Isla Defty, School of History

British Folklore and Mythology in the 20th Century: Impact and Influence

Folklore and mythology forms the basis of our cultural roots yet today it is often disregarded and overlooked. We have come to conceptualise myths and folklore as relics of the past, static and unchanged with no impact on modern society. However, this is far from true as they are constantly evolving and being retold. Our modern world is littered with symbols of mythology from the face of the Green Man staring down at you from a church archway, to pagan rituals on Iona, to the bedtime stories parents tell their children. Its influence is virtually inescapable. Through analysing primary sources dating from the 20th century held in the Brotherton Library Special Collections, I have pieced together some of the impact and influence British folklore and mythology continues to have. I have focused in on the attitudes people held towards these stories, whether they viewed them through a purely fictional lens or whether there was an element of belief. I have then tried to track the modern influence of British myth in both the physical and cultural spheres. The 20th century is also an interesting period to look at as it marked a significant resurgence in the studying of mythology. Therefore, we can interpret many sources from this period concerning folklore and mythology as quests for identity, attempts to connect with a British history outside of common religious and societal structures.

BA History, Second Year
I am a second year History student with a particular interest in medieval and ancient history. Whilst this time period is not typically where my interests lie, I was particularly drawn to this project because of my love of stories. I’m a huge poetry fan and it is so interesting to me how these hundreds of years old myths have stayed literarily and culturally relevant through constant revisiting. A testament to how the stories we tell never truly die.