The Mabinogion & Crafting Presence: Literary Analysis + Writing Studies Worksheet for 18‑Year‑Olds

Instructions

This worksheet explores the art of storytelling and the creation of a writer's identity by connecting two very different texts: the ancient Welsh myths of The Mabinogion and a modern academic study on the essay, Crafting Presence. Read the excerpts carefully and answer the questions that follow, which will challenge you to think critically about how writers make their voice felt on the page, whether in a medieval forest or a modern classroom.

Part 1: Foundational Concepts

1. In your own words, what do you think the term oral tradition means? How might a story that comes from an oral tradition be different from one written by a single author from the start?
2. The word essay comes from the French word "essayer," meaning "to try" or "to attempt." How does this origin influence your understanding of what an essay is meant to do?
3. What do you think is meant by a writer’s presence on the page? List three things that might contribute to it (e.g., tone, word choice, etc.).

Part 2: Analyzing "The Mabinogion"

Read the following excerpt from the opening of "Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed," one of the tales in The Mabinogion. Pwyll is out hunting.

Pwyll Prince of Dyfed was lord of the seven cantrefs of Dyfed. And once upon a time he was at Arberth, a chief court of his, and it came into his head and his heart to go hunting. The part of his domain which he chose to hunt was Glyn Cuch. He set out that night from Arberth, and came as far as Pen Llwyn Diarwya, and there he stayed the night.

And next day in the young of the day he rose and came to Glyn Cuch to unleash his dogs into the wood. And he sounded his horn and began to muster the hunt, and followed after the dogs, and became separated from his companions. And as he was listening to the cry of the pack, he could hear the cry of another pack, a different one, and with a different cry, and they were coming to meet his own pack.

And he could see a clearing in the wood, as of a level field, and as his pack reached the edge of the clearing, he could see a stag in front of the other pack. And towards the middle of the clearing, the pack that was pursuing it overtook it and brought it down.

And thereupon he looked at the colour of the dogs, without troubling to look at the stag. And of all the hounds he had seen in the world, he had never seen dogs of this colour. Their colour was a brilliant shining white, and their ears were red. And as the whiteness of the dogs shone, so did the redness of their ears.

Questions:

1. Describe the narrative voice. Is it personal and emotional, or is it distant and factual? Provide a phrase from the text to support your answer.
2. The passage creates a sense of mystery and the supernatural. How does the specific description of the dogs at the end contribute to this atmosphere?
3. Even though the storyteller is anonymous, they have a distinct style. What features of the writing (e.g., sentence structure, repetition, focus) give the story its unique feel?

Part 3: Understanding "Crafting Presence"

Read this hypothetical excerpt from an academic book, Crafting Presence: The American Essay and the Future of Writing Studies.

A writer’s presence is not an accident; it is a deliberate rhetorical construction. It is the palpable sense of a mind at work, conveyed to the reader through a series of stylistic and structural choices. This "voice" is built from the writer's ethos (the credibility and character they project), their diction (the specific words they choose), and their syntax (the way they arrange those words into sentences). A strong presence invites the reader into a conversation, making the text feel less like a static object and more like a dynamic intellectual encounter. It is the art of making the "I" on the page feel authentic, thoughtful, and engaging.

Questions:

1. According to this text, is a writer’s "presence" a reflection of their true, off-the-page personality? Why or why not?
2. The author identifies three key components of presence: ethos, diction, and syntax. Explain how one of these components could create a sense of a writer being, for example, "formal and academic" versus "casual and friendly."

Part 4: Synthesis - Bridging Worlds

1. Apply the concepts from "Crafting Presence" to the excerpt from The Mabinogion. Even though the storyteller is anonymous, they still create a "presence."
   • What kind of ethos (character or authority) does the storyteller project? Are they a historian, a poet, or a village elder? What makes you say that?
   • Analyze the diction of the Mabinogion excerpt. Words like "cantrefs," "thereupon," and phrases like "it came into his head and his heart" create a specific effect. What is that effect?
2. The "Crafting Presence" excerpt says a strong presence "invites the reader into a conversation." The Mabinogion comes from an oral tradition where a storyteller would literally be in front of an audience. How does the written style of the Mabinogion excerpt still create the feeling of being told a story out loud?
3. Contrast the "presence" of the Mabinogion storyteller with the "presence" of the academic author in Part 3. What are the key differences in their goals and methods?

Part 5: Personal Reflection

Think about a formal essay you have written for school. How did you attempt to craft a "presence"? What choices did you make regarding your tone, word choice, and sentence structure to project an ethos of being knowledgeable and credible?

Answer Key

Part 1: Foundational Concepts

1. Oral tradition refers to the process of passing stories, histories, and cultural knowledge from one generation to the next through speech, rather than writing. A story from an oral tradition might feature more repetition, memorable imagery, and simpler plot structures to make it easier to remember and retell. It might also have variations in the details, unlike a fixed written text.
2. The origin of essay ("to try") suggests that the genre is not about presenting final, absolute truths, but about exploring a topic, testing an idea, or attempting to understand something. It implies a process of thought and discovery.
3. A writer's presence is the sense of a unique personality or intellect behind the words. Contributors include: tone (e.g., sarcastic, serious, joyful), word choice (diction), sentence structure (syntax), point of view (first or third person), use of personal anecdote, and the overall perspective or argument being made.

Part 2: Analyzing "The Mabinogion"

1. The narrative voice is generally distant and factual, functioning like a chronicler of events. It states what happens without delving into Pwyll's inner emotions in a modern way. A supporting phrase could be: "And once upon a time he was at Arberth, a chief court of his, and it came into his head and his heart to go hunting." This phrasing presents the motivation as a simple fact.
2. The description of the dogs is otherworldly and specific. The stark, unnatural color combination—"brilliant shining white, and their ears were red"—signals that these are not ordinary animals. This immediately moves the story from a simple hunting trip into the realm of myth and the supernatural. The emphasis on their shining color enhances this magical quality.
3. The style is characterized by a straightforward, declarative sentence structure ("And he sounded his horn..."). There is a rhythmic quality, often achieved by starting sentences with "And." The focus is on action and observation rather than internal thought. This creates a formal, almost ceremonial, storytelling feel, as if one is hearing an ancient and important tale.

Part 3: Understanding "Crafting Presence"

1. No, according to the text, presence is not a direct reflection of a writer's "true" personality. It is a "deliberate rhetorical construction." This means it is a crafted persona, an effect created through intentional choices to achieve a specific purpose with the reader.
2. Example using diction: A writer aiming for a "formal and academic" presence might use words like "heretofore," "elucidate," and "juxtaposition" (high diction). A writer aiming for a "casual and friendly" presence might use contractions ("don't," "it's"), slang, and more common words like "show," "next to," or "before" (low or informal diction).

Part 4: Synthesis - Bridging Worlds

1. • Ethos: The storyteller projects the ethos of a traditional keeper of lore or a bard. Their authority comes not from personal experience, but from being a conduit for the tribe's important stories. The formal tone and focus on lineage and location ("Pwyll Prince of Dyfed was lord of the seven cantrefs of Dyfed") establish them as a reliable, serious narrator of history and myth.
   • Diction: The diction feels archaic and formal. Words like "cantrefs" ground the story in a specific historical/legendary Welsh context. Phrases like "thereupon" and "it came into his head and his heart" lend a sense of gravity and timelessness to the narrative, distinguishing it from modern, casual storytelling. The effect is to transport the reader to an older world.
2. The style mimics oral storytelling through its rhythm and structure. The frequent use of "And" to begin sentences acts like a verbal connector, similar to how a speaker might link events when telling a story aloud. The clear, sequential focus on action (he rose, he came, he sounded his horn, he followed) is easy to follow, just as it would need to be for a listening audience.
3. Mabinogion Storyteller: The goal is to transmit a cultural narrative, entertain, and inspire awe. The presence is communal and authoritative, but anonymous. The methods involve formal language, rhythmic sentence patterns, and a focus on supernatural and heroic events. The "I" is completely absent; the story is the focus.
   Academic Author: The goal is to analyze, persuade, and inform an academic audience. The presence is intellectual, analytical, and individual (even if they don't use "I"). The methods involve precise terminology (ethos, diction), logical argumentation, and citation of evidence. The presence is that of an expert guiding the reader's thinking.

Part 5: Personal Reflection

(Student answers will vary). A strong answer would move beyond a general statement like "I tried to sound smart." It should identify specific choices. For example: "In my history essay on the Cold War, I tried to create a credible presence by avoiding the first-person 'I think' and instead using assertive, declarative sentences. I chose formal diction, using words like 'ideological conflict' instead of 'disagreement over ideas.' My sentence structures were complex, linking cause and effect to show a logical thought process, which I hoped would build my ethos as a thoughtful analyst."