Er ein bod ni wedi crybwyll y ffaith bod cymdeithas y Gymru ganoloesol yn drywadl Gristnogol, ac er ein bod wedi nodi agweddau creffyddol ar rai testunau llenyddol wrth fynd heibio, yn y bennod hon rydym ni’n canolbwyntio ar lenyddiaeth Gristnogol – ac yn bennaf, gwahanol draddodiadau’n ymwneud â’r seintiau Cymreig.

Nodwn fod y Cymry yn weddol unigryw yn eu hoffter o lunio ‘bonedd’ neu ‘achau’ seintiau (amlygiad canoloesol o’r awydd Cymreig oesol i holi i bwy mae rhywun yn perthyn, efallai!). Trafodwn draddodiad llenyddol storïol poblogaidd hefyd, ‘Bucheddau Seintiau’, cofiannau neu fywgraffiadau. Edrychwn ar Fuchedd Dewi a thrafod rôl llenyddiaeth yn y datblygiad a wnaeth ef yn nawddsant Cymru. Cewch glywed hanes cyffrous am forwyn o’r enwi Gwenfrewi wrth iddi arddel ‘strategaeth risg-uchel’ (chwedl Richard Wyn Jones) er mwyn ceisio dianc rhag y brenin cas, Caradog, a hanes y ffynnon sy’n dwyn enw’r santes honno. Cawn gyfle i ystyried canu mawl i’r seintiau, gan graffu ar un awdl sy’n dyrchafu Dewi uwchlaw holl seintiau eraill y byd.

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Saints and Sinners

Although we have mentioned the fact that the society of medieval Wales was thoroughly Christian, and although we have noted some religious aspects of some literary texts in passing, in this episode we concentrate on Christian literature – specifically, various traditions having to do with the Welsh saints. We note that the Welsh were fairly unique in their love of creating genealogies for the saints (a medieval manifestation of that ageless Welsh desire to ask to whom somebody is related, perhaps!). We discuss a popular narrative tradition as well, ‘Saints’ Lives’, biographies or the histories of their lives. We loo at the Life of St. David and discuss the role of literature in the development which made him the patron saint of Wales. You’ll hear the exciting story about a maiden named Gwenfrewi as she adopts a ‘high-risk strategy’ (according to Richard Wyn Jones) in order to try to escape from the nasty king, Caradog, and the history of the well which bears that saint’s name. We also consider the praise poetry to saints, and examine one awdl which elevates St. David above all of the other saints of the world.

Cyflwynwyd gan: Yr Athro Jerry Hunter a'r Athro Richard Wyn Jones

Cynhyrchwyd gan: Richard Martin

Cerddoriaeth: Might Have Done gan The Molenes

Dilynwch ni ar Trydar: www.twitter.com/YrHenIaith

Tanysgrifwch yn eich hoff ap podlediadau neu ar YouTube i derbyn y pennod nesaf ar cyhoeddiad.

Darllen pellach / further reading:

- D. Simon Evans (gol.), Buchedd Dewi gyda Rhagymadrodd a Nodiadau (Caerdydd, 2005 [adargraffiad] )

- Patrick Sims-Williams (gol.), Buchedd Beuno: The Middle Welsh Life of St Beuno (Dulyn, 2018).

- Gwefan prosiect ymchwil ‘Seintiau’: https://saints.wales/cartref/