Merlin the wizard biography meaning
•
The Historical Origins of the Wizard Merlin
There have been countless books, film, and television iterations of King Arthur and his medieval court. The characters involved in the retelling have varied, but one figure that’s a constant fixture is his trusted advisor: the wizard Merlin. But as historians speculate about the accomplishments of King Arthur—or whether he even existed at all—they have also debated the identity of the mystic in his court. Is the legend of Merlin based on a real individ, and if so, who?
As it turns out, Merlin, who has also been called Myrddin Wyllt, Merlinus, and Merlin Caledonis, was not always connected to Arthurian legend. He first appears in various sixth-century Welsh poems as a "wild man" and profet who lives in the forest. Alternatively, he was also said to have originated from the Lowlands of Scotland, although his exact place of origin in Scotland is contested; some stories depict him living in the Caledonian Forest; others, in the forests of T
•
Merlin
Legendary Welsh wizard
For the bird species, see Merlin (bird). For other uses, see Merlin (disambiguation).
"Merlyn" redirects here. For other uses, see Merlyn (disambiguation).
Fictional character
| Merlin | |
|---|---|
The Enchanter Merlin, Howard Pyle's bild for The Story of King Arthur and His Knights () | |
| First appearance | Prophetiae Merlini |
| Created by | Geoffrey of Monmouth |
| Based on | Myrddin Wyllt and Ambrosius Aurelianus |
| Species | Cambion |
| Occupation | Prophet, magician, bard, advisor, warrior, others (depending on the source)[note 1] |
| Spouse | Gwendolen |
| Significant other | Lady of the Lake, Morgan le Fay, Sebile (romance tradition) |
| Relatives | Ganieda |
| Home | "Esplumoir Merlin", British woods |
Merlin (Welsh: Myrddin, Cornish: Merdhyn, Breton: Merzhin)[note 2] is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a magician, with several other main roles.[note 3] Th
•
Merlin, the famous wizard of Arthurian legend, is one of the most recognisable figures in literature. He has featured in stories about King Arthur since the Middle Ages, ever since Geoffrey of Monmouth linked the two characters together in his History of the Kings of Britain (c. ). Geoffrey doesn&#;t show Merlin and Arthur meeting in person but he does describe how Merlin&#;s powers of sorcery facilitate Arthur&#;s birth. The episode in question tells of a legendary king, Uther Pendragon, who desires to sleep with the beautiful Lady Igerna. Merlin concocts a magical potion that disguises Uther as Igerna&#;s husband, thus enabling him to enter her bedchamber to satisfy his desire. Out of this deception the future King Arthur is conceived. Geoffrey also has Merlin using wizardry to magically transport Stonehenge from Ireland (presented by Geoffrey as its original location) to Salisbury Plain in England.
To modern eyes it is clear that Geoffrey was not offering his readers a strai