Презентация, доклад на тему Авторский проект ученицы 10 класса Banshee is a character of Irish mythology

form, Erschukova Anna

fascinating mythologies, which have ever existed. Every character of Irish mythology means certain sphere of activity of Irishmen, their relation for one or another type of crafts, sphere of activity, natural phenomenon, existence and death.
One of the brightest characters of Irish mythology – Banshee is worth discussing. Banshee has meant death, and death always brings various feelings to us: deep sorrow, thoughtfulness, panicky fear etc.

information by everyone as additional information in history and literature, in world art culture to know about Irish household.
Questions of culture, religion and literature can be involve into social science. As people often create various fairy-tales according to mythologies themes, in religion and in many others spheres.

what part Banshee plays in Irish culture, how she looks like, what thing foretells her appearance, what her main functions are, why legends appeared about her, etc.
Tasks:
-to learn literature on the theme of Banshee,
-to learn all primary sources and the most useful material and to find the reason of her appearance, to find out her functions,
-to find out why legends about Banshee appeared.

it gives the opportunity to discover new in the history of Ireland, broadens our mind, to learn how Irish people lived, what they believed in, what this faith in Banshee meant for them, why this faith was so important for them.

professional weeper woman, who had to continue to fulfill her duty after her death.
a) If professional weeper woman did her work not so well in her life, after her death she became Banshee.
b) Christian churches of Ireland related hostilely to public mourning. It was the demonstration of false sorrow and family vanity.
2. Banshee is connected with certain family. It is such families with «O» and «Mac» in their surnames.

or scream) of Banshee». Majority of people describe these sounds like «bitter cry», «the voice, that thinner than human», «it`s sorrow itself», «no one living thing couldn`t bear as much grief as in this cry» etc.
It ought to be remarked that the cry of Banshee is characterized by special loudness, her cry is «so loud, that making echo in mountains». It mentions also duration of this sound, «no animal that can howl so long without waste its breath». They say that the voice of Banshee can be heard certain times, mainly three times.

her or his own way. We will research the most popular «looks» of Banshee:
a) The beautiful fairy:
Banshee is often described like beautiful young woman with golden hair, high height and wonderful clothes.
b) A small old woman:
Old age and death are synonymous terms for many people, probably because of it Banshee is imagined as an old woman.
c) Longhaired Banshee:
Professional weeper women often had long hair, it considered that it was the sign of a sorrow.
d) White mantle with hood:
Irish people also give the definition for Banshee`s clothes: in general it is a white mantle with a hood.

Banshee appears before death of a person, in other words, particularly Banshee heralds death, imminent death.
Believers in Banshee assert, that she heralds the death of patients or old persons, but never – the death because of accidents.
“Appearance” of Banshee was so regular for the Irish people, that they started to prepare «prospective dead people» to their deaths.

the first glance, the answer is obvious: Banshee appears to a dying person. But actually that`s not so easy. Banshee appears to relatives, friends or neighbours of a dying person. So Banshee warns, announces people about the fast death of their relative, friend or neighbour.
A lot of Irish people state, that if you hear Banshee, you just convince yourself in your safety, because Banshee never appears to a dying person, he never hears her.

friends or neighbours of dying person, but why she appears?
For the Irish people it is the way to say goodbye to their relatives, to send them to the last way. It is also a reason for the reunion of the whole family, all distant relatives. In this case, they can help each other in their communal misfortune. It is also a reconciliation of members of the family with a dying one (with condition, that they had quarrels before).

these cases, we need help of our neigbours and relatives, moral support. Also we would like to know about death as early as possible to prepare everything beforehand.
Probably because of it, human consciousness created Banshee, because to notify about death before it happened is her main function.

and summarizing all above, that:
1) Banshee is a ghost of a professional weeper woman, who did her duty badly during her life, and after her death she must continue her business;
2) The main function of Banshee is announcing upcoming death of someone who is a relative, a friend or a neighbour by her special scream;
3) The Irish people often imagine Banshee as a fairy (it`s often characteristic for children) or an old lady (as the oldest member of the family), she always has very long and loose hair and she often has white mantle;
4) She appears to relatives, friends or neighbours of a dying person and never to a dying one himself or herself;
5) The faith in Banshee unites families; people start gathering together to comfort one another in their sorrows, they say goodbye to a dying person, they beg his forgiveness.

we have learnt a plenty of things about Irishmen`s household, about their culture, specific traditions. Now we are on one step closer to understanding of ancient paganism, to understanding why people believed in mystical creatures, what these creatures meant for them. Now the veil of past is slightly opened for us, full of grief and sorrow, mysterious and sacred, specific and tempting legend about mythical Banshee is opened for us.
This material we can use as an additional information at English, History and Literature lessons.

My work was done with the help of my English teacher Tranchuk T D