アイルランドの結婚風習とその背景について : ウィリアムカールトンの「ノッポのシェーンの結婚話」

概要

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Among the happy noises everyone enjoys at the Irish wedding can be found many marriage customs like the courtship and lovemaking which were normal features of old-time wakes ; the matchmakers who were prepared to act as go-betweens arguing over the dowry and other details of the marriage settlement ; the abduction or other matters carefully arranged by the parents, relatives, and friends ; the bottle races ; the strawboys ; the bride show…… The above-mentioned customs show that the old Celtic tradition was still alive in the days when W. Carleton spent his youth attending dances, wakes, and weddings. P. Power wrote "of an Ireland in bygone days where the Christian religion was accepted and where whatever pre-Christian religion in existence beforehand had given way to the new system of belief brought in from Europe" in his book, "Sex and Marriage in Ancient Ireland." The world ruled by the Brehon Laws must, however, have been very peaceful because there were no jails nor written contracts or indentures. The Irish had had a rich historical and cultural heritage until the mid-1800's. But the Great Famine brought radical changes in rural Ireland and marked the end of an era that may well be termed pagan Ireland.