Morgana Pendragon is the main antagonist of the BBC television series Merlin. The prototype of the villainess was the Morgan fairy from the legends about this character, so beloved by the fans of the series, we will talk in this article.

The series "Merlin"

The series aired from 2008 to 2012, during this time 5 seasons were shown. At the center of the narrative is the kingdom of Camelot, which is plunged into chaos. King Uther, who came to power, banned witchcraft, killed all dragons and expelled the wizards. 20 years later, a young Merlin arrives in the capital, who has Gradually he finds out that he must help Prince Arthur, who will become king of Camelot, unite the warring kingdoms.

Morgan Pendragon, whose photo can be found in this article, is Arthur's sister. But, unlike him, she is driven only by lust for power and anger. In addition, she hates her father Uther.

Morgana Pendragon: actress

The role of Morgana in the series was played by a model and an actress.Initially, the girl did not even think about a career in cinema, intending to become a journalist. But she quickly lost interest in this kind of activity and got a job as a costume designer on the set of the TV series "The Tudors". From that moment on, it began new life and acting career. The actress made her debut in the film Damage. To date, her most famous work is the role of Morgana.

Morgana in legends

In the epic, she is called a fairy because she possessed dark magic. In the Middle Ages, fairies were perceived as creatures of evil. In early sources, Morgana appears as a sorceress, friend and sister of Arthur. She is later portrayed as the first child of Gorlois and Ygraine. Arthur, born of Ygraine's second marriage to Uther, is her half-brother. In the film, she appears as Uther's daughter.

It is believed that the parents of the traitor and murderer Arthur Mordred are Arthur himself and Morgana Pendragon. Merlin, her eternal adversary, the fairy tried more than once to destroy, but did not succeed in this. Each time the wizard managed to unravel her evil intrigues.

Character

Morgana is a vindictive, ruthless, calculating and cold girl. Having gone over to the side of evil and betraying family and friends, she was ready to do anything to get the throne. Anyone who gets in her way, she will destroy without hesitation. Morgana Pendragon herself is very withdrawn, secretive and sullen. In this she resembles her father Uther and is completely different from her brother Arthur.

Nevertheless, she herself hates her father and becomes furious when they begin to be compared. Morgana blames Uther for all her misfortunes. In addition, she is very vindictive, but usually she fails to carry out the planned atrocity to the end. This is her withdrawal from herself, and she rips off evil on the servants.

Despite her feigned indifference, Morgana is not insensitive, but tries to hide her true state of mind.

Biography

At the very beginning of the series, Morgana Pendragon belonged to the kind characters. She was an energetic, resourceful and compassionate girl. Many considered her attractive and sweet. Merlin was even in love with her. The future evil sorceress was very active, independent and brave. She openly opposed her father's decision to ban magic. Morgana has always opposed Uther's policy of persecuting and exterminating mages, believing they did not deserve it. She also has the courage that allows her to fight and protect the weak. But the most striking features of her character are stubbornness and perseverance.

Morgana has always been considered at court, though cruel, but a fairly fair person. However, at heart, the girl was lonely, which caused fear and depression in her. She was afraid that if her father became aware of her witchcraft abilities, he would execute her daughter without hesitation. Morgana cannot find support and help from friends. And then she finds her family among Mordred, Morgause and Alvarr.

After Merlin has poisoned her, Morgana goes to Morgause for help. The treatment lasts a year. When it ends, Morgana appears as a completely different person - cruel, insidious and vengeful. She wants to seize power, and the life of Uther and people like him to turn into torment.

At first, Morgana was convinced that Arthur could become a more worthy ruler than her father. However, gradually it begins to seem to her that none of the Pendragons is worthy to reign. Then an open confrontation begins. Morgana joins the struggle of Morgause, and when she dies, takes her place and alone tries to destroy Arthur.

Morgana always hated the tyrannical rule of her father, but when she herself was on the throne of Camelot, she established an equally cruel and terrible order, not even realizing how similar she was at that moment with Uther. Trying to subjugate the inhabitants of the country, she arranges demonstrative executions of the innocent and demonstratively burns the harvest, dooming people to starvation.

Morgana takes pleasure in torturing other people. So, she tortures her father, Gawain and Elian.

True essence

Morgana Pendragon, despite such negative traits as vindictiveness, arrogance and ruthlessness, remains an intelligent, strong, determined and indomitable adversary. Her evil disposition is only a protective shell behind which she hides from the world the kindness and compassion of her soul. Her true nature is revealed when she loses people close to her, for example, Agravaina and Morgause.

The bright side of Morgana's personality is revealed the moment she is released from prison. She spent the entire time of her imprisonment next to the last dragon, Aitusa. This softened her temper, made her softer. Morgana became very attached to the dragon, which manifested itself in compassion and tenderness.

She is condescending not only to friends, but also to enemies. So, when Finna committed suicide, Morgana ordered to give her body to the fire.

She always considered her only friend Mordred, to whom she showed care, affection and even motherly love. Morgana even forgives his betrayal after he returns from Arthur and reveals the secret that Merlin and Emrys are one and the same person. The death of Mordrel is a serious blow to her. She falls into grief and vows at all costs to avenge his death. Nevertheless, it was this event that finally turned her against Arthur and rooted the desire to destroy her brother at all costs.

Capabilities

Morgana is able to change her appearance, inspire others with her thoughts, recognize the thoughts of others, foresee the future, control the weather, revive the dead, cause earthquakes, control fire, frost, water, air and light. She is practically immortal. Only Excalibur can hurt her.

In addition, she is excellent with a sword, has a high intelligence and charisma.

Morgana Pendragon: quotes

Here are some of the most popular quotes of the heroine:

• "Sometimes you have to do what you think is right without giving a damn about the consequences."
• "Men who consider themselves to be the stronger sex are in fact slaves to their passions."
• "Ambition for the sake of ambition is useless."
• "A wounded deer jumps higher and fights more desperately."

The negative characters of the series are sometimes more popular with viewers than the positive ones. Morgana Pendragon, Ramsey Bolton and many others can be excellent proof of this.

Morgana

One of the few characters present in all texts about Arthur, including the most ancient, Morgana remains the most unexplored and controversial hero. Arthur's half-sister, she sometimes helps her brother, sometimes turns out to be his most terrible enemy, Morgana leads the true knights astray, with witchcraft makes the king fall in love with his own sister and conceive Mordred, helps Mordred in the fight against his father. But, nevertheless, she finds herself among the nine great witches accompanying Arthur to Avalon.

Researchers are inclined to believe that, born to the pagan tradition in earlier texts, Morgana was not the mortal sister of the mortal king, but the goddess, half-sister of the demigod Arthur, who was called to preserve the ancient pagan traditions. But from the very beginning, Arthur rushes between Christianity and paganism and, depending on this, his relationship with his sister changes.

The nine witches who take Arthur to Avalon then turn out to be nine pagan goddesses, and Avalon is a pagan paradise, where, contrary to Christian tradition, Arthur is still alive and is waiting for the world to need his strength again.

John Roddam Spencer-Stanhope, Morgan le Fay

Morgan le Fay

Morgan le Fay, in Celtic mythology, a sorceress and sorceress, half-sister of King Arthur, his nemesis.

One of the myths tells how the sorceress persuaded the knight of Tristram to accept from her a magnificent golden shield, decorated with a strange pattern - the knight Lancelot, who captures the royal couple, Arthur and Guinevere. When Tristram came to the court of the king and took part in knightly tournament, then during the duel with Arthur, the king's spear split against his enchanted shield.

There is a story about how Morgana kidnapped Excalibur, Arthur's wonderful sword, gave it to her beloved Accolon, giving the king a copy, a fake. However, Morgana, combining black magic with the art of healing, plotted Arthur only during her lifetime, but after her death she took him to Avallon, where she became his guardian.
The image of the sorceress Morgana le Fay from Celtic legends was later transformed into the image of the sorceress Fata Morgana. Fata Morgana, in the imagination of the European Middle Ages, a sorceress, mistress of the Blessed Islands - "Islands of Apples"; her name is associated with the name Fata Morgana (that is, Morgana Castle), which sailors gave to mirages.

... and wept bitterly. They took Arthur's ladies into the boat, and the king put his head on his knees to Fairy Morgana. And his sister took him to the wonderful island of Avalon. There, among the wonderful apple trees, where the golden fruits of oblivion grew, Arthur is healed from his wounds ...

Fairy Morgana

- a sorceress, a character in the English legends of the Arthurian cycle. In honor of her, the optical phenomenon of fata morgana got its name. Her main gift is healing.

Her image is often combined with the image of her sister - Morgause, who has never been a sorceress, but gave birth in incest from her brother Arthur to his future destroyer Mordred.

In literature
In the early works, Morgan is shown simply as a sorceress, Arthur's physician (Galfried of Monmouth, Chrétien de Troyes). In late medieval literature, her role increases, and she becomes a blood relative of Arthur: in Thomas Malory's Death of Arthur, she is already his older half-sister.

In the conflict that arose after the discovery of Ginevra's betrayal, Morgana sided with Mordred against Arthur.

Mentioned as one of the sorceresses who carry Arthur to Avalon after losing the battle and being mortally wounded.

Morgan le Fay, Anthony Sandis, 1864

Fata Morgana by George Watts, 1865

Name spelling options
Morgan Le Fay (English), Morgan La Fay, Morganna, Morgaine, Modron, Fata Morgana (Italian).

A family
parents (according to Mallory):
father - Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall
mother - his wife Igrayna (in the future - the wife of Uther Pendragon)
brothers and sisters:
Elaine, mother of one of the Knights of the Round Table (Galeshin).
Morgause, mother of Mordred and Gawain.
King Arthur (single, due to mother's extramarital affairs)
spouse (appears in The Vulgate Cycle (1215-1235):
Urien of Gore, King
a son:
Owain (Ywain), Knight of the Round Table
daughters (by Torquato Tasso):
Morganetta
Nivetta
Carvilia

Other plots
In one version, Morgana was sent to a convent to become a nun after her widowed mother's marriage to Uther Pendragon, but she secretly learned magic instead.

In The Vulgate Cycle of Arthurian Legends, it is said that Morgana served as a maid of honor to Queen Ginevra and had an affair with the king's nephew, Giomar. When Ginevra put an end to this affair, Morgana, in revenge, betrayed Arthur's connection between the queen and Lancelot.

She was in love with Lancelot, but he rejected her passion, despite the fact that she captured him several times. Gave the unsuspecting Sir Tristan a shield on which the king, queen and Lancelot were depicted; the shield was supposed to serve as a hint to everyone attending the tournament. Arthur ignored his sister's hint.

At Malorie's, Morgan persuades her lover Sir Accolon to steal both Excalibur and the British throne. King Arthur meets him in a duel, without a magic sword, but still defeats him with the help of the Lady of the Lake. Realizing that her plan failed, she steals the sword sheath (which had the magical ability to heal wounds), and Arthur suffers from blood loss.

The Death of Arthur by James Archer.

Magical abilities
Chrétien de Trois speaks of Morgan as having great healing abilities. In addition, she possesses the werewolf skill (hence the Fata Morgana) and can fly.

Subsequently, Merlin teaches Morgana and further increases her powers.

Many of Morgana's abilities are believed to have been watered down or eliminated by Christian literary tradition. She probably wielded more power in previous versions. However, references to her living on and running Avalon, a magical island, have not disappeared. She takes Arthur's body to Avalon so that he wakes up at a critical moment for England, along with two mysterious queens - the Queen of North Wales and the Queen of the Desolate Lands (The Queen of Northgales and the Queen of Wasteland). Option - there were 4 of them, one more - the Lady of the Lake.

Morgana was probably originally a pagan Celtic goddess. (Roman sources mention a Celtic mother goddess named Modron, and there was also an Irish goddess Morrigan.) In addition, it is possible that her image was taken from the water nymph of the Breton legends of the same name (12th century).

In 1982, the International Astronomical Union named the crater on Saturn's moon Mimas Morgana.

Henry Fuseli. Prince Arthur and the Fairy Queen. OK. 1788 g

Books
First mentioned in the work of Galfrid of Monmouth "Vita Merlini" c. 1150.
The image is significantly elaborated in Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory.
Mentioned in Harry Potter. Depicted on collectible cards.
In cinema
In the cartoon "School of Fairies" the Queen of the Earth Fairies is called Morgana.
She is played by Helena Bonham Carter in The Great Merlin.
In The Mists of Avalon (based on the novel by MZ Bradley), she is played by Julianne Margulis (best known for her role as Nurse Carol Hattway in Ambulance).
In the movie "Excalibur" she is played by Helen Mirren. The image is combined with the image of Morgause and Nimway.
Morgana is an Ascended Ancient in Stargate.
In the TV series "Merlin", Morgan is played by Katie McGrath.

- "Morgan Fairy", painting by EF Sandis, 1864, Birmingham Art Gallery "Death of Arthur", E.Bern Jones. One of the maidens is the fairy Morgan The fairy Morgan is a sorceress, a character in the English legends of the Arthurian cycle. It got its name in honor of her ... ... Wikipedia

Fairy- This term has other meanings, see Fairy (meanings). Take the ... Wikipedia

Fairy (disambiguation)- Fairy: Fairy fabulous creature "Fairy" Soviet and Russian musical group of the 1980s "Fairy" children's magazine for girls Fairies (cartoon) See also Morgan's Fairy Fairy of the Emerald City ... Wikipedia

Morgana- a fairy in the medieval narratives of the Arthurian cycle. First appears with Galfried of Monmouth in The Life of Merlin. In oral form, legends about M. were common in Brittany, where miraculous sea maidens were called Morgan ... The medieval world in terms, names and titles

FATA MORGANA- (Italian fata fairy, and morgana proper name). The Italian name for a mirage. See this word. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov AN, 1910. FATA OF MORGAN see MIRAGE. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Fata Morgana- on the Norwegian coast of Fata Morgana Fata Morgana (Italian fata Morgana fairy Morgana, according to legend, living on the seabed and deceiving travelers with ghostly visions) is a rare complex optical phenomenon in the atmosphere, consisting of ... Wikipedia

FATA MORGANA- FATA MORGANA, veils of morgana (veils of morgana are outdated), pl. no, wives. (book). The same as a mirage. (From Italian fata Morgana, the Morgan fairy of Breton legends, who lives on the seabed and deceives travelers with ghostly visions.) Explanatory dictionary… … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

Fata Morgana- (or the Fairy Morgana) in the Breton legend, the half-sister of King Arthur, the rejected beloved of Lancelot, a sorceress who lives at the bottom of the sea in a crystal palace and deceives seafarers with ghostly visions. Literary encyclopedia. V… … Literary encyclopedia

Fata Morgana- ((fata morgue () a () on)) s; f. [ital. fata morgana literally Morgan's fairy] 1. A kind of mirage, in which images of objects lying beyond the horizon appear on the horizon, usually strongly distorted and rapidly changing. 2. In Breton ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Fata Morgana- (Italian fata Morgana fairy Morgana, according to legend, living on the seabed and deceiving travelers with ghostly visions) a rare complex optical phenomenon ... Wikipedia

Books

• There are miracles ..., A team of authors. The book of great traditions and legends. They are poetic and wise, beautiful and rich. Like ships, legends roam the waves of time and carry precious cargo to future generations - they teach them to believe ... Buy for 460 rubles eBook
• Great legends of Europe. From Solomon to Conchita, Vladimir Leonov. A book about great traditions and legends. They are poetic and wise, beautiful and rich. Like ships, legends travel the waves of time and carry precious cargo to future generations. Learn…

If the first part of the cult game had John Marston as the main character, then in Red Dead Redemption 2 Arthur Morgan will become the antagonist. The old hero will still appear on the screen as one of the key members of the gang. But the new character will become right hand Dutch - the founder of the greatest criminal gang.

Who is Arthur Morgan?

Arthur Morgan is not blessed with scary scars or colorful outfits. He can easily get lost in the crowd, and it is not easy to find him among the rest of the gang. But despite all this, it is impossible to call it simple or "nondescript". A strong and strong-willed personality will appear in front of the computer screens, able to make difficult decisions and not getting lost in difficult situations.

In the gang, Arthur Morgan is not an ordinary six, carrying out small assignments of the leader of the group. He is considered the right-hand man of Van Der Linde, managing criminals in his absence. In the camp, the character does not just walk around the neighborhood, but is engaged in many "master's" affairs.

In addition to the competent and honest distribution of duties, the character acts as an arbiter. If an incomprehensible and controversial situation arises in the team, people go to him, asking him to resolve the brewing conflict or give some useful advice.

But Arthur Morgan can do more than just talk, doing purely practical psychology. He is able to lift a heavy deer carcass with one hand. He knows how to hunt and fish, provides the camp with food and fresh skins. He holds up well in the saddle, is not afraid of difficult cases, including difficult bank robberies.

Character character

Arthur Morgan, first of all, is not a member of a gang, but a real leader. He is smart and domineering, but at the same time he never makes unweighted decisions. Before taking any step, he thinks whether this will affect the well-being of the entire group. The hero knows how to take responsibility for his actions, since he has long been carrying a heavy burden.

He believes that there should be no internal conflicts and contradictions in the gang. His priority is transparent and honest relationships. Therefore, Arthur Morgan deals with the resolution of all conflicts. During one of the first assignments, the character had a conflict with Bill Williamson.

Instead of giving each other a mass mutual claims, he calmly listened to the words of the offended gang member and gave him some advice. The hero is ready to help not only in word, but also in deed.

Hero biography

We do not yet know anything about where and how Arthur appeared in the gang. It is only known that Arthur got into the team back in early childhood... Most likely, he, like John, is an orphan who has found a criminal shelter.

He got used to these people and the Dutchman's gang became his family. He is devoted to them and is even ready to give his life for their ideals. However, over time, a number of unpleasant events will occur that will force him to reconsider his opinion.

Will Arthur keep his faith? Will he be able to stay with the group regardless of the circumstances? We will find out immediately after the release of the cult game!

Nine sisters in that land rule the wise according to the laws,
By ruling over those who come to them from our lands.
The eldest of the nine is the wiser in the art of healing.
And the beauty of his sisters is far superior;
Morgan's name to her ...

Lady Morgana is one of the most interesting and controversial characters in the Arthurian legends. Fairy Morgana is both the great healer and savior of Arthur, and the strongest witch and the curse of Camelot. This is both Arthur's sister and the mother of his killer. This is both the Lady of Avalon and the Lady of the Lake. A natural phenomenon was named in her honor - Fata Morgana, a rare and complex natural optical illusion. Her image has undergone so many changes over time that even if the real Morgan Fairy once walked this land, we will never know the truth about her. Morgana Pendragon is just another reading of the image of this great sorceress or witch. One thing is certain: Lady Morgana has definitely become one of the prototypes of the modern witch, so beautiful and so dangerous.

Comparison: Legendary Fairy Morgana and Morgana Pendragon

The prototype for Morgana Pendragon from the BBC TV series "Merlin" is Morgana le Fay or Fay Morgana, the sorceress from the legends about King Arthur. The Morgana Fairy was originally a sorceress and a great healer, but in later versions of the legends she became Arthur's main enemy. The series "Merlin" shows both sides of the legendary fairy: first Morgana Pendragon - a noble and generous lady of Camelot, but discovering the magic in herself, she goes to the dark side in the camp "against Pendragon".
Morgan's name can fully justify her calling as a great sorceress and an evil witch. This name may have come from the Old Welsh Morcant, which means the name of the water deity (sea (mor) + circle (cant)). However, if we translate the name Morrighan from ancient Gaelic, then Morgana turns out to be the "Great Queen", named after the Celtic goddess of war and death.
The Morgana Fairy is usually the child of Igraine and Gorlois (King of Cornwall), making her Arthur's maternal sister. In some legends, she is Arthur's sister. Morgana Pendragon is the daughter of Uther and Vivien, making her Arthur's paternal sister. Although at first Morgana did not know about this, believing that she was only a pupil of Uther.
In the TV series Merlin, Vivienne is the mother of Morgause and Morgana, the former court lady of Queen Igraine, wife of Gorlois, and the possessor of magical powers. Vivienne had a brief affair with Uther, which resulted in Morgana being born. She made Gorlois believe Morgan was his daughter. Nothing is known about Vivien's fate. It is possible that Vivien is still alive and will come to the aid of her daughter. In various legends, Vivien is rarely associated with the Morgan Fairy. Vivien (or Nimway) is one of the names of the Lady of the Lake or her maidens. It is she who gives Arthur Excalibur, kidnaps baby Lancelot, imprisons Merlin in a tree / under a tombstone, and is one of the maidens who transported Arthur to the island of Avalon.
In many legends, the Morgana Fairy is the sister of at least three legendary characters, including Morgause and Elaine. In some legends, she has up to nine brothers and sisters. The only sister of Morgana Pendragon we know is Morgause.
Very often, the son of the Morgana Fairy is Mordred, conceived by Arthur. Although in some legends, her sister Morgause still becomes Mordred's mother. In the series, Morgana meets 10-12-year-old Mordred when Merlin seeks shelter for him from Uther's forces. However, you can see how between them almost immediately a "family" bond arises, and Morgan, like a mother, takes care of the boy.
In some legends, the Morgana Fairy has a romantic relationship with Lancelot. In Thomas Melory's, Morgan's Fairy falls in love and kidnaps Lancelot. She refuses to let Lancelot go until he swears his love for her, but the knight always rejects her. Morgana Pendragon almost never interacted with Lancelot, and the only "date" happened when Morgana raised the knight from the dead in order to ruin the relationship between Arthur and Gwen.
Very often, the Morgana Fairy becomes the Lady of Avalon, and in some versions even the Lady of the Lake. In the legends, Avalon is a mythical island that Arthur came to after his death. Sometimes Avalon is also home to the Fairy Morgana (a separate article will be written about Avalon and the world of Camelot). In the TV series "Merlin" Avalon is a lake, which is one of the 5 gates to the world of the dead. And Morgana Pendragon has never been the Lady of Avalon or the Lady of the Lake. However, the Isle of Blessed from the TV series is very similar to the Isle of Avalon, and in some versions of the legend Lady Avalon is very similar to the Great Priestess of the Old Religion from the TV series. It is she who becomes Morgana, and on the Island of the Blessed Nimway and Morgana perform their darkest and most powerful magic.
Sometimes the Morgana Fairy becomes the wife of King Urien and the mother of the hero Gawain, although in most cases she still remains unmarried, as does Morgana Pendragon.
In the legends, the Morgan Fairies hardly participate in hostilities or battles. In the series, Morgana Pendragon skillfully wields a sword, and it was even mentioned that she surpassed her brother Arthur in this art.
In many legends, the Morgan Fairy either seduces Arthur or is his mistress. In some legends, the Morgana Fairy did not know about the relationship with Arthur and entered into an extramarital relationship at the insistence of Vivienne. Sometimes this happens during the pagan ritual of greeting the spring, in which the King played the role of the hunter and Morgana the female deer. The hunter captured and took possession of the female. In the series, at least so far, there were no bed scenes between Arthur and Morgana.
Fairy Morgana and Guinevere have always hated each other with fierce hatred. On Merlin, Morgana and Gwen were very close at the beginning. However, when Morgana discovered her magical powers, she began to distance herself from Gwen. Seeing a dream in which not she, but Gwen becomes queen, Morgana begins to hate her.
In many legends, the Morgana Fairy "atones" for her sins, being one of the maidens who carry King Arthur to the island of Avalon in the last moments of his life. In the series, Morgan has not yet been given such an opportunity..

Lady Morgana. Myths and legends.

The Morgan Fairy has become an integral part of the Arthurian legends. However, Morgan was first mentioned in about 1150 in the work of Galfrid of Monmouth "The Life of Merlin" (Vita Merlini). It should be noted that this was a rather short but capacious mention: Morgana is the strongest and most beautiful sorceress of her nine sisters living on the magical island of Avalon. Arthur was entrusted with her care when he was wounded. A rather pleasant and easy-to-read translation of The Life of Merlin, made from the text reproduced by E. Faral in the III volume of his work La légénde Arthurienne, 1929, can be found here.

The Morgan Fairy appears to us completely different in Excalibur (1981), the film adaptation of Thomas Mallory's Death of Arthur, which received an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography. Morgana in this film adaptation is the daughter of the slain Lord Cornwell and Lady Ygraine. She dreams of becoming a witch and asks Merlin to teach her everything that he knows himself. The son of Morgan and Arthur, the fruit of incestuous love - Mordred - was born to kill. From an early age, this child is cruel and merciless, his mother instructs him on the path of war and blood. However, the cruel and heartless Mordred kills his mother before the decisive battle.