Re: Found interesting
- From: "Froggy" <shelbel007_2000@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 19:57:32 GMT
Ugh sorry about the attachment... I found this in my email box...
"Froggy" <shelbel007_2000@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2YWng.2754$ii.1212@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
With apologies to Ms. Rowling's young magic user, it's the wizard Merlin,
advisor to King Arthur, who's arguably the most famous wizard of all. The
modern interpretation was galvanized by T.H. White's story of "The Sword
in the Stone" written in 1938. Later in 1963, Walt Disney transformed the
tale into an animated feature by the same name. In this version, the great
wizard is portrayed as an old absent-minded master magician, his head full
of a lifetime of magical lore and would-be myths. With Merlin's guidance,
Arthur learns the ways of sorcery and gains the ability to transform
himself into an animal. Arthur grows wiser and stronger with Merlin's
mentoring and becomes the King's eternally trusted advisor.
The sources that T.H. White drew upon to create his version of the
Arthurian legend tell a somewhat different tale of Merlin and his origins.
Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote a "History of the Kings of Britain" in the 12th
century. In his tome, Merlin first appears as an advisor to the 5th
century British king, Vortigern. Vortigern's son, Ambrose, and Ambrose's
son, Uther, all have Merlin by their sides while they rule. In turn,
Uther's son, Arthur carries on the tradition. Supposedly Merlin was born
in 460 and died in 580, making him a very long-lived man during the Dark
Ages.
Sources show that the original tale of Merlin, otherwise known as Myrddin,
started in the 6th century. He was a military commander who witnessed four
of his brother's being killed in battle and went mad with grief. Insane
and stricken from society, he retreated to the woods to live as a wild
man. A year later, he was discovered by representatives of the King of
Strathclyde and brought back to his court. Living in the kingdom, but
remaining wild in nature, he was said to have the gift of prophecy and was
able to communicate and interact with the wild creatures of the forest.
Did Merlin have great knowledge of dragons?
Sort of -- Merlin saved his own neck by determining the root of
Vortigern's troubles, showing him that a red and white dragon were
battling beneath the foundation of his castle. He predicted that the red
dragon would be the victor and only then the fighting would stop. Of
course, this wasn't a literal analysis, as the red dragon represented
Wales and the white dragon embodied the Saxon invaders. Merlin used his
knowledge of politics to gain Vortigern's favor and was entrusted to the
king as his advisor.
Was Merlin a good or evil character?
It depends on the interpretation -- The T.H. White and Geoffrey
versions of Merlin are identical in that they both were involved with
Arthur and his trial of the sword, Excalibur. However, White's version has
him playing the absent-minded professor, while Geoffrey paints him with
more sinister and cunning colors. His psychic powers and demonic parentage
made him more than a man, in Harry Potter's universe Merlin would be sort
of a Dumbledore and Voldermort combination, someone to be admired and
feared. Never truly evil, Merlin has come down to us as a complex and
interesting character whose tale has been fodder for many stories and much
drama
--
Life is a journey. Enjoy the trip.
~Froggy~
(*)(*)
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