Maltese legends : a reflection of Maltese identity

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to study the essential foundation of Maltese legends. It aims to uncover how these legends reflect parts of a Maltese identity, and how they reflect the historical experience of a people. They shape, and in turn are shaped, by these experiences. The practices, beliefs and events that are the subject of the legend provide a rich source of insight into the way in which a people - in this case, the Maltese nation - lived and interpreted its history. The study will start by explaining the concepts of myth, legend and history; by describing what makes a national identity; and how legend, history and identity interact. It will then focus on the relationship between particular legends and the various elements of national identity - history, religion, superstition, contact with foreign cultures and social structures. It will examine how these elements find themselves embedded in the stories of the people. In today's era of globalization and technology, these legends which we have inherited continue to preserve their relevance as a window on the soul of a nation with a long and chequered history. This study will conclude by considering the continuing relevance of legends in an era of globalization which threatens to swamp national identities and replace them with the homogeneous culture of the dominant postmodern culture of the West.