The True History of Merlin the Magician by Anne Lawrence-Mathers (review)

The mythical Merlin has been a feature of Arthurian literature for many centuries. In The True History of Merlin the Magician, Anne Lawrence-Mathers reflects on Merlin's history as an historical figure. Any Internet or popular history bookshelf search for King Arthur and his associates leads to an abundance of web sites and books claiming the discovery of the real identities of fictional Arthurian characters, usually based upon rather unconvincing evidence. Despite the implication of its title, this volume is not yet another popular history book claiming a legendary figure was a real person. Rather, Lawrence-Mathers considers the image of Merlin as seen by twelfth-century scholars. She also explores the meaning of Merlin's magic, suggesting the magician held an important role in linking the ancient pagan religions with Christian beliefs.

Lawrence-Mathers has consulted a wide range of medieval texts, both manuscripts and printed material, for her research, and the volume commences with a discussion of these sources. Naturally, this concentrates on Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia regum Brittaniae, in which Merlin is first described as an historical person. While the Historia was essentially a combination of fact and fiction, with events from reputable chronicles interspersed with fictional accounts and exaggerations, to the people of the Middle Ages it was real. As Lawrence-Mathers explains, this led to further medieval works, such as the thirteenth-century volume, Speculum Historiale (Mirror of History), in which Merlin was confirmed as an historical personality.

Of particular interest is the frequent discussion of the link between Merlin and the supernatural. Lawrence-Mathers shows that somehow, medieval texts transformed Merlin the magician - often portrayed as half-demon - into a legitimate prophet, accepted by the Church, not only in Britain but also in Europe, creating an interesting contradiction. Furthermore, the book describes Merlin as a link between the old and the new, essentially creating a bond between the Celtic pagan and medieval Christian worlds. Also interesting is Merlin's impact on the political landscape: Lawrence-Mathers demonstrates that Merlin provided guidance and insight, with medieval texts linking his prophecies to the politics of the day. It was not until the eighteenth century that Merlin became fictional, and the reasons behind this are discussed throughout the book.

Not surprisingly, while Lawrence-Mathers goes to great lengths to stress that the fictional Merlin of myth, rather than history, is the subject of other books and not a focus of her own, she still acknowledges his legendary status. The book includes a chapter dedicated to Merlin's place in Arthurian romance, which might seem to contradict her aims. However, this is only a small part of the book, and it could be argued that in order to balance the idea of Merlin as an historical figure, there must also be adequate discussion of the mythological figure.

TheTrue History of Merlin the Magician leaves the reader with the impression that Merlin was just as important a figure as King Arthur or his knights. When I started reading, I was sceptical that Lawrence-Mathers would be truly successful in demonstrating the contemporary belief that Merlin was an historical figure without diverting into the realm of pseudo-history. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and ultimately the book succeeds in meeting its difficult aims. Written to a very high academic standard, The True History of Merlin the Magician may not be easily accessible to the general reader; it is recommended for readers with strong academic interests in Merlin, Arthur, or medieval texts and their history.