BBC's Merlin canon questions

[marguerite_26]

I've got a bunch of dumb questions about Merlin and canon and such. Does anyone out there know the answers or where I might get them? I'm scared to post this to a giant Merlin comm and be mocked. :P But I will if I need to.

1. Do we know for certain what the ages of Merlin and Arthur are? Are there generally accepted approximate ages? Merlin younger, yes?

2. Is there any kind of lexicon type thing like HP Lexicon where you can easily research stuff that is canon vs. fanon? Please tell this exists somewhere.

3. Is there any site or someone's post that compares BBC's Merlin to Arthurian legend?

4. Is there an easy to read/quick summary somewhere of Arthurian Legend (and yes, I do understand there are many sources, many versions) for someone who never studied it in school or grew up with it steeped in their tea?

Thanks, folks. ♥

Comments

[phoenixacid.livejournal.com]

1. Yes, it's generally accepted that Merlin's younger - but some would say that they're the same age. IMO, in the first series Arthur should be 21 years old because they celebrated his coming of age with the crowning ceremony and all that. Also, Merlin should be at LEAST 9 months younger because he was conceived after Balinor is banished from Camelot (after Igraine died giving birth to Arthur which started the whole great purge thing).

2. Don't think the canon website thing exist. But I'm sure there are comms that could help (or you can post a question in merlin comms like merlin_tv).

3. The merlintvshow fansite does have an BBC Merlin vs Arthurian Legend (http://www.merlintvshow.com/page/Merlin+in+Arthurian+Legend) page. There are also Episode Guides (http://www.merlintvshow.com/page/Merlin+Episode+Guides) and character pages (http://www.merlintvshow.com/page/Merlin+Characters) (all fanmade so they might not be 100% accurate or complete) and the BBC press release (http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/09_september/01/merlin3.shtml) that might be helpful.

4. Try the Britannia (http://www.britannia.com/history/h12.html) or britannica (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/37033/Arthurian-legend)? No idea if they are good resources.

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

*rolls around in links of knowledge*

exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, doll!!!

And yes, Balinor had to have time to gather all the dragons, see them slaughtered then become the last of the dragon lords, flee to ealdor, fall in love and knock up Hunith which all happened after Arthur's birth. Right?

So like 3-4 years younger is not unreasonable.

[phoenixacid.livejournal.com]

And yes, Balinor had to have time to gather all the dragons, see them slaughtered then become the last of the dragon lords, flee to ealdor, fall in love and knock up Hunith which all happened after Arthur's birth. Right? LOL!!! Yes! 3-4 years isn't unreasonable at all. ;)

*smishes*

We totally need to create a Merlin!canon comm. If it doesn't already exist. LOL!

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

We totally need to create a Merlin!canon comm.

ACK!!!! *puts fingers into ear and says lalallaala*

2011 baby. 2011. (and you know how good my track record is for keeping my promises to wait)

[(Anonymous)]

2011 is only a number!!

WRITE MORE PORN. :P

[phoenixacid.livejournal.com]

Ah, that was me. <_<

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

figured! *squish*

LOL. I AM writing porn, dirty, dirty, naughty porn. Just not M/A!

[stellamoon.livejournal.com]

Wow, you're a fount of knowledge, yes? :) I grew up on Arthurian legend - always have been enamored with it. So, the Merlin series confuses me sometimes. I'll definitely try out that Merlin vs. Legend page.

Hi Maggie!! Don't mind us - we're just talkin on ur elljay

[phoenixacid.livejournal.com]

It's not a very through guide at all unfortunately. Just a list of some of the difference between the show canon and the legend (well, even the legend has so many variations so...). :)

*luffles*

[vaysh11.livejournal.com]

Like a real medieval text, the Arthurian legends are all fanfic anyway. And the original is not even known. :)

[phoenixacid.livejournal.com]

Definitely. :) That's why I'm alright with the liberties the BBC folks took with show so far. Merlin's just a big happy fluff fest. Hee.

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

Exactly! so make 'em young and pretty and lock 'em in the dungeons with some lube.

Wot?

[chantefable.livejournal.com]

Like a real medieval text, the Arthurian legends are all fanfic anyway.

YES! Exactly! All fiction was fan fiction. With sequels and prequels to corny ballads about metaphorical stuff that didn't happen in imaginary places.

I ♥ medieval texts:)

[vaysh11.livejournal.com]

Medieval lit is fantasy fanfic without a concept of realism. ♥ it.

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

U talk in my eljay all you want, darling.

[cinnatart.livejournal.com]

1) Huey got this one very well. Arthur's coming of age would have made him 21, in series 1. With the purge, timing, etc, Merlin would have to, realistically, be at least 1 year younger than Arthur. However, since you have to figure there's a time frame in there where Uther's got to go after everyone, the dragons, etc, then lure Balinor to Camelot, then B must flee... Realistically Merlin is 2-3 years younger than Arthur. I always figured 21 and 18 in series 1. =)

2) but I don't know that I'd trust it... (http://merlin.wikia.com/wiki/Merlin_Wiki)

let me know if someone finds you 3 or 4.

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

oh! that's a good link, too. I know to the wary because it's fan based but still. good stuff.

And Huey's first comment above has a reasonable answer to 3 with the BBC Merlin vs Arthurian Legend link. It suits my purposes but I'm sure it could go more indepth and as the series goes on I hope it will.

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_%28TV_series%29

To my recollection, which is not reliable, their ages are never definitively mentioned. In my mind Arthur is 21, based on the fact that he reached an age appropriate to become Crown Prince and I think he's too old to be 18.

I think Merlin is 19. He's still referred to as a 'young boy'.

Lol, Arthurian Legend is... legend. There are countless versions and it's merged with a whole variety of different cultures. (This is why I get so irritated when people say, "But that's not how the legend goes."

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

Wiki's great for the hard facts like character names and location names. They are totally on my speed dial. :DDD

Their page on Arthurian legend made my head spin though. LOL.

You think he's too old to be 18? I like him a bit younger than 19 for season 1. IDK. I mean Colin obv. looks older than 18 (checked: he's 24), but I think the character could be 18, or a mature 17.

"But that's not how the legend goes."
Let me tell you, I had THE MOST annoying conversation about Merlin with my sister a couple weeks ago. She was sooooo patronizing that I was watching the show. I'm like WTF!!! We watched Buffy together for YEARS and you did go all 'Bram Stoker is rolling in his grave' on me. *scowls*

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

*glares at your sister*

I don't like the complaints about historical inaccuracies either. This is a world with magic and unicorns and even the original legends are fiction. It's like complaining about historical inaccuracies in Lord of the Rings.

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

YES! Exactly!

Though, on the other hand I suppose if someone were to create a Lord of the Rings - the early years, with Gandolf and Aragorn being the same age and with lots of UST... I think we'd have a few million ppl going WTF?!? hahaha!

But I know what you are saying re: the writing of LotR, not the fanficing of it (just the image of fucking around with LotR and the fans reaction amuses me). Arthurian legend by not being concrete lends itself to this kind of play. In the same was vampire legend does. No one can say with conviction that a vampire must sleep in a coffin. There is no work that owns the concept of the vampire that defines the 'canon' of that legend.

[chantefable.livejournal.com]

When Bram Stoker published his fan fic gothic novel parody literary experiment to create a market share that culminated in Meyer showering sparkles upon the world novel, everyone went all 'OMG this is not how the legends go, our village story-tellers are totally rolling in their graves and that vanquishing technique on page 346 would so FAIL becuz we know, duh'.

Q: Did it stop Bram Stoker?
A: No.

[frogspace.livejournal.com]

3. Is there any site or someone's post that compares BBC's Merlin to Arthurian legend?

icarusancalion wrote a great essay comparing Merlin and Arthurian legend: Negotiating the Boundaries of Legend, or, yes Merlin pays close attention to Arthurian Legend (http://icarusancalion.livejournal.com/824859.html).