Fairies |
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| Fairies are something that have fascinated generations
of people from all walks of life. What though, are the origins
of the 'Fairy'? |
During the 16th and 17th centuries, through the writings of
those such as Shakespeare, different portrayals of Fairies
began to emerge. Although still influenced by the old folk
legend, Shakespeare appeared to create new facets in the fairy
world. In a Midsummer Night's Dream, he interwove Fairies
with the human story. Through the meddling of some of these
Fairies and other creatures, such as Titania, Oberon and Puck,
three stories came together to create this beautiful, comic
fantasy |
These
mythical beings were first made popular through the superstitions
and tales of old folk lore. Fairies were used to represent
powerful natural forces and were even believed to have control
over the fertility of the land and those that lived on it.
For many people Fairies are small beautiful, sprightly,
feminine creatures with wings. For others the realm of the
fairy is much more diversified and can include elves, pixies,
leprechauns and trolls; indeed any magical creature that
doesn't live by human rules!
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For the majority of us though, our first encounter with fairies
is through fairy tales and stories, such as Peter Pan, that
are read to us as a child. The image of Tinkerbell and the
whole concept of Neverland can be enough to awaken any child's
imagination. What child, with help from a little Fairy dust,
wouldn't love to fly off to magical adventures in Neverland? |
| And what book about Fairies would be complete
without its colourful Fairy illustrations? Many book illustrators
have become most famous for their depictions of Fairies, two
in particular are Cicely Mary Barker and Margaret Tarrant.
Both lived during the same era, when the increase in technology
seemed to create a desire in the people for the Fairy - something
mythical and beautiful. And both captured the essence of beauty
of not only the Fairy, but also of children and flowers. In
each of Cicely Mary Barker's flower fairy pictures you can
see how carefully each child and flower was chosen and how
their characteristics are so well suited to each other |
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Foremost among other artists who have illustrated
their interpretation of the Fairy are Arthur Rackham and Edmund
Dulac, although theirs may not always be the light, angelic
images that, for many, have become stereotypical. In the same
vein are the illustrations found in "Lady Cottington's
Pressed Fairy Book". Angelica Cottington was the young
girl whose photograph with the Fairies first appeared in the
early 1900's, dismissed by many as a hoax, but welcomed by
others as authentic. After her death, or so the story goes,
her unique book was discovered. Dedicated to Fairies and in
diary format, it contains all Lady Cottington's "sightings
of Fairies and pressings of them", again giving quite
a different and sometimes disturbing image of Fairies. |
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| More recently, it is not just books and illustrations
of Fairies, but collecting Fairy ephemera has also become
popular. Many have statues and fairy features in their gardens
or little figurines decorating the mantelpiece. Other people
collect jewellery ranges especially designed to incorporate
the elegance and sparkle of the Fairy. There is such a range
of ephemera now, that there is something for everyone to
enjoy, but for me, it is still the classic children's books
and range of enchanting illustrations that I find most appealing
To conclude here is one of my favourite quotes about fairies,
from a version of J.M Barrie's Peter Pan. Wendy has returned
from Neverland, and she is educating her mother about Fairies.
'I thought all the Fairies were dead' said Mrs. Darling
'Oh, no!' said Wendy, who knew a lot about Fairies now.
'When a new baby laughs for the first time, a new fairy
is born too. So as long as there are new babies, there are
new fairies.'
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Contributed by Joanne hill
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