Fairy tale Quote by Robert Macfarlane
““The deepwood is vanished in these islands -- much, indeed, had vanished before history began -- but we are still haunted by the idea of it. The deepwood flourishes in our architecture, art and above all in our literature. Unnumbered quests and voyages have taken place through and over the deepwood, and fairy tales and dream-plays have been staged in its glades and copses. Woods have been a place of inbetweenness, somewhere one might slip from one world to another, or one time to a former: in Kipling's story 'Puck of Pook's Hill,' it is by right of 'Oak and Ash and Thorn' that the children are granted their ability to voyage back into English history.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane, 2019
The deepwood symbolizes a timeless, liminal space that haunts imagination and shapes culture through architecture, art, and literature.
In simple terms: The deepwood is a haunting, timeless space influencing culture.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and explore liminal spaces in creativity.
Themes
my
liminality
culture
memory
nature
Mood
reflective
nostalgic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- landscape design
- heritage tourism
- environmental education
Key Concepts
Mythology
psychogeography
environmental imagination
Questions to Reflect On
- How does the deepwood inspire your work?
- What modern spaces serve as liminal zones?
A Different Perspective
The concept may romanticize loss, overlooking ecological realities.
