Arthurian expert, John Matthews examines the many guises of Merlin - as seer, prophet, magician, and as an inspirer of people from all walks of life. Here we see the possible historic orgins of Merlin, as Celtic King, the later literary forms of his growing legend in the myths of King Arthur, and his more recent manifestations in visionary works, as the prototype of characters such as Obi Wan Kanobi in the Star Wars films, in TV, and fantasy writing. Drawing on a wealth of works of art drawn from Celtic, Medieval, Renaissance times through to the modern era, as well as specially commissioned illustrations, this will be the first fully illustrated book on Merlin, the man.

Table of Contents:
Chapter one: Merlin the shaman 08; The oldest records of Merlin, in the earliest poetry attributed to the figure of Myrllyn Wyllt, Merlin is depicted as a shamanic wildman who lives in the forest. This chapter examine those early stories and looks at what influence they have had on the legend of Merlin. Chapter two: Merlin the prophet 22; Merlin first appears, in an easily recognizable form, in the writings of the 12th century pseudo-historian Geoffrey of Monmouth. Merlin plays a considerable role in Geoffrey's History of the Kings of Britain. He paints a dramatic picture of Merlin as a wise child who grows up to become the chief councillor to King Arthur. Merlin's prophecies continue to show their relevance to this day. Chapter three: Merlin the magician 94; The most famous and familiar image of Merlin is as a magician. This guise was a Medieval one and have made him a household name. In this guise he is recognizable also in the powerful figure of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings. Chapter four: Merlin the lover 114; Although almost always depicted as an old man with a full white beard, Merlin adopted this guise to appear wiser, he was in fact a man in his prime. The story of Merlin and Nimue has been distorted over the centuries to show an older man bewitched by a very young girl who then imprisons him through his own power. This story looks at the genesis of this story and the truth behind it. Chapter five: Merlin the sage 134; It is one of the great tragedies of the Arthurian tradition that despite his wisdom and prophetic skills. Merlin is unable to save Arthur from the darker side of his destiny, the love affair between Guinevere and Lancelot and the hatred and jealousy of his illegitimate son, Mordred. Chapter six: Merlin today 152; The magical traditions of Merlin is kept alive by its many manifestations in contemporary literature and film. Countless stories appear every year depicting Merlin in a variety of guises, setting him in the distant past of Atlantis, or the future world of science fiction. Appendix one: Merlin's timeline 162; Appendix two: The poems of Myrddin Wyllt; Further reading; Index 172; Acknowledgments 176