History Course :: Merlin or Myrddin

Trimis: 17/10/2007 17:13

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Trimis: 20/10/2007 14:50

Merlin is tha latinized name of the Welsh word Myrddin. His name was changed so it would not be associated with the french word "merde" wich means excrement. Merlin and Uther went into an expedition to Ireland to procure the stonse for a "Giant Ring" which later was known as Stonehenge.
In the the work of Geoffrey of Monmouth "Vita Merlini", Merlin lived in the 6th century in Northen England. He served other kings then Arthur, like King Gwendolew of Caer-Guenoleu, where he was called by the locals Lailoken. After serving for Gwendoleu, Merlin became mad and lived for a year in the Caledonian Forest, and then he became known as Myrddin Wylt meaning: the Wild.
It is believed that yhere were two different Merlins one was Myrddin Emrys (c. 420) and the other one Myrddin Wylt (c. 58o).

Gheorghiu Radu

Trimis: 20/10/2007 15:20

Radu Gheorghiu what class are you in? And I would be happy if you also explained how, in your opinion, the legend of Merlin came into being!

Trimis: 21/10/2007 15:38

It should be understood that the known work on Merlin has nothing to do with King Arthur . He was appreantly a madman from the late 6th century,who lived most of his life in a forest.All the confusion started from GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH,who made a conection between Aurelianus Ambrosius and Merlin/Myrddin. Smile

Trimis: 21/10/2007 15:43

Nora right but why the legend then????

Trimis: 21/10/2007 16:56

wll,my opinion is that people need to explain things that are unexplicable,or maybe,Geoffrey of Monmouth heard somthings.He might hve heard some peasants talking about a great druid.We cand find a multitude of possible explanations,anyway,the legend is more known to the public than the real story,so this might give us a reason to think about the truth of Merlin.

Trimis: 21/10/2007 16:57

Well*

Trimis: 21/10/2007 17:51

Each legend has a layer based on true facts. There must have existed a person who had great influence over Uther, if the last one ever existed though. Legends are meant to attract your attention over legendar happenings, which was the reason why Geoffrey started all this. I don't think he wrote every legend just of the sake of writing, he did this to "transform" some true facts according to a certain man, Merlin or not, into something nearly exagerated. I don't think he considered the threat of becoming understandable or untrustworthy.

I don't think anyone understands the connection between the real Myrddin (because there existed one!) and Merlin. There may have existed one, not unlikely, but in this case the story gets complicated: the fact that Myrddin lived in the North and may have moved to the South, the connection between him and Uther and so on. There are yet too many legends according to Myrddin considered in different centuries (the 6th century and the 12th century), but one thing is for sure: Geoffrey was the one who changed his name from Myrddin to Merlin. Why would he change a real name just because it "doesn't sound right"?

It is possible that Geoffrey may have used the figure of Myrddin because it seemed to have been a suitable model, or maybe there was more of Merlin's existance than we know...

Trimis: 21/10/2007 20:59

exactly...good point:D.we should defenetly think in which Merlin to believe.

Trimis: 23/10/2007 19:46

When you say Merlin, everybody says that he was a wizard, druid, in Arthurian legend. In Geoffrey Monmouth's 'history', there are two versions of this druid's name: Merlin Ambrosius abd Myrrdin Wyllt. The Ambrosius Nennius is talking about says that he is the son of a Roman consul, and Geoffrey's Merlin is the son of a mortal woman.
Some say Merlin was an evil and mad person after the horrible wars, and he was living in the woods.

Trimis: 23/10/2007 19:50

Maybe there is a connection between Merlin and Myrrdin, but there are too many things and stories that say the contrairie.

Trimis: 23/10/2007 20:06

Simona Stanciu 10C