Essay Arthurian Literature The Evolution of Merlin

Arthurian Literature: The Evolution of Merlin In all the long history of literature, some fictional characters have loomed above others, written about again and again by various authors of various eras. Arthurian literature is one area of fiction that has always been popular for writers to recreate in new versions, and one of the most intriguing characters of all Arthurian literature is Merlin, the magician/ prophet who aids Arthur early in his reign. As the Arthurian saga develops, so does Merlin, changing from an aloof, druidical character into a more human, magical being, though always retaining some traces of his Welsh origins. Merlin gains his first mention in eight ancient Welsh poems attributed to the†¦show more content†¦Here we first meet the character Merlinus (Merdinus, a more exact Latinization of the original Welsh, was impractical because of its similarity to the Latin or French word for excrement, surely an inappropriate name for a great hero). (Bruce) Yet the Merlin of this story is not the great magician of later works. In his tale, Geoffrey uses not the Latin word magus, which would imply that Merlin was some sort of sorcerer, but rather the word vates, commonly indicating a poet or, often, a prophet or seer. (Tatlock) Merlin does exhibit many features of a mystic in Geoffreys Historia: he uses clairvoyance in the familiar case, borrowed from Nennius, of Vortigerns vanishing tower; he foretells Vortigerns death and prophesies to Aurelius and Uther of Arthurs coming reign, also making several predictions about political events occuring just prior to the publication of the Historia; and he interprets to Uther Pendragon a portent of the death of the king Aurelius Ambrosius. (Bruce) Clairvoyance, prophecy, and the interpretation of dreams are all rather shamanistic actions that would fit Merlins Welsh character as a druid. Merlin is not yet a romance magician in Geoffreys work: the few feats later expanded into mighty demonstrations of magic are not so in Geoffrey. Merlin disguises Uther as Gorlois for his rendevous with Igerne using medicamenta, which could includeShow MoreRelatedThe Real Merlin Essay2171 Words   |  9 Pagesaccounts of the mystical Merlin abound. Did Merlin really exist, and if so, was he the dark magical wizard of legend or an image conjured up by superstitious townsfolk to explain occurrences they didnt understand? To answer this question, one should first look at the actual accomplishments of the figure Merlin. When was the character introduced and what did he do afterwards? What kinds of feats did this person accomplish to make him as well known as he is? Secondly, Merlin was well known as a mythicalRead More The Use of Magic in Medieval Literature Essay2847 Words   |  12 PagesThe Use of Magic in Medieval Literature The concept of magic and magical creatures has been around for a long time, however, in the time period ranging from Beowulf to Malorys Arthur, there has been an evolution in attitudes and the consequent treatment of magic in medieval literature. The discussion of magic involves not only the disparity between Christian and pagan tradition but also of gender roles, most notably in the Arthurian mythos. Beowulf, Marie De Frances Bisclavret and Lanval,Read MoreEssay about The Once and Future King1411 Words   |  6 Pagesmany people can name off Arthur’s knights? Everyone knows Arthur’s name, but the details are less defined. Arthurian legend has many parts, the first being how Arthur came into being, then the most well-known part of the legend, but there is also his famous knights, the possibility of a historical Arthur, and how the legend has evolved over the ages. One thing that is unique about the Arthurian legend is that it has a story to set up the main part of the legend. It traces back to Arthur’s grandfather