Merlin the Magical Mystic

What makes a mystic and what makes a magic user? Up until this point there was some sort of line between the two such as the difference between a midwife sacrificing her child to Satan to understand the future and Margery Kempe crying because of her visions in public. One was influenced by God himself and the other was for more selfish means. But where does that leave Merlin? Clearly he has abilities to see prophesied events, but one part really stuck out to me that made me think the magic vs. mystic line was muddied:

"...I am the son of a demon who seduced my mother...He gave me the ability to know all things said and done in the past and that is how I know what life your mother has lead. Our lord wanted me to have that memory because of my mother's virtue and her true repentance, and because of my own submission to the commandments of the Holy Church...granted me the power to know the things that are to come."

So...he's the son of a demon and knows the past...but also knows the future because he's aligned himself with God...can he pick one? But, in my own view this muddies up the line between magic and mysticism again. Yes, it's true Merlin woks under God, but what about the gray area BEFORE he joined the church? Much to think about...Maybe the truth is that Merlin is both and can be both because of who he is?

Magic or Mystic?

Merlin got his ability to know the past from Satan, making him a witch who uses magic. However he then has the ability to know the future, which he got from God, making him a mystic. Since he has both abilities from different sources what would Merlin be? A witch or a mystic? What would he be tried as?

Music for Merlin

I really like to listen to instrumental music while writing or reading. While I read this long reading on Merlin, I was listening to the Game of Thrones soundtrack, and found the tone to be very fitting. This song especially was a joy to listen to towards the end of the reading, with the quote:

"His cry came from the pain he felt when he realized that he was being killed by a woman's cunning and that a woman's craft had defeated his own. The echo of the cry was heard throughout the length and breadth of the kingdom of Logres..."

Nothing better than a woman defeating a man who thinks he knows everything! To make this song even more befitting (for any GoT fans), this is the song that was playing during the scene where (SPOILER ALERT) Cersei killed off a massive amount of people in a church to save herself. This super long song has a super slow beginning that builds to a great climax of instrumentals, so if you're going to play it in class, I would recommend starting around 8:15 to see how grand it gets!

So. Much. God.

The author of Prose Merlin does a really good job of including God as a character of this story of Merlin to reconcile religion with supernatural. God is literally everywhere as a way of telling the reader, “Hey, I know a lot of weird stuff is happening. But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re super Christian. Super. Christian.” Some of this is demonstrated just in the dialogue. On page 310, a woman says, “unless God puts it right.” On page 341, there’s a “God willing...” And, on page 350, Queen Helaine is the most beautiful and worthy woman “know to either God or man.” And there are SO many more examples. Basically, these moments of referencing God show that no matter what is happening, God is at the forefront of everyone's mind, and that is why they’re able to accept Merlin’s supernatural abilities. It’s explained over and over: “[Merlin has] knowledge of all things done and said in the past and that it comes to [him] from [his] demonic origin. Our Lord, who is all-powerful, has also given [him] the wisdom to know the things that are to come” (327). Every time this is mentioned, I imagine the writer saying, “MERLIN ISN’T SPECIAL. YOU KNOW WHO IS SPECIAL? GOD’S SPECIAL.” Because even though there is some demonic stuff going on, God is always presented as the stronger of the two. Demons gave Merlin “knowledge;” God gave Merlin “wisdom.” There’s a difference. By saying “demonic origin,” there is an absence of action. In comparison, God “has given” Merlin his ability, which casts God into more of an active role.  Also, Merlin doesn’t just say, “God gifted me this cool thing.” He has to add in that side note, “WHO IS ALL-POWERFUL," in case people forget that God’s a big deal.  

Magic or Mysticism?

In reading “The Prose Merlin” the reader can clearly see that Merlin is capable of doing some pretty magical things. He speaks only a few months after birth, moves some heavy stones, and predicts the future. Despite being the son of a demon, he attributes his abilities to God. For it is He who gifted Merlin the ability to know the future in order to prevent him from serving the devil. Despite his evil father, Merlin is saved from Hell by God. In fact, this is not the only time religion comes up. It appears later in Merlin’s making of the third round table where he says that in its creation, the Trinity will be represented (328). It is also spoken about the empty space left at the round tables to represent the spot for Judas who turned his back on Jesus during the Last Supper. With all the religious shadowing in the text, it creates a larger idea. That Merlin is not some magical man whose powers come from an unknown source. Instead, it creates the idea that perhaps like Margery Kempe or Julian of Norwich that he is a mystic. Everything that he sees is by the grace of God. Overall, this allows to author to show the idea that everything that happens in the world is by the grace of God and not magic or the will of the devil. 

Merlin's Foreshadowing

The analogy of the lake of Diana is clearly foreshadowing for future events that happen between Merlin and the Lady of the Lake. The way Faunus dies parallels the way Merlin meets his end at the end. If I had to guess who Felix represents I would say it is Lancelot since she seems taken by him as a child when she meets him in the tower where she talks to Lancelot's mother. Now, as to who the father of Faunus would parallel I can't say. It could be Arthur that eventually seeks out vengeance for Merlin's death or it could be a character not introduced in the reading. I think it's really interesting that Merlin was the one to deliver the foreshadowing to his own death, because, as the reader, it was kind of frustrating to see someone with so much foresight not see that his own story was a story of his own demise. But I guess that's the point, his heritage, his reliance on his foresight, and his human vices were all used against him... in the end he was his own weakness.

A 2-year-old lawyer....? Nah that's not weird or anything

Okay, so why did they just blow over the fact that Merlin was only 18-months-old when he started to defend his mother in court? That's just not a normal thing that happens and people are only a little bit surprised. Also they really just let a two-year-old be his own mothers lawyer, cool.

Merlin is a mad man

This song talks about being crazy. In the text Merlin goes a little coo coo for cocoa puffs and runs into the woods to live like a secluded wild animal.

So Margery Kempe and Merlin seem to be very similar

Okay, so recently we just read about Margery Kempe. I noticed quite a few similarities between her and Merlin. Somethings that one might not realize at first. First of all, Margery also went a little crazy, but it was after having her first child getting very sick and then having the tragic run in with the priest during confession and obviously her visions. During her time of insanity, she had to be chained to the bed and isolated. As I was reading this Vita Merlini, I noticed that Merlin too also seemed to go crazy after his experience in the war and also had to be restrained and coerced. Both of them seems to lose it after a traumatic event too. Merlin with the war and Margery with the traumatic birth.
The weird thing is that for Merlin, when he hears this music in the forest, he is instantly better kind of like when Jesus comes to Margery. Although the two things that come to these two people are different, it seems to give them that same feeling of ease and sanity.
Another thing that I noticed that was similar about these two was the fact that Merlin isolates himself in the forest and leaves his wife behind telling her to go ahead and find someone else to marry. In Margery's case, she doesn't leave her husband but she does stop sleeping with him and living with him and devotes herself to traveling for God.
Lastly, they are both given sorts of visions throughout their whole lives that can deeply disturb them. Merlin sees how people are going to die. While it might not explicitly say that this could have disturbed him from time to time I think we can assume it would disturb someone. And in Margery's case, she was seeing these visions of Jesus and his life and death, which at times could be a lot for her to handle hence all the crying.
Both of these people were not considered witches or wizards, but they both seemed to have powers beyond the realm of normal. I think this is an interesting thing during this time that some people would have been seen as witches and burnt at the stake for these same acts but these two are not.

Meet Merlin in the Woods

I feel like this song connects to Merlin's torment after witnessing a fierce battle - where young men are "Beating the ground and are red with blood!" - and his subsequent flee into the woods (Monmouth 1). He's overcome by the darkness of Man and was so changed that he went 'mad' and abandoned civilization. When trapped, he played a game of foresight and truth with Rhydderch to barter for his freedom to return to the forest, which is present in the song lyric, "Show me yours and I'll show you mine."

Other particularly relevant lyrics in relation to Merlin's p.o.v. are:

"I have seen what the darkness does;
say goodbye to who I was.
I ain't never been away so long,
don't look back, those days are gone."

and

"Yeah, the truth is stranger
than my own worst dreams.
Holy darkness got a hold on me."

How Much Does Merlin Really Know?

Since Merlin is a prophet, did he know that the queen was going to ask him how the boy dies while changing the boy's appearance 3 different times? Is that why Merlin spilt the boy's death into three prophecies and not tell him all at once?

That's Why They Call Me a Prophet

Before Merlin leaves to go to the woods he tries one last time to warn the boy of his threefold death that shall occur.

Merlin: (to young boy) Psssttt… come here.

Boy: What do you require of me now? The queen already made me cut my hair, change my clothes and dress up as a woman.

Merlin: I’m off to my life of wonderful solitude in the woods, but first I must tell you I was not kidding before, you must avoid high rocks, trees, and the river in your future for it shall lead to your death.

Boy: There’s no way you are correct about my death. King Rhydderech and the queen already proved you to be a fool.

Merlin: Fine, do not believe me, but I have seen your fate.

Boy: under his breath Fool

*Many years later*

Boy (now man): I think I will go hunting today… horse slips on rock and he begins to fall

Uh oh…

Merlin:

Queen of Peace

This song reminded me a lot of the conflict between Merlin and everyone who wanted him to stay in the castle and receive all of their gifts when all he really wants is to live in the woods, far away from their society. The lines in the chorus especially seem to relate to what Merlin is feeling and how he is just so overcome by his visions and everyone trying to make him stay is only driving him away more.

Oh I Got You Now!

Queen: MERLIN why would you tell my husband I was cheating on him?

Merlin: well remember that one time you told mom you found me with those playboys? … I think were even.

Queen: Not even the same, you just ruined my life.

Merlin: yeah and I was just chillin in the forest until you made me stay here. This place sucks by the way.

Queen: Dude, we pulled you outta the forest and gave you a place to stay, you're welcome.

Merlin: I don't need your help. Now I'm gonna cash in and go back to eating my forest grub all alone.

Queen: well now I gotta do something so the King doesn't kill me for "allegedly" cheating on him, and I know you didn't see anything.

Merlin: Sis I see all things nothing gets past me. I'm like the LeBron James of prophecy

Queen: who?

Merlin: Never mind, anyways off to the forest, have fun with your King sis HAHA.

Queen: Merlin your gonna look like an idiot when I'm done with you.

                      fast forward to the death of the boy.