Medeival Musings: Merlin's Magic

I probably got something a little different out of the Prose Merlin then anyone else in class. Primarily because I have read it before, so it was not so much me seeing a new side to Merlin as it was revisiting some of the crazier shenanigans that I had forgotten about. Not so much like a behind the scenes exclusive as it was just re-watching a movie I had not seen in a while.

 

Seriously? How could I have forgotten that Merlin built Stonehenge?

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However, I think that this story helps to back up a point that I made before. For much of the Middle Ages magic was not that big of a thing, it was more important how one used it. We have seen this with court astrologers and other supposed magic users who entertained and provided council to the nobles of western Europe. Likewise, Merlin was not condemned for his prophesies, or other magical actions in this story. The only challenge Merlin regularly experiences in this story is not people condemning his magic, but accusing him of being a fraud.

 

"I don't believe you, miraculous talking baby! How could you possibly have magical powers, and thus know the village priest is my father?"

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Furthermore, no one even tries to persecute Merlin for being fathered by a demon. As we have seen in many later texts, like the Malleus Maleficarum (I'm sorry I keep bringing it up, but gosh darn it, I read about 100 pages of that book and I am going to use it!) there was concern that witches would allow demons to sire children, that the witchs would then use to offer to Satan as sacrifices or future servants. Yet even this, being sired by demons, was not enough to label Merlin as a servant of evil, because God had intervened, thus giving Merlin the ability to choose his fate and thus free will. The only person who actually seemed to scorn Merlin for his demon lineage was Niviane, and I really think that had more to do with the fact that Merlin (an old man) was hitting on Niviane (a 15 year old girl) (page 362).

 

Just saying, that when you're a 15 year old girl you're probably not going to be very keen to get that kind of attention from this guy.

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So, again, I think this text is a good example that in the earlier Medieval period (as in pre-1350s or so) magic itself did not come with the cultural scorn that it would later acquire. In this earlier time, it was to what end one used magic that was important.

 

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