Welsh-language literature facts for kids

Welsh-language literature (Llenyddiaeth Gymraeg) is a rich collection of stories, poems, and writings created in the Welsh language. This amazing tradition has been going strong since around the 5th century AD, when Welsh first became its own language.

The very first Welsh writings were poems. These poems were often very complex and beautiful, a style that continues even today. Later, in the 11th century, the first British stories in prose (like regular writing, not poetry) appeared. A famous example is the collection known as the Mabinogion.

Welsh literature has always been super important for the people of Wales to show their identity and pride. It's still highly valued today. You can see this at the yearly National Eisteddfod of Wales (Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru). This is probably the biggest amateur arts festival in Europe, where people celebrate Welsh culture, especially literature, with big ceremonies for prize winners.

Literature in the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages in Wales had three main periods for poetry: the earliest poets (Cynfeirdd), the Poets of the Princes, and the Poets of Nobility. Storytelling was also a big part of Welsh culture during this time.

Early Poets: Cynfeirdd (550 – 1100)

The very first poets we know about wrote praise poems for rulers and lords. These rulers were from Welsh areas stretching from Scotland to Cornwall.

The term Cynfeirdd is a modern name for these early poets. They wrote in Welsh before the year 1100. These poets, called beirdd (bards), lived in what is now Wales and also in a region called the Old North (Yr Hen Ogledd). The language they used was an early form of Welsh called Brittonic. Famous bards like Taliesin and Aneirin are mentioned in an old book called Historia Brittonum. Some anonymous poems from this time also still exist. The main topics of their poems were heroic elegies. These celebrated brave warriors and their victories in battle.

The beirdd (bards) were also mentioned in the old Welsh laws created by Hywel Dda.

Poets of the Princes: Beirdd y Tywysogion (1100 – 1300)

Around the 11th century, the Normans arrived and brought changes to Welsh culture. The Welsh language also developed into what we call Middle Welsh.

The next period of poets is called the Poets of the Princes. This time lasted from about 1100 until King Edward of England conquered Wales in 1282–83.

These poets were closely linked to the princes of Gwynedd. Important princes included Gruffudd ap Cynan, Llywelyn the Great, and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. It's believed that Gruffydd ap Cynan helped set up rules for Welsh poetry and music. Lord Rhys ap Gruffydd (Arglwydd Rhys) also helped develop these traditions in Cardigan, Ceredigion. One old writer described a gathering where musicians and bards competed for prizes.

The time of the court poets ended suddenly in 1282. This was when Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Welsh prince, was killed. Llywelyn was ambushed, and his head was put on the Tower of London. The Poets of the Princes wrote about the great sadness after his death.

Poets of Nobility: Beirdd yr Uchelwyr (1300 – 1500)

The next period was the Poets of the Nobility. This includes poetry from after the Edwardian Conquest (1282/3) until the death of Tudur Aled in 1526.

Welsh poetry at its highest level was incredibly detailed and complex. The bards were very organized and professional. They had a strict training that lasted many years. When the Welsh princes lost power in 1282, the bards adapted. They found new supporters among the uchelwyr, or landed gentry. This change led to new ideas, like the development of the cywydd metre, which had more flexible structures.

A guild of poets, or Order of bards, kept the professional tradition alive. They had their own "rule book." This book showed that poetry was a skilled craft. A poet needed nine years of training to become fully qualified. The rules also set out how much a poet should be paid for their work. Payments changed based on how long a poet had trained and how much demand there was for poetry.

Storytellers: Cyfarwyddiaid

There were also cyfarwyddiaid (storytellers). These were also professional artists who were paid for their work. But unlike the poets, they usually didn't sign their names to their stories. It's not clear if they were a completely separate group or if some bards also told stories. Not many of their prose works have survived. However, what we do have is the earliest British prose literature. These native Welsh tales, along with some stories mixed with French or Norman influences, are now known as the Mabinogion. This name became popular in the 19th century.

Welsh literature in the Middle Ages also included many laws, family histories, religious and mythical texts, and historical writings. There were also medical and wise sayings, and practical guides. Many works were translated from other languages like Latin, Breton, or French. Besides long poems and prose, there were also the unique Trioedd, or Welsh Triads. These were short lists, usually of three items, used to help people remember things.

Welsh Literature in the 16th and 17th Centuries

The 16th and 17th centuries were a time of big changes in Wales, just like in the rest of Europe. Modern Wales started to take shape politically, socially, and economically. With the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542, Wales became fully part of the English kingdom. It lost its own political and legal independence.

The End of the Poets' Guild

From the mid-1500s, the tradition of the cywyddwyr (poets of the nobility) began to decline. It became harder for poets to earn a living. This was mainly due to social changes they couldn't control.

The Dissolution of the Monasteries meant that monasteries, which had supported poets, were closed. Also, the Welsh nobility started to become more English during the Tudor period. This meant fewer people were willing or able to support the poets. But there were also internal reasons for the decline. The poets' guild was very traditional. It struggled to adapt to new ideas from the Renaissance and the rise of printing.

However, the Welsh poetic tradition, with its special metres and cynghanedd (patterns of alliteration), didn't disappear. Ordinary poets kept it alive for centuries. Cynghanedd and traditional metres are still used by many Welsh-language poets today.

New Learning and Books

By 1571, Jesus College, Oxford, was founded. It was meant to provide a good education for Welshmen. Thanks to dedicated people, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, the Welsh language became part of the new Renaissance learning.

The First Printed Welsh Book

In 1546, the first book printed in Welsh was published. It was called Yny lhyvyr hwnn ("In this book") by Sir John Price of Brecon. John Price (around 1502–55) was an important civil servant and a nobleman. He worked for the Council of Wales and the Marches. He also helped manage the closing of the monasteries in the area. Price was also a scholar who liked new ideas about religion and learning, such as reform and humanism. He was known for collecting old manuscripts about Welsh history and literature.

Other Scholars and Writers

Soon after, the works of William Salesbury started to appear. Salesbury was a strong Protestant. He combined his learning with new religious ideas from Europe. He translated the New Testament into Welsh. He also created an English-Welsh dictionary, among other works. On the other hand, Gruffudd Robert was a strong Catholic. But he also loved learning and published an important Welsh grammar in 1567. He did this while living in Milan because he was forced to leave Wales. A huge step forward for both the Welsh language and its literature was the publication of a full Welsh Bible in 1588. This was translated by William Morgan.

Other Works and Writers

For at least the next hundred years, most books published in Welsh were about religion. Morgan Llwyd, a Puritan, wrote in both English and Welsh about his spiritual experiences. Another important writer of this time was Vavasor Powell.

During this period, poetry also started to focus more on religious themes. William Pugh was a Royalist and a Catholic. By now, women as well as men were writing. However, we can't identify much of their work. Katherine Philips lived in Wales for most of her life, even though she was born in England. She was at the center of a group of writers, both men and women, in Cardigan Priory.

Early English Writing from Wales

The beginnings of Anglo-Welsh literature (Welsh writers writing in English) can also be seen. This is especially true in the works of Henry Vaughan and his friend George Herbert. Both were Royalists.

Welsh Literature in the 18th Century

In the 18th century, religious literature continued to be very popular. It grew even stronger as Nonconformism (Protestant groups not part of the Church of England) became very important in Wales. The Welsh Methodist revival, led by Howell Harris and Daniel Rowland, produced not only sermons and religious writings but also hymns and poetry. Famous hymn writers included William Williams Pantycelyn and Ann Griffiths.

The Morris brothers from Anglesey were key figures in setting up Welsh societies in London. Their letters are an important record of the time. The activities of Welsh people in London helped Wales keep its identity within Britain.

Some individuals, like Thomas Jones of Corwen and Iolo Morganwg (a stonemason and writer from Glamorgan), helped create the National Eisteddfod of Wales. They also invented many of the traditions we see today. Iolo is sometimes called a charlatan because many of his "discoveries" were based on myths. However, he also collected many old manuscripts. This was a great service that made Welsh literature richer. Some Welsh gentry (wealthy landowners) continued to support bards, but this practice slowly faded away.

Welsh Literature in the 19th Century

The Industrial Revolution caused many people to move into the South Wales Valleys during the 19th century. Many newcomers were English, but some learned Welsh to fit into the local communities. This led to a greater demand for Welsh books, periodicals (magazines), newspapers, poetry, ballads, and sermons. Some wealthy newcomers, like Lady Charlotte Guest and Lady Llanover, actively helped create a richer cultural life.

Thanks partly to the eisteddfodau (festivals), writing became a popular hobby. All kinds of poetry thrived. Poets started using bardic names to hide their identity in competitions. They kept using these names even after they became famous. The most celebrated poets of the century were Evan Evans, John Blackwell, William Thomas, and John Ceiriog Hughes. Their bardic names were "Ieuan Glan Geirionydd," "Alun," "Islwyn," and "Ceiriog."

The novel (long storybook) was slow to become popular in Wales. Translations of books like Uncle Tom's Cabin existed. But the first recognized Welsh novelist was Daniel Owen. He wrote Rhys Lewis (1885) and Enoc Huws (1891), among other books.

Welsh Literature from the 20th Century Onwards

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Welsh literature started to show how the Welsh language was becoming a symbol of politics. Two of the most important figures from this time were the very productive writer Saunders Lewis and the writer/publisher Kate Roberts. Lewis, who grew up in Liverpool, was a leader of the nationalist movement. He was even jailed for his part in protests. He used drama to argue for his cause. Novelist Kate Roberts worked as a teacher. She was one of the few writers who lived in and wrote about both North Wales and South Wales.

The growth of industries in parts of Wales was now seen as having both good and bad sides. Many writers looked back fondly on the old farming way of life that still existed in most of the country. However, John Ellis Williams (1924–2008) gave a more realistic picture of farming communities in Gwynedd between the World Wars. He wrote in both English and Welsh. His memories appeared in local newspapers, Countryman magazine, and later in English paperbacks like Clouds of Time and other Stories (1989) and Rare Welsh Bits (2000). Williams was a free spirit in Welsh publishing. He wasn't an academic or a politician. He had explored Existentialism in France after Second World War and was friends with Simone de Beauvoir. The 1940s also saw a notable writing group form in the Rhondda, called the "Cadwgan Circle." This group wrote almost entirely in Welsh. It was started by J. Gwyn Griffiths and his wife Käthe Bosse-Griffiths. Other Welsh writers in the group included Pennar Davies, Rhydwen Williams, James Kitchener Davies, and Gareth Alban Davies.

After a relatively quiet period between 1950 and 1970, many Welsh-language novels started appearing from the 1980s onwards. Authors like Aled Islwyn [cy] and Angharad Tomos became popular. In the 1990s, there was a clear trend towards postmodernism in Welsh prose writing. This was especially clear in the work of authors like Wiliam Owen Roberts and Mihangel Morgan.

Meanwhile, Welsh poetry, which had been a bit stuck, found new energy. Poets tried to master the traditional verse forms again, partly to make a political point. Alan Llwyd and Dic Jones were leaders in this area. Female poets like Menna Elfyn slowly started to be heard. They overcame the challenges of the male-dominated poetry world and its traditions.

The scholar Sir Ifor Williams also started the scientific study of the earliest Welsh written literature and the Welsh language itself. He brought back the works of poets like Taliesin and Aneirin. Before him, some old collectors, like Reverend Edward Davies, had strange ideas. For example, Davies believed Aneirin's Gododdin was about a massacre at Stonehenge in 472.

See also