Comparing The Vita Merlini And The Sword In Stone

Throughout the centuries, the Arthurian Legends, about King Arthur and his journeys, constantly received reworks and re-imaginings. Two examples of this are The Vita Merlini, by Geoffrey of Monmouth, and Disney’s The Sword in Stone, directed by Reitherman Wolfgang. Even though these examples are based on the same original character and theme, they have numerous variations in story, plot, and characters. A character that received equal amounts of attention as Arthur when being recreated is Merlin. His role in the legends, like Arthur, has also seen many changes. The changes over time to Merlin are key examples of authors and creators changing aspects of the story to represent the values they wish to represent to their proposed audiences. Even

His abilities lend him a sense of awe that would inspire a young child, the intended audience of the movie, into imagining themselves as being a wizard. This small change in his powers allows Disney to create an image that children can grasp. Likewise, Merlin’s character gets toned down from his dark and ominous side to a more approachable figure that would seem welcoming to a young Arthur and those watching the movie. An example of his simplification is the lack of a strong background story that normally surrounds Merlin. This may be due to the limited run time allotted for a film and the fact that Merlin is not as much of a main character as Arthur is in this version. It is evident that Merlin is not as important as Arthur in Disney’s rendition because of the lack of development in comparison to the development Arthur receives throughout the story. Another example of his simplification is his attire. Normally, in the texts that date to an earlier period, like The Vita Merlini, Merlin wears robes, like those a cleric would wear. However, he loses these robes and wears the most basic robe possible; a plain blue robe and hat. The change in his attire demonstrates the simplification of Merlin's character the creators chose to portray. Although in this version Merlin is portrayed as being pure and good, in most other versions like The Vita Merlini, he has more rugged character traits. Wolfgang’s

Even though he struggles with his sanity in this version, Merlin is still a highly respected person, and many people come to visit him and ask him for advice. In The Vita Merlini, Merlin is a bridge between the Norse gods and Christianity. He represents both of these religions with his character and what he wears. Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Merlin is the literal dichotomy of old pagan religions and Christianity. Unlike the version represented by Disney, this version of Merlin is well developed, darker, and more relevant in the story. In The Vita Merlini, Merlin’s story starts sooner than the version in The Sword in Stone; adding weight and importance to Merlin as he begins to represent the bridge between the two religions. His more Norse aspects, like his use of magic and prophetic abilities, often lead him into situations of regret and trouble. Merlin is also well known throughout the land and many people would, “come to see Merlin the prophet, to find out what wind or rain storm was coming” (Geoffrey). These more pagan aspects are countered by his more Christian traits, like his use of knowledge and ethics. The balance between Merlin’s Norse and Christian traits can be compared to the balance of his benevolent and malevolent actions. One example of this balance is Arthur. Merlin early on in the story helps lead Arthur’s father into having an affair