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Idk if you can be interested in a thread about Morgana Pendragon, but I'm doing it anyway. I've always been fascinated by Morgana & saw different versions of her, but I totally dislike the fact that most of the time she's the villain of the story. Let's talk about her.
Morgana's first appearence is in Vita Merlini, written by Geoffrey of Monmouth, 1150. The spelling of the name is Morgen, (the Sea-Born). She's the the chief of the nine magical queen sisters who dwell on the Isle of the Apple Trees (Avalon). She uses her powers only to do good
According to a theory, Geoffrey was not the original inventor of Morgan's character. She had existed in hypothetical unrecorded stories of her as Arthur's fairy saviour, or even also his fairy godmother, with supernatural abilities. We don't know for sure. She was good, anyway.
In 'Jaufre', an Arthurian romance dated c. 1180, Morgana appears as Fairy of Gibel, ruler of an underground kingdom who takes the knight Jaufre (Griflet) through a fountain to give him her magic ring of protection. She's still good.
In the romance poem Lanzelet, written by Ulrich von Zatzikhoven, a young Lancelot is spirited away by a water fairy (merfeine in Old High German) and raised in her paradise island, the Land of Maidens. We don't know if this is inspired by Morgana or not. Probably. Not evil anyway
Later, the poet Chrétien de Troyes wrote Erec and Enide, where Morgana is in love with the Lord of the Isle of Avalon, nephew of King Arthur. Morgana is represented in a benign role, even though Chrétien introduce an enmity between her and Queen Guinevere.
In the romance 'Yvain, the Knight of the Lion', Chrétien refers to Morgana as a great healer.
Then in Arthurian tale Geraint son of Erbin, based on Chrétien's works maybe, there is Morgan Tud, Arthur's chief physician. It is believed to be a male but he may derived from Morgana
Then in Arthurian tale Geraint son of Erbin, based on Chrétien's works maybe, there is Morgan Tud, Arthur's chief physician. It is believed to be a male but he may derived from Morgana
The first glimpse of an evil Morgana, mistress of dark magic and healing arts, is found in a version of Erec written by German knight and poet Hartmann von Aue, 12th century, but with a Christian bias. She lives in defiance of God" and had the devil as a trusted companion
Morgana is mentioned as good in other works of the 12th century, but her role was expanded by the unknown authors (members of the Cistercian religious order, maybe) of the 13th-century French romances, Lancelot-Grail (the Vulgate Cycle) and in the sequel (the Post-Vulgate Cycle)
These people made Morgana much more aggressive and sinister. She became a a chaotic counter-heroine in many texts. She begins as Arthur's ally, and a rival of his wife Gwen, but then she became an ambitious villain. The medieval archetype of the loathly lady is used frequently
A new version of a good Morgana is found in Robert de Boron's poem Merlin, where she's Igraine & Gorlois daughter, she has 2 sisters, Elaine & Morgause, the latter of whom is mentioned as Mordred's mother. When Uther kills Gorlois & rapes Igraine, Morgana is sent to a convent
In the same poem, after being through a lot because of Uther and Guinevere, Morgana became dark.
In the Vulgate Lancelot, Morgan learns all her magic only from Merlin, begins scheming her vengeance as she tries to achieve Guinevere's downfall whenever she can.
In the Vulgate Lancelot, Morgan learns all her magic only from Merlin, begins scheming her vengeance as she tries to achieve Guinevere's downfall whenever she can.
In the works of the Post-Vulgate, Morgana is often evil, she works to destroy Arthur, but we don't know why she hates him, maybe because he is too perfect, but it is not explained. Morgan uses her skills against various of Arthur's Knights of the Round Table, especially Lancelot
In the Vulgate La Mort le Roi Artu, Morgana ceases to cause troubles to Arthur and vanishes. When they meet again, they reconcile. She is among the black-hooded ladies (sometimes the leading lady) who take the dying Arthur to his final rest and possible revival in Avalon
What happened with the english writer Thomas Malory? He reduced her in role and detail of characterisation, she made her more inherently evil while Merlin is more good. He diminishes the conflict with Gwen, but does not clarify why Morgan is against Arthur. F*ck you, Malory
In the romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (14th century), it is revealed that the entire Green Knight plot has been instigated by Gawain's aunt, Morgan le Fay, an ambiguous trickster who appears as an old woman. We don't know if her plan was successful or not.
Morgan further turns up throughout the Western European literature of the High and Late Middle Ages in a variety of roles. She's sometimes good, lover or helper of some heroes, they introduce alternate siblings and connected her to the Lady of the Lake, Viviane.
Morgan appears again several times in the 16th century. A good Morgana is represented in Erasmo di Valvasone's Italian didactic poem La caccia (1591 - the Hunt). Then in Edmund Spenser's English epic poem The Faerie Queene, Argante (Morgana) is represented as a lustful giantess
Let's jump to the modern era. Contemporary interpretations of the Arthurian myth sometimes assign to Morgana the role of seducing Arthur (her brother) & giving birth to Mordred, the terrible knight who kills King Arthur, even though traditionally his mother is Morgause
In the novel The Mists of Avalon, by MZ Bradley, she's good, Vivianne is her aunt and mentor. She's Arthur's lover, but that was part of a ritual and Morgana didn't know the man was his brother until the morning after. She's sometimes harsh, made mistakes, but not evil.
In the tv shows, she's often evil or begins as good but then becomes dark.
In Merlin (1998) she's played by Helena Bonham Carter. She's not fully evil, but not even good & the portrayal is closer based on Morgause than Morgan.
In Justice League Unlimited (2004) she's evil
In Merlin (1998) she's played by Helena Bonham Carter. She's not fully evil, but not even good & the portrayal is closer based on Morgause than Morgan.
In Justice League Unlimited (2004) she's evil
In the tv show Merlin (2008) Morgana (Katie McGrath) begins as good, ally of both Merlin & Arthur. But she is manipulated by several figures from the very beginning, including the so called 'good' characters. His father, Uther, is a terrible man, who is against magic.
Katie's portrayal is the most popular, but there are many appeareces, usually as an evil character. In Batman: The Brave & the Bold, she appears in the ep "Day of the Dark Knight", petrifies Arthur & force Merlin to pull Batman & Green Arrow into the past to combat her.
In 'Camelot' (2011) she's played by Eva Green & functions as the main antagonist. She is a beautiful & ambitious daughter of Uther Pendragon, who dabbles in witchcraft and sees herself as the rightful heir to her father's throne.
A good portrayal of Morgana is represented in a Japanese anime television series animated by Artland and TNK, 'Seven Mortal Sins' (2017). She's Camelot's red fairy.
She's evil again in Runaways, where she's played by Elizabeth Hurtley and good (for now I think) in Cursed
She's evil again in Runaways, where she's played by Elizabeth Hurtley and good (for now I think) in Cursed
In the tv show Cursed she's played by a woc & she's canonically LGBT, which is great, let's hope she's not gonna die or becoming the main villain.
But the point is: why not create a complex character without making her evil? She's not evil traditionally. Morgause & Mordred are
But the point is: why not create a complex character without making her evil? She's not evil traditionally. Morgause & Mordred are
The most interesting thing is the duality of her personality. She has potential for both good and evil. You can play on this duality to give us an incredible character, who is good but can also be harsh or maybe tempted by darkness but not always the main antagonist.
