Redwall Abbey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Redwall Abbey is the fictional refuge of many of the "good" forest animals in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques.
The abbey basically follows the rules of a normal monastery except that it is occupied by animals and that no actual religion is practiced. (Jacques has said that he wishes to avoid any religion in the series, thus keeping it open to readers of all faiths).
The inhabitants are peaceful but frequently must go to war when their beloved abbey is in harm. Redwall Abbey, though often under attack, is never conquered. The abbey is known to hold the unbreakable sword of Martin the Warrior.
[edit] History
Redwall Abbey was first built after the events of the story Mossflower. It was founded and designed by an old Loamhedge mouse named Germaine, who became first Abbess of Redwall. Built on top of the ruins of Castle Kotir, which housed the wildcat Tsarmina during the events of Mossflower, the Abbey stands tall enough to be seen a league away. During the events of The Legend of Luke (parts I and III), the Abbey was declared completed following the completion of the weather vane - however, parts were added on following this. During the events of Outcast of Redwall it had a brief encounter with a ferret Warlord named Swartt Sixclaw. Luckily, he was driven off before he could ever reach the Abbey. However, his infant son was dropped and adopted by the Redwallers. Bella, a badger and mother of Lord Sunflash the Mace named him Veil because "there is a Veil over his life before he came here." Later however Abbess Meriam discovered a note written by Bella.
- Give him a name and leave him awhile,
- Veil may live to be evil and vile,
- Though I hope my predictions will fail,
- and evil so vile will not live in Veil.
This was after Veil had been raised by a young mousemaid named Bryony, and though raised to be decent, could not deny his vermin roots and attempted to poison Redwall's cook. This led to Veil being outcast - the first and only Outcast of Redwall. Later, after both Swartt and Veil's deaths, Sunflash the Mace came to Redwall to meet his mother Bella.
During the events of Mariel of Redwall, a young mouse named Mariel comes to Redwall. Because she lost her memory, she called herself Storm Gullwhacker, for it was a storm that brought her to Mossflower's shores, and her weapon was a knotted rope called Gullwhacker. The Redwallers were able to restore her memory however and she traveled away with a young mouse called Dandin, a hedgehog named Durry Quill, and a hare named Tarquin, to take revenge on the one responsible for her injury, Gabool the Wild. During their absence 100 searats who had deserted Gabool attempted to take Redwall. They were driven off by the Redwallers and three incredibly brave hares of the Long Patrol, two of which gave their lives for the cause. Dandin, Mariel, her father Joseph and many other returned to Redwall where it was announced that Saxtus would later become the Abbot.
In the novel Redwall, Matthias, an orphaned woodland mouse, becomes the Abbey Warrior after defeating the evil rat Cluny the Scourge. The Abbey is later attacked by Slagar, a masked fox, in the book Mattimeo. Slagar kidnaps many of the Abbey young ones, and General Ironbeak, an evil raven warlord, attempts to take over the abbey. He is killed by a Red Kite. The book The Pearls of Lutra describes the Redwallers undertaking a scavenger hunt, of sorts, which leads them to come across the infamous pink pearls called the Tears of all Oceans. During this time, a young mousemaid is killed by an army of jackdaws hiding out at St. Ninian's church, which leads the Redwallers to burn the old church to prevent any more vermin taking headquarters there. The Redwallers come across the ruins of Castle Kotir in the story The Long Patrol. It is also in this book that the south outer wall is demolished and rebuilt.
In the novel Marlfox, the Abbey is attacked by the Marlfoxes. However, they are driven off. In the book The Taggerung, an army of Juska comes to Redwall, but they are driven off by Badger Lord Russano the Wise. The events of Triss chronicle an attack by Freebooters and Pure Ferrets, who are driven off by various defenders. In Loamhedge the Abbey comes under attack from corsairs, while in Rakkety Tam the antagonist is Gulo the Savage.
[edit] Traditions and celebrations
While Redwall Abbey does not practise any humanlike religion, a number of traditions and celebrations have grown up over the years. Cregga Badgermum's comment in "The Taggerung" that "[T]he best way to make everybeast happy is to think up an excuse for a feast" seems to be the reasoning behind many of these, but they also have roots in the respect of life and nature.
The changing of the seasons is always a great occasion for celebration. It is frequently marked with a "Nameday" party when the new season is given an official name for the Recorder's books, based on its weather, plants, unusual events, or other characteristic happenings. Examples of season names found in existing Redwall books include the Summer of the Lazy Trout (Salamandastron), the Summer of the Talking Squirrel (Redwall, marking the season when a particularly quiet young one was heard to speak for the first time), the Summer of Friendship (The Taggerung), and the Winter of Deepest Snow (The Long Patrol). In addition, separate seasons have their own traditions suited to the weather and mood of the time of year, such as the midsummer race in "The Taggerung", the Snow Badger tale told to Dibbuns, or the apparently formulaic greeting "Summer's here, joy and happiness to all" in "Triss". In "Mattimeo" it is also suggested that "seasondays", possibly similar to human "birthdays" are celebrated, but this has yet to be described in detail.
Possibly the closest tradition to human religion in Redwall is the habit of saying a Grace poem before an important feast. However, this is not directed at any deity or supernatural entity, but is a simple expression of gratitude for the bounty of the seasons and the shelter of the Redwallers' home, and can range from a respectful piety ("Fruit of forest, fields and banks, To the seasons we give thanks" -- Mattimeo) to a somewhat blunt statement of fact ("Thanks to the seasons and jolly good luck we all have a sword and a head, and the way we'll tuck into these vittles will show that we're living, not dead"-- The Long Patrol).
Celebration feasts themselves are always elaborate and joyful affairs, involving at least a day's work in the kitchens. The main focus generally appears to be on desserts, with fantastic creations appearing as the centrepiece to an already crowded table, though no Redwall feast would be complete without a plate of deeper-than-ever pie (for moles) and a big pot of watershrimp and hotroot soup (for otters). Salads, cheeses and trifles are also frequent contributions. As well as the food and drink, there is often entertainment in the form of humorous monologues, poetry and song. Visiting creatures are invited to show off their party pieces, whatever form they may take.
In contrast to the complicated preparations for Namedays and other celebrations, the choosing of a new Abbey leader often comes as a surprise to those around them. There appears to be no set age or qualification for an Abbot or Abbess (although Redwall ages are quite hard to pin down, many leaders have been chosen while apparently still the equivalent of human teenagers) and the final choice is almost always the decision either of the previous occupant of that position, or of some "paw of fate" like a dream of Martin the Warrior. Naturally, there is no reason why the choice of a new Abbot or Abbess should not be followed by yet another feast!
Although Redwall Abbey seems to be designed after the fashion of a human monastery, there appear to be no strict rules on marriage and family as there would be in a Christian institution. Rosabel in "The Taggerung" is the daughter of Broggle and Fwirl, both long-term residents at the Abbey, and the Abbot himself blesses Matthias and Cornflower's marriage on his deathbed in "Redwall".
[edit] Defenses
Redwall Abbey has been proved time and time again, that no vermin threat could conquer it. The abbey is protected by large sandstone walls. There are four gates in the walls. Three are small doors. The other one a large double doored oak gate. There had been only four vermin generals that had managed to breach the walls. Cluny the Scourge, the Marlfoxes, Raga Bol and General Ironbeak. Only General Ironbeak has ever managed to fight a way inside the main abbey building. All of these nearly sucssessful generals have been driven off at the sight of victory. Cluny the Scourge driven off by the Guosim shrews and the sparrows, the Marlfoxes by Skipper of otters surprise attack, General Ironbeak by Stryke Redkite and Constance and Raga Bol by Lonna Bowstripe.
