Queens of the Wild

In this engaging account, Ronald Hutton examines the history of goddess-like figures in Christian Europe, exploring their origins and evolution from the medieval period to modern times. Drawing on various disciplines, he focuses on four key figures—Mother Earth, the Fairy Queen, the Mistress of the Night, and the Old Woman of Gaelic tradition—and challenges long-held views about their connections to pre-Christian goddesses. Hutton presents the case that these figures emerged independently of pagan origins, with many contemporary narratives rooted in nineteenth-century scholarship.