The Role of Dogs in Medieval Wales

This thesis explores the role of dogs in medieval Wales. References to dogs can be found in sources such as the law codes and the Mabinogion and other forms of literature, including hagiography and poetry, providing a wealth of material for understanding what kinds of dogs there were, what they did, who owned them, and how they were viewed. It is helpful to examine these sources in three ways, and thus, the thesis is divided into three chapters: the law codes, hunting, and literature. The law codes give many details about societal expectations of dogs while representations in story or poetry reflect how dogs performed their tasks, particularly that of hunting, and how society’s views of them could be used for literary effect. It is argued that dogs were ubiquitous in medieval Wales, serving a variety of functions from herding and guarding to acting as pets. However, the dogs that receive the most attention are hunting dogs because of their essential role in an important aristocratic pastime. This is what appears most in the law codes and the literature, and such dogs are generally the ones to appear with admirable characteristics to emulate. While other dogs do not possess great value, hunting dogs are often praised for their tenacity and ferocity in the hunt as well as for their faithfulness to their masters. It is also these dogs who take on otherworldly and magical characteristics in literature.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

ma

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Ferguson, Michelle

• DA Prydain Fawr
• PB Ieithoedd Ewropeaidd Modern

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:3326