The True History of Merlin the Magician
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- Synopsis
- A medieval historian examines what we really know about the man who was &“Merlin the Magician&” and his impact on Britain. Merlin has remained an enthralling and curious individual since he was first introduced in the twelfth century in Geoffrey of Monmouth&’s Historia Regum Britanniae. But although the Merlin of literature and Arthurian myth is well known, his &“historical&” figure and his relation to medieval magic are less familiar. In this book Anne Lawrence-Mathers explores just who he was and what he has meant to Britain.The historical Merlin was no rough magician: he was a learned figure from the cutting edge of medieval science and adept in astrology, cosmology, prophecy, and natural magic, as well as being a seer and a proto-alchemist. His powers were convincingly real—and useful, for they helped to add credibility to the &“long-lost&” history of Britain which first revealed them to a European public. Merlin&’s prophecies reassuringly foretold Britain&’s path, establishing an ancient ancestral line and linking biblical prophecy with more recent times. Merlin helped to put British history into world history.Lawrence-Mathers also explores the meaning of Merlin&’s magic across the centuries, arguing that he embodied ancient Christian and pagan magical traditions, recreated for a medieval court and shaped to fit a new moral framework. Linking Merlin&’s reality and power with the culture of the Middle Ages, this remarkable book reveals the true impact of the most famous magician of all time.&“The story of how the image of Merlin as political prophet, magician and half-demon evolved in the Middle Ages is as fascinating as any romance.&”—Euan Cameron
- Copyright:
- 2012
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Publisher Quality
- Book Size:
- 336 Pages
- ISBN-13:
- 9780300189292
- Related ISBNs:
- 9780300144895
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- Date of Addition:
- 01/17/25
- Copyrighted By:
- Anne Lawrence-Mathers
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- History, Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs
- Submitted By:
- Bookshare Staff
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.