Welsh Journals

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gyfer Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Castell-nedd yn 1934, tynnodd nyth gacwn ar ei ben, oherwydd yn ei ymdrech i hoelio sylw'r genedl ar drasiedi ddynol y Dirwasgiad, tramgwyddodd yn erbyn disgwyliadau'r cyhoedd o'r hyn y dylai'r glowr a'i gymuned fod. Rhydd Hywel Teifi Edwards inni ddarlun byw o'r ymateb ffyrnig i'r ddrama hon, drama a gyhoeddwyd ar yr union adeg pan oedd llenorion Eingl-Gymreig, fel y Comiwnydd Lewis Jones, yn ymwrthod a'r hen ystrydebau trwy ddinoethi effeithiau andwyol cyfalafiaeth yn y nofel broletaraidd. Mae'r awdur yn cytuno bod angen gosod y drafodaeth am ddelweddau o'r glowr yng nghyd-destun y ddwy lenyddiaeth yng Nghymru. Da o beth, felly, fyddai cael cyfeithiad i'r Saesneg o'r llyfr pwysig hwn, yn rhannol i roi hwb i'r fenter o gymharu a gwrthgyferbynnu traddodiadau gwahanol, ond hefyd i atgoffa darllenwyr di-Gymraeg am amrywiaeth ddiwylliannol y maes glo. PAUL O'LEARY Aberystwyth [This trenchant study explores the image of the coalminer as portrayed in Welsh literature in the century after 1850. The author argues that the failure of Victorian Wales to embrace realism led to the creation of a romanticized view of the miner as a virtuous and uniquely moral hero, thereby denying the complexities of life in mining communities. He contends that this was of critical importance at a time when the Welsh language was losing ground in many parts of the south Wales coalfield. Exceptions to the rule, such as Kitchener Davies's drama Cwm Glo of 1934, serve to underline the general point, as they were generally greeted with a storm of outrage, because of the harsh realities they depicted. Hywel Teifi Edwards agrees that a comparison between depictions of the miner in the Welsh-language and English-language miner literatures of Wales would be desirable. That enterprise would be assisted by translating this rich and valuable study into English.] PEOPLE OF SEION: Patterns OF NONCONFORMITY IN CARDIGANSHIRE AND Carmarthenshire in the CENTURY PRECEDING THE Religious CENSUS OF 1851. By David Russell Barnes. Gwasg Gomer, Llandysul, 1995. Pp. xii, 186; 31 figs. £ 7.50. In an insightful and quite lively account, the author proceeds to examine and explain the progress of nonconformity before the mid-nineteenth