Merlin: Priest of Nature [Paperback]

Jean Markale (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1995

Was Merlin a mythical character or a real person? If he was a real person, when and where did he live? In this provocative survey of all the known literary and historical sources, Jean Markale pieces together a compelling story of who and what Merlin might have been. Combining his investigation of the sources with fragments of Celtic mythology, Druidic culture, and the esoteric tradition, Markale draws an enlightening portrait of the archetypal Wild Man and shaman known as Merlin, who lived in the Lowlands of Scotland late in the sixth century, some fifty years after the reign of King Arthur.

In a state of divine madness Merlin sought refuge in the forest, where he inherited the gift of prophecy. With him was his companion, Vivian, an essential element of the Merlin legend. Their sacred clearing in the woods--described in some legends as an invisible castle of glass or air--was the site of their ecstatic journey of enlightenment and union with nature. From his place in the Cosmic Tree and outside of time, Merlin the enchanter challenges us to reexamine our way of life.

When the Merlin legend resurfaced in the twelth century, his message of the universal brotherhood of all beings and things called out to a rapidly urbanizing society that was losing touch with nature. His warning, which went unheeded, is no less relevant to us today than it was at the dawn of the modern era.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

From the Back Cover

CELTIC MYTHOLOGY

Was Merlin a mythical character or a real person? If he was a real person, when and where did he live? In this provocative survey of all the known literary and historical sources, Jean Markale pieces together a compelling story of who and what Merlin might have been. Combining his investigation of the sources with fragments of Celtic mythology, Druidic culture, and the esoteric tradition, Markale draws an enlightening portrait of the archetypal Wild Man and shaman known as Merlin, who lived in the Lowlands of Scotland late in the sixth century, some fifty years after the reign of King Arthur.

In a state of divine madness Merlin sought refuge in the forest, where he inherited the gift of prophecy. With him was his companion, Vivian, an essential element of the Merlin legend. Their sacred clearing in the woods--described in some legends as an invisible castle of glass or air--was the site of their ecstatic journey of enlightenment and union with nature. From his place in the Cosmic Tree and outside of time, Merlin the enchanter challenges us to reexamine our way of life.

When the Merlin legend resurfaced in the twelth century, his message of the universal brotherhood of all beings and things called out to a rapidly urbanizing society that was losing touch with nature. His warning, which went unheeded, is no less relevant to us today than it was at the dawn of the modern era.

Poet, philosopher, historian, and storyteller, JEAN MARKALE has spent a lifetime researching Celtic civilizations. He is the author of forty books on pre-Christian societies, including The Celts, Women of the Celts, and King of the Celts.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Inner Traditions (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892815175
• ISBN-13: 978-0892815173
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #803,573 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A mythical book for a mythical character, March 10, 2001

By 

Ayax R. Diaz Ruiz (Brisbane, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Merlin: Priest of Nature (Paperback)

Merlin, the wizard, has always attracted our attention whether as children or adults. Personally, I can't say exactly why, but after reading Markale's book, I was convinced he might have some answers for that question.

A wonderful and very complete research work; this book contains quite a lot about Merlin and all the mythology around the character. I started reading this book merely to spend my free time in something insightful, but after a couple of pages, I was really interested in the content.

Covering nearly every aspect of Merlin's figure, it analyses not only ancient texts regarding Merlin the wizard, but parallel texts and poems, middle ages' romances and even some doubtful sources. I found quite interesting not only the focus on the legend but also the analysis of related subjects such as Vivian, the Lady of the Lake; or Merlin's druidic heritage and its implications in modern western way of thought.

The book might not be the best choice for a neophyte willing to start familiarizing with the myths and truths about Merlin, since it seems to be written in quite a formal and scholar style, but after one gets used to this, the fun part begins. I never was such a fan of Merlin and all the Arthurian legends, but this book turned me into a celtophile!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A mythical book for a mythical character, March 10, 2001

By 

Ayax R. Diaz Ruiz (Brisbane, QLD Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Merlin: Priest of Nature (Paperback)

Merlin, the wizard, has always attracted our attention whether as children or adults. Personally, I can't say exactly why, but after reading Markale's book, I was convinced he might have some answers for that question.

A wonderful and very complete research work; this book contains quite a lot about Merlin and all the mythology around the character. I started reading this book merely to spend my free time in something insightful, but after a couple of pages, I was really interested in the content.

Covering nearly every aspect of Merlin's figure, it analyses not only ancient texts regarding Merlin the wizard, but parallel texts and poems, middle ages' romances and even some doubtful sources. I found quite interesting not only the focus on the legend but also the analysis of related subjects such as Vivian, the Lady of the Lake; or Merlin's druidic heritage and its implications in modern western way of thought.

The book might not be the best choice for a neophyte willing to start familiarizing with the myths and truths about Merlin, since it seems to be written in quite a formal and scholar style, but after one gets used to this, the fun part begins. I never was such a fan of Merlin and all the Arthurian legends, but this book turned me into a celtophile!

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book of substance, depth, and meaning, November 19, 2005

By 

OAKSHAMAN "oakshaman" (Algoma, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Merlin: Priest of Nature (Paperback)

_If you are primarily looking for the Merlin of the Arthurian romances, you will find little of him here. This book places him far to the north in the Scottish lowlands- 50 years after the time of Arthur.

_Yet, this is absolutely the best study of Merlin that I have ever seen. It is not some dry-as-dust "scholarly" work, for Merkale understands the deepest archetypical meaning of Merlin. While he does a thorough job in examining the literary texts, he then proceeds to delve deeper. He sees in Merlin the classic Celtic shaman- the successor to the Druids. Merlin occupies a very specific place in the cult of the ancient Celts- a place in the absolute Center, transcendent of time and space. Here is the archetype of the initiated master of ecstasy who is responsible for the ritual communication with divinity- for the benefit of the community, but apart from it. He is the embodyment of Cernunnos. He is also a madman. Like Dagda or Gargantua, he has to be. He is the Wild Man at one with nature. As such he disturbs the order of the "civilized" world and forces it to re-examine itself. This is the mission of the wise man.

Don't be mistaken into thinking that this is "only" a book about
Merlin. It is also a study of the deepest and most powerful core of spiritual tradition.