Goddess
In The Serpent and the Goddess, Condren depicts the role of the goddesses in Celtic Ireland, emphasizing the important interrelatedness of goddess and human women:
Since the source of life was so integrally associated with women, it would seem to follow that the origins of life were female. At times of joy or moments of pain, humans would turn to the goddess who was honored in her many guises.(Condren,1989,p.172)
Accordingly, the myths of the ancient Celts, also suggest the dominant role of the Celtic female, alluding to a society that was matrtifocal or matricentered. It is important to note here, that matricentered is different than matriarchal, which is the opposite of patriarchal. Ecofeminist, Rosemary Radford Ruether states in her book Gaia & God, that matriarchal society portray females as superior due to the ability to give life; the result of this leaves men feeling unsure of their role in society (Ruether, 1992). Furthermore, the failure to allow men to contribute to society on the same level as women, frequently results in resentfulness on the part of the male, and is not a solution to changing the patriarchal framework existing today.
Since the source of life was so integrally associated with women, it would seem to follow that the origins of life were female. At times of joy or moments of pain, humans would turn to the goddess who was honored in her many guises.(Condren,1989,p.172)
Accordingly, the myths of the ancient Celts, also suggest the dominant role of the Celtic female, alluding to a society that was matrtifocal or matricentered. It is important to note here, that matricentered is different than matriarchal, which is the opposite of patriarchal. Ecofeminist, Rosemary Radford Ruether states in her book Gaia & God, that matriarchal society portray females as superior due to the ability to give life; the result of this leaves men feeling unsure of their role in society (Ruether, 1992). Furthermore, the failure to allow men to contribute to society on the same level as women, frequently results in resentfulness on the part of the male, and is not a solution to changing the patriarchal framework existing today.
The female principle was important, particularly the maternal nature of the mother. The images of goddesses found throughout the ancient world go beyond just female reproduction. Women also were embraced for their cultural creativity; healing, poetry, writing teaching, and the art, and smithwork (Condren, 1989). Though, women’s place in cultural creative did have to do with their majestic ability to create life within themselves. For the Celtics reproduction and the other elements of being a woman, is not considered to be a weakness, rather a gift of which only women possessed.