Merlin
Throughout the ages Merlin has been depicted as a druid, bard, necromancer, magician and prophet. Though we may never know if any of his fictitious interpretations are truthful, we speculate he was nothing more than a Celtic bard who lived in the 500's near Solway Frith. It is said that this strange poet, going under the alias of Myrddin, was a madman and a prophet. Myrddin's claim to fame was creating so much tension between the British chieftains of his time that they fought each other in the Battle of Arderydd. After the battle Myrddin supposedly goes insane and wanders into the forest of Celidon. He is later found dead on a riverbank nearby.
The mythical Merlin has a far deeper story. Demons decided that too many people were escaping their grasp, so they decided to engender an evil being to remedy their situation. They gave this being many abilities, such as prophetic visions, and the ability to call upon the arcane powers of magic. What these demons oversaw was the intervention of a priest named Blaise. Blasie discovered the demon's plot when one of the nuns was with child, and there was no father. Blaise told his superiors who in turn sentenced the nun to death on charges of heresy. Blaise would have none of this, since the nun had done nothing wrong. He locked her in a tower as a precaution in case anything did happen, but when the boy was born he was immediately baptized annulling the evil placed upon him by the demons. Blaise named this child Merlin.
When Blaise's superiors learned of Merlin's birth, they again sentenced her to death on more charges of heresy. Because of Merlin's gifts he was able to talk to and console his mother, he told her that no harm would come to her as long as she all...
... middle of paper ...
...l sword Excalibur that Merlin encased in a stone slab outside a church near Sir Hector's home. At an athletic competition, one of Arthur's brothers broke his sword, so Arthur was assigned for running home to get a new one. On his way he passed the sword in the stone, and proceeded to pull it out, not knowing this was the magical Excalibur destined to the great king. Upon bringing it back to the competition he was hailed as the new king.
Merlin's demise comes about when he falls deeply in love with Nimue, the lady of the lake. He teaches her how to summon up the arcane forces and use them in spells. Merlin taught her so well that she soon became even more powerful then Merlin. She gradually became tired of the old man and decided to rid herself of his presence. Nimue proceeded to cast a spell that imprisoned Merlin in an oak tree, thus ending Merlin's legacy.
In Chapter 5, the role of social stratification and power struggle are shown. Social stratification is shown in the quote “Merlin, in his malice, had woven a spell about this dungeon, and there bides not the man in theses kingdoms that would be desperate enough to essay to cross it lines with you!” (Twain PG 22). This shows how Merlin is feared by many. A power struggle is also shown by the quote “He was frightened even to marrow, and was minded to give order for your instant enlargement, and that you be clothed in fine raiment and lodged as befitted one so great; but then came Merlin and spoiled it all.” (Twain PG 24). This shows the power struggle between Hank and Merlin, which will be more in later chapters.
When the Wart pulled the sword from the stone and became king, he is now known as King Arthur. During his many transformations he learns many lessons that will benefit him and the people he will rule. He learns that absolute power is not good. He can be understanding and open-minded. The power of being king should not control you so much that you forget that you have a responsibility. You have freedoms that should help him to make ethical, wise decisions as a king. His responsibility as a king is not to overpower the people but to lead them successfully.
King Arthur, a courageous man, who was able to pull out a sword from a rock as simple as possible. As for everyone else who tired, it was almost impossible. This was just the beginning stage of Arthur becoming a king. The thing that Merlin didn’...
Who was King Arthur? Most people would tell of a great King; a devoted circle of heroic knights; mighty castles and mightier deeds; a time of chivalry and courtly love; of Lancelot and Guinevere; of triumph and death. Historians and archaeologists, especially Leslie Alcock, point to shadowy evidence of a man who is not a king, but a commander of an army, who lived during the late fifth to early sixth century who may perhaps be the basis for Arthur. By looking at the context in which the stories of King Arthur survived, and the evidence pertaining to his castle Camelot and the Battle of Badon Hill, we can begin to see that Arthur is probably not a king as the legend holds.
evil witchcraft on his family and that of a friend. That is why when Florence drowns in the river
Because of the Catholic churches attempts in the medieval times to make more pagan worshipers join, they have made the pagan’s religion into something that was evil and sinister. Anybody who was practicing a religion that was different from their point of views, especially any religion practiced by people they were trying to convert, was evil and they needed to bring to the light of Christ. This was a normal way of thinking for the people from the medieval time period who were oppressed by the Church and had very little education. A very common view was that all “witches” worshiped Satan, did unspeakable acts, stole and killed babies for their potions, and caused mayhem for the common people. For example, if a farmer’s crop failed to harvest much, the most disliked person in town that had no influence, could be the scapegoat of farmer’s anger and frustration. The person who is bein...
The Arthurian cycle shows a sporadic awareness of the impossibility of mere humans fulfilling all the ideals that Arthur and his court represent. The story of Lancelot and Guenevere, Merlin's imprisonment by Nimu‘, and numerous other instances testify to the recognition of this tension between the real and the unrealistic.
The sword just so happened to be a magical one that was blessed by the giants that made
Three times Arthur has to ask Sir Bedivere to throw the sword Excalibur into the lake. This is in fact a testing of faith, one that encompasses body, mind and spirit, meaning he is tested physically, mentally and then spiritually. After being mortally wounded, King Arthur tells Sir Bedivere to "take Excalibur, / And fling him far into the middle mere:/ Watch what thou seest, and lightly bring me word" (Norton, 1298, 204-6). When he takes the sword to the water's edge the first time, he cannot bring himself to throw it in because of the Excalibur's blinding beauty. Tennyson describes the Excalibur as "brightening," "sparkled," "twinkled with diamond sparks, / Myriads of topaz-lights..." Bedivere "gazed so long/ That both eyes were dazzled" (Norton, 1298, 222-7). He returns to Arthur, who sends him back to complete his mission. Thus Sir Bedivere fails his first test, that of the physical realm.
King Arthur’s story about how he pulled the sword out of the stone has changed over time because the people telling the story make changes to it to satisfy the reader. Arthurian legends are much different now, than when they were told earlier in time. Many stories told earlier in time are not told today, but the ones that are told today are much different than the original. Earlier in time there was more religion involved and would have more blood and gore, but because the audience has changed, the story has changed as well.
to the High King, Morgan is trained in magic of some sort. She, whether knowingly or
Beowulf and the dragon die together, and with his last words Beowulf requests a burial within a giant tumulus so his grave can guide sailors from the sea. Beowulf also crowns Wiglaf, who will bring years of prosperity to the Geats. Although having patriastic elements, Beowulf is predominately a pagan, as evidence with one of the closing lines that “twelve chieftains, all sons of princes, rode round the barrow lamenting their loss, speaking of their king, reciting an elegy, and acclaiming the hero” (101). The story of Beowulf teaches much about the ancient Anglo-Saxon times and pagan beliefs; not only is it a masterful piece of literature, but a manuscript that we can appreciate both in its historical and literary sense forever.
Staring into them, I prepared myself for a battle I had been trying to play out in my head. I still had time to get into my position. Her claw-filled fingers sank into my flesh. I was under a spell that drained me of my strength. I managed to draw my sword but she was not affected by it. I became angry with myself. It was taking me so long to slay Grendels mother. Then suddenly, I felt her grip loosen and the magic was lifted; I knew that was my chance. There was an old sword on the wall in which I ran to and retrieved; I swung at her perfectly and felt the sword cut straight through her body. In just a brief moment, all of the spells were released and there I was, Beowulf, standing over her dead body, tall and brave after the battle had
According to one version, she slept with Adam after the Fall and birthed evil spirits and also supposedly the devil and birthed the jinn (Arabic demons of legend, sometimes ascribed as being genies). Later in legend, she became identified as a succubus who caused "nocturnal emissions [associated with "wet dreams in men"] and the birth of witches and demons called lilim." Charms were created to protect from her influence and she was believed to have stolen and slain children (Grolier "Lilith").
legendary Arthur and the real Arthur have been presented, and the two have been compared for the purpose of drawing conclusions as to why, perhaps, this mortal man was personified as a legendary warrior and king of his people. Now, with both the legendary Arthur and the "real" Arthur discussed, perhaps a new outlook on the Arthurian legends can be taken when a person hears about Arthur and his knights of the Round Table.