Ladies of the Lake" give these women back the power taken from them by traditional legend and modern retellings and allows the reader to see them in a richly spiritual and human light. I found that like book "The Goddess in Everywoman", each "lady" carries attributes that most women can relate to in some form or another. There are 9 attributes examined:
1. Energizer
2. Measurer
3. Protector
4. Initiator
5. Challenger
6. Deliverer
7. Weaver
8. Preserver
9. Empowerer

I for one am pleased to see a book such as this that gives a fresh look at women who have been underrated in many tellings of Arthurian legend. While many books will touch upon the aspects and strengths of each of Arthur's many knights, this book gives the same, long awaited look at the women of the legends. I love many of the retellings of the Arthurian legends, such as the "Mists of Avalon" and subsequent books in the series by Marion Zimmer bradley and this book seems to give a lot more insight into the personalities and spiritual arttributes behind the traditional ladies.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in Arthurian Legend or who want to know more about the women of the Arthurian legend from a unique perspective.

58 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The gals of Camelot come into their own, April 17, 1998

By 

Casca (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ladies of the Lake (Paperback)

Most re-tellings of the Arthurian legends have focused on the men, giving the women a subordinate role.All this changed with Marion Zimmer Bradley's novel The Mists of Avalon (1982) which emphasized the role of women.Ladies of the Lake is about nine key women from the Arthurian tradition.Not active on the outer or physical level like the men, these women are powerful and active on the inner levels.Each one represents archetypal powers from Celtic tradition.There is Igraine, Guinevere, Morgan and Nimue, to name a few.There is a visualization exercise for each one, allowing the reader to access their power and purpose.I find these visualizations very helpful in accessing the inner worlds of Celtic tradition.This book takes us deeper into the Arthurian legends, and I recommend it highly.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Goddesses Behind the Legends, April 7, 2000

By 

Kelly (Fantasy Literature) (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Ladies of the Lake (Paperback)

This book is wonderful! The authors take stories of influential women fromthe Arthurian legends and frame their tales in the context of the Goddess mythology that lies behind the legends. They explain how each Lady of the Lake is actually a disguised version of a Goddess archetype, thinly veiled by later patriarchal tradition. Wonderful for anyone who loves mythology. Also includes guided visualizations dealing with the women, which explore the reader's own psyche as well as the archetypes. I devoured it.