At the beginning of The Lancelot-Grail Reader’s “The Story of Merlin,” a devil rapes a young woman, leading to the conception of Merlin and a repentance of her past sins. Though Merlin is half-devil, God recognizes his innocence and grants him both “the devil’s art of knowing things that are done, said, and past” (54) and the godly “power to know the future” (54). Equipped with these abilities, Merlin can now “turn to whichever side he wanted, for if he wished, he could give the devils their due, or else His to God just as well (54), definitively splitting Merlin’s path in two: the adoption of either the devil’s past or God’s future. Yet despite this foundation, The Story of Merlin’s anonymous Vulgate author(s) continuously presents the ineffectiveness …show more content…
of prophecy and the importance of memory. Through these themes, the author demonstrates the inability of humans to manage foreknowledge, encourages regular historical documentation, and ultimately constructs in a character that is destined to transgress regardless of which side he serves. At the beginning of The Story of Merlin, the devils’ conversation prior to Merlin’s conception sets the stage for the complications in Merlin’s paths. As the devils complain about God’s abilities, they cry, “We have lost everything, since He can forgive sins until the end of humankind” (50-51), further clarifying this concept when they complain, “even though [humans] do our works all the time, they will be lost to us if they repent” (51). This conversation defines what makes the future God’s and the past the devil’s: potential. Regardless of the number, a person’s sins will always be “done, said, and past”—but the potential for repentance will always be in the future. In other words, it is not God’s knowledge of the future that devastates the devils; rather, it is God’s eternal capacity to forgive past sins. Furthermore, when the devils imagine their ideal agent, they muse, “If we had someone who had [the power to know the past] . . . then he could help us trick [the humans] . . . [a]nd he could also foretell things that were to come about and be said soon and far in the future, so that he would be believed by everybody” (51). Clearly, they don’t see prophetic abilities as a service to God; instead, they see them as an asset for a demonic entity, and because of this, Merlin is unintentionally the devils’ ideal design. Although this doesn’t mean that Merlin is all evil, or completely in service of the devil, it does establish doubt in both Merlin’s moral future and his ability to act in accordance with God. This doubt strengthens when Merlin employs his prophetic abilities, particularly when he aids in the conception of Arthur through Uther’s rape of Ygraine. Here, the Vulgate author brings into question the morality, and success, of sinning in the name of a greater goal. This topic of Merlin’s assistance to Uther is explored in Jennifer E. Looper’s “L'Estoire De Merlin and the Mirage of the Patrilineage,” an article where she demonstrates the Vulgate author’s ambivalence toward patrilineage in both the story’s familial accounts and the story’s authorial history. As Looper traces the origins outlined in “The Story of Merlin,” she asserts that “Merlin creates lineages that share traits of his own conception and birth. He begins with . . . [Arthur] and the stain of illegitimacy haunts [Arthur’s] efforts to establish himself as king” (68). As Looper presents here, Merlin and Arthur’s parentage share key similarities: both involve a male figure raping a woman while she is unaware, the women only fully understanding the situation once they have born children. Moreover, the similarities are emphasized by the inclusion of a small illustration of Merlin’s conception in the manuscript Additional 10292 (Conception of Merlin). Though the devil horns make clear the fact that this portrays the conception of Merlin, the horns likely shouldn’t be there, seeing as the devils originally plan to “take on the likeness of a man” (51). By extension, the horns can be read as metaphorical rather than literal. Therefore, the domineering man could easily be Uther (or Arthur), the woman’s closed eyes representing the women’s inability to see the reality of the situation in the face of the male figures’ trickery. With these similarities, Merlin seems to act as a cyclical force, reproducing the sins of the past in an effort to bring about the presumably “correct” future. However, Merlin and Uther do not repeat Merlin’s mother’s successive repentance; instead, Merlin “atone[s]” by furthering his prophetic master plan and securing Arthur’s place in a separate family (“The Story of Merlin” 68). In other words, he doesn’t regret his actions, or even ask for forgiveness; he only continues toward the future he believes God has shown him, sinning in the belief of a greater good. Furthermore, this cycle occurs once again with Arthur’s rape of King Lot’s wife, in which he sneaks into her bed and allows her to believe he is her husband. Although this event was not orchestrated by Merlin, he failed to warn Arthur of the woman’s identity (his half-sister), which bears Mordred, the man fated to bring about Arthur’s fall. Kathy Cawsey furthers this recognition of Merlin’s guilt in her article “Merlin's Magical Writing: Writing and the Written Word in Le Morte Darthur and the English Prose Merlin,” in which she explores the concurrence and discrepencies found between reality and Merlin’s writing in Le Morte Darthur and the Vulgate Merlin. While discussing Merlin’s role as an instrument of God and as storyteller, Cawsey claims that through Merlin arranging Arthur and Guenevere, orchestrating Arthur’s birth, and allowing the conception of Mordred, “Merlin not only establishes the Round Table and Arthurian society, but creates the conditions for its destruction and downfall” (95). Moreover, Cawsey states that “it is difficult to tell whether Merlin is writing the story as he watches it happen or whether he makes it happen by writing it” (96), firmly implicating Merlin in all transgressions surrounding Arthur and the Round Table. By identifying Merlin’s hand in this cycle of rape and conception, as Looper claimed, Merlin becomes an agent of patriarchy and sin—while justifying his actions through his divine foreknowledge. That is, through attempting to “turn to” God, he inadvertently replicates the sins of the devils that conceived him. Of course, it’s impossible to know Merlin’s true intentions—outside of Merlin’s insistence that the devils “have lost [him] and every other advantage” (55)—but Merlin’s inability to break the cycle the devils began, along with his direct perpetuation of this cycle, suggests an incompatibility between Merlin’s righteousness and foreknowledge. With the effectiveness of foresight thrown into question, the Vulgate author underscores Merlin’s mistakes through Merlin’s awareness of what has been “done, said, and past,” especially in Merlin’s failure to break the cycle of malevolent conceptions. To return once more to the beginning of “The Story of Merlin,” the “sin” that resulted in Merlin’s mother being chosen by the devil was that she had forgotten the directions of her priest (including crossing herself) in a moment of “wrath” (52). However, after her realization of what the devil had done, she goes to her priest, Blaise, for his advice and explains, “[Y]ou have said to me that people cannot commit such a great sin that, if they confess it and repent it and do whatever the confessor tells them, it will not be forgiven . . . Sir, I have sinned” (52). Here, Merlin’s mother is driven toward religiosity and God’s forgiveness because of her past sins—the exact consequence that the devils feared would be their destruction. Similarly, Merlin acknowledges his sin after deceiving Ygraine, admitting that he had “not yet atoned for” it (68), and yet, Merlin’s subsequent actions end up standing in sharp contrast to his mother’s own. As previously mentioned, rather than following his mother’s steps of repentance (a past repentance that he knows), he continues his ultimate plan with the help of Uther, by virtue of Merlin being “so learned and so worthy that [he would] know how to atone for” their actions (68). Though Merlin goes to Blaise (presumably to confess) after this decision, Merlin seems to have at least some belief in his ability to atone for his sins through what he can, or must, do next without repentance or the consultation of a confessor. Admittedly, it’s possible that Merlin follows his own plan on account of his belief that it is his duty to God, but regardless, Merlin neutralizes the consequential religiosity exhibited by his mother because he is not regretting what has been “done, said, and past.” Instead, he is looking forward. As a result, Merlin furthers a plot that will eventually result in Arthur sleeping with his half-sister and forgets the lesson his mother had personified. Nevertheless, Merlin doesn’t always ignore the past, and when he follows it, he finds success, particularly in the case of the two Gueneveres.
In this episode, Merlin saves Guenevere from being kidnapped and disrupts the malevolent cycle of conception for the first time by preventing Arthur from sleeping with the false Guenevere. This moment of competence results from a knowledge of what has been done, as seen when the author describes, “As soon as [the kidnappers] had reached their agreement, Merlin knew it” (83). Here, it seems that the kidnappers making a decision solidifies them in the past, and in that instant, Merlin receives that knowledge. Because Merlin’s prophetic abilities are never fully explained, it’s difficult to say if the story’s future is set in stone or regularly shifting, but this moment indicates a clarity and assurance that comes with knowledge of the past, which in turn allows Merlin to react astutely and correct a potentially catastrophic situation. Moreover, the Vulgate author highlights the memory of Guenevere’s saviors as they wait to stop the kidnappers, detailing, “Bretel and Ulgin had not forgotten what Merlin had told them” (85). Once again, it was knowledge, or memory, of the past that led to their success. Granted, the ultimate outcome of this episode is complicated since Guenevere is the person being saved, and as Cawsey stresses, “Merlin arranges the marriage between Guenevere and Arthur, despite knowing Lancelot and Guenevere will be lovers” (95). However, Merlin at least prevents another deceitful sexual encounter; thus, the author exposes the potential power in possessing the devil’s
abilities.
Marie De France’s Lanval is a remarkable short narrative that engages the reader into a world filled with unrealistic elements, but enhances on the true meaning of romance, chivalry and nature during the years that King Arthur reigned. “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” unfortunately does not have an author that can be recognized but this epic poem demonstrates the ghastly adventure of a knight who decides to defend the honor of young King Arthur against a supernatural being in this malicious game of cat and mouse. Both of these pieces of literature have enchanting characteristics that define them as a masterpiece of their era and that’s why they both are easily compared and contrasted. In addition, both Lanval and “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” can be classified as similar through their themes, style and plots, although they are different through their language and diction. Even though both of these literatures can be viewed as similar as well as contrasting, in the end, each of these tales have illuminated the realm of fantasy throughout the court of King Arthur.
The love triangle of Arthur, Lancelot, and Guenever is a constant theme throughout every account of the Arthurian legend. Geoffrey Ashe's The Arthurian Handbook states that "We may say that these knights are expected to serve their King..."(81). The revelation of the affair finally comes when Sir Agravaine shouts, "'Traitor Knight! Sir Lancelot, now art thou taken'"(White 569). Lancelot was summoned to Queen Guenever's bedroom, and Sir Agravaine is finally exposing the affair and gaining revenge on Lancelot for unhorsing him many times in the past. The two people that Arthur trusts most are Guenever and Lancelot. Arthur is well aware of the affair between the two, but chooses to pretend that nothing is going on. Due to this naivety, Arthur earns the disrespect (and even hatred) of Agravaine and Mordred, who eventual...
Guenever’s dialogue with Lancelot shows signs of guilt, but an overall distinct feeling of love. On page 549, she states that “You (Lancelot) will be killed, and I shall be burned, and our love has come to a bitter end.” The love she has for Lancelot is obviously strong, enough for her to accept her own demise. This sad articulation of her love for him is quite powerful. She understands her actions, and also shows signs of paranoia. She claims, on page 567, that “Tristram used to sleep with King Mark’s wife, and the king murdered him for it.” Guenever is thoughtful of what’s to come, for both her AND her partner. It is obvious that she knew she could not always “have her cake and eat it too.” As a woman, suffering through the psychological battle of “what is right”, Guenever had an awareness of her love and it’s outcome.
One of the main topics discussed in lesson one is the fact that heroes over time and overseas all heroes have something in common; which is true in the case of King Arthur and Beowulf. It is obvious that they are similar in the fact that they are both heroes, but what makes them an idol of their time and in their culture are poles apart. There are many things that are different about Beowulf and King Arthur, but the ones that stand out the most are what kind of hero they are and what actions they did to make them heroic. Both heroes possess qualities that others do not have, but it is what they do with those abilities that prompts someone to write a story about them and idolize them in time.
When all the courtly love elements that flow through The Knight of the Cart are composed, in addition to a tale of love affair between Queen Guinevere and Lancelot of the Lake, a document revealing the enchanting history of the Twelfth Century Renaissance is created. Troyes, our powerful storyteller, was able to do this by taking us on a journey with Lancelot, not only though his exciting battles to Guinevere but, through his passionate and enamored thoughts and behaviors that yearns for his beloved.
Tragic and hero may not be words that easily reveal a relationship, but throughout literature the two have been linked to create an enthralling read. The emergence of the tragic hero seemed to take shape in ancient Greece where such works as Oedipus and Antigone were popular among all classes of people. Aristotle defined a tragedy as "the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself. It incorporates incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions." Though Greece may be credited with the creation of tragic heroes, the theme is seen in literary works across many different cultures, including England. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one such English work where the development of the main character, Gawain, follows the pattern of the classical tragic hero. In this paper, we will explore the characteristics of the tragic hero and show how these traits are demonstrated in Gawain.
Le’ Morte d’ Arthur is a medieval romaunce by Sir Thomas Malory about King Arthur, Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table, violence plays a very crucial part in the story. Many different kinds of violence occur in this set of stories, some of which are very ordered and fine, like jousting, and also disordered violence like war. The worst type of violence though is when people use violence to get vengeance, which is a major theme, because many of these knights are mad at others. While many of the knights in the book are concerned with getting revenge, these actions and the search for vengeance are often futile and almost always end badly.
In this romance, there is a battle between reason and love. Both try to thwart the paths of the other. When love is taking control, there is always a sense of reason that prevents Lancelot from doing what he wants, and when reason has the better of him, love makes him go in a different direction. Reason is the logical explanation behind each action taken or decision made by Lancelot. Love is the attraction that Lancelot feels for Gweneviere and it has a way of pushing aside reason, when he tries to make a judgment. These two elements are almost the devil and angel inside of Lancelot. Neither one can be described as good or bad, but can be considered opposites of each other. Also, most times, love is a stronger trait in Lancelot than the process of thought and reason.
The Quest for the Holy Grail was the greatest and noblest of all quests for King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. The Holy Grail was believed to be the cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, and it was the cup that caught Christ's blood when he was thrust in the side with a spear at his crucifixion. Joseph of Arimathea, the wealthy man who allowed Christ to be placed in his tomb, is said to have brought the cup with him to Britain, but it was later lost. It was said that the cup disappeared because of the sins of the times, but many believed it to be hidden, and still in England. The Quest for the Holy Grail, led by King Arthur was to find this divine cup.
Russell, J.B. 1986. Lucifer, the Devil in the Middle Ages. New York: Cornell University Press.
As legends and myths are retold throughout the ages, stories begin to differ. This remains true for Arthurian myths and legends. The BBC Merlin series is bound to differ much more, considering it is a five season television series aimed towards teenagers and young adults who grew up or are growing up in the 90’s and the 21st century. It’s a show aimed towards the people who are trying to figure out life, and what they want to do for a living, to the people who are struggling to fit into society. With this in mind, what did BBC alter and what remained the same between most of the Arthurian legends and BBC Merlin? Many of the differences to be found were in the characters themselves.
The oldest epic poem of the Anglo-Saxon period is the tale of good and evil. The crusade of heaven and hell, the bloody war that waged between our hero Beowulf and the infamous Grendel and his mother. But there seem to be two sides to this heroic and yet tragic story of these troubled and arrogant souls.
Weyer, J. (1563). De praestigiis daemonum [The Deception of Demons]. Basel, Switzerland: Per Joannem Oporinum.
In movies, novels, and life, people are named as heroes. The heroes we establish and the heroes we recognize, however, may not meet the criteria for a mythic hero. A mythic hero ventures forth on his journey, and comes forth from the hero’s path to greatness. Joseph Campbell, a mythologist who studied many of the great human myths and religious tales, realized, in studying these myths and tales, that there were certain steps that every hero went through. Campbell called this “The Hero’s Journey”; it is based on Carl Jung's idea that all human beings have an archetype. After Campbell studied a lot of the great myths and realized this pattern, he published his findings in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Ever since then, authors have used “The Hero’s Journey” as an outline to tell their stories. “It is important to note that not all of these individual steps are present in every hero’s tale, nor is it important that they be in this exact order” (Vogler 20). The Hero with a Thousand Faces gives a sense of significance as it looks into the inner mind and soul. The author, Joseph Campbell, performs two extraordinary accomplishments: compelling his readers that myth and dream, those are the most effective and everlasting forces in life and a unification of mythology and psychoanalysis with a gripping narrative. One well-known example of “The Hero’s Journey” from popular culture is the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling. In the novel, Harry Potter, the main character, is the chosen one and “The Hero’s Journey” applies to his life from the moment he is attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as a baby.
"At one moment it seemed to him that he was in the cave of Montesinos and saw Dulcinea, transformed into a country wench, skipping and mounting upon her she-ass; again that the words of the sage Merlin were sounding in his ears, setting forth the conditions to be observed and the exertions to be made for the disenchantment of Dulcinea."