Deirdre
Chapter 1 of 19 I. Book 1, Chapters 1, 2
- Running time
- 5 h 11 min
- Language
- English
- Read by
- Michele Fry
Chapters
About this recording
Beautiful, playful young Deirdre, caught in the crosshairs of Ireland's wily, chauvinistic King Conachur, who desires to marry her after his own wife Maeve has escaped his clutches, is one of many prequels to the legend of “The Great Tain”, Ireland's national epic. Sometimes called "The Irish Iliad", this saga of war between rival Irish and Scottish kings, with its many characters, was preserved in oral tradition with many variations, until committed to writing in the Middle Ages. Stephens gives his own interpretation, insights and humor of the Deirdre story as he spins court intrigue, jealousy, subterfuge. Deirdre's innocence, training as a young lady of worth; her escape from Conachur, her love for her husband (murdered at the King's hand), and eventual suicide, are the stuff of Irish legend, riveting throughout, rivaling the romantic tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. (Summary by Michele Fry)
List of characters:
Conachur mac Nessa - King of Ulster
Fergus mac Roy - King of Ulster before Conachur displaced him, married his mother Nessa and became Conachur's step father
Felemid - the storyteller
Deirdre - daughter of Felemid, raised by Laversham for Conachur
Nessa - daughter of Echaid…