Sister Fidelma - Themes in The Sister Fidelma Series

Themes in The Sister Fidelma Series

In the course of the series, Sister Fidelma journeys to many different parts of Western Europe, including Ireland, Wales, Northumbria, Hispania, Brittany, Francia and Rome. The differences between the societies she encounters and her native country is an ongoing theme throughout the series. Through Fidelma's adventures, Peter Tremayne introduces his readers to his views and interpretations of events and conflicts of 7th century Ireland. Major themes in the Sister Fidelma series include:

Inter-Societal Themes: Differences between Celtic society and other societies of the time

  • The system of government, in particular the method of selecting a ruler. (Celtic society's semi-democratic system, versus the Anglo-Saxon system of primogeniture.)
  • Legal systems, conventions of legal proceedings (including methods of establishing innocence or guilt), and punishments for criminals.
  • Political alliances, truces, and disputes between different countries.
  • The legality of slavery.
  • The role of women. (Relatively unrestricted in Celtic society; much more restricted in Roman and Anglo-Saxon societies.)

Intra-Societal Themes: Issues within Celtic society itself.

  • Conflict between local (the five provinces of Ireland) and central (the High King at Tara) political authorities.
  • Conflicts between different clans or regions of Ireland.
  • Various aspects of Irish society, including language, geography, history, medicine, professions, customs, food, and hygiene.

Religious Themes

  • The ongoing struggle between Celtic and Roman forms of Christianity for supremacy in the British Isles.
  • The meeting of older pagan and newly-introduced Christian forms of worship (sometimes this occurs easily in the Fidelma series, other times bitter conflicts result).
  • The use of secular or traditional Irish law versus the Penitentials.
  • The question of whether clergy should be celibate.
  • The value of superstition and astrology.

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