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Morgan Le Fey. She was one of many topics discussed in an earlier post. This has provoked my curiousity into sharing some knowledge, and hopefully gaining some from all of you. This is my take on Morgan Le Fey.

Morgan was many things. An evil enchantress, and further more used many times romantically by Sir Thomas Malory.

Morgan was also one of nine sisters to rule the Fortunate Isle, (also known as the Apple Isle...) She was also the daughter of the God Modron, who's father was Allafach, the celtic god of the otherworld (Avalon.)

Morgan was also considered to be a water nymph, the wife of King Urien.

She was also considered to be the Pagan Celtic Goddess, also known as the "mother goddess."

She was also one of Guinevere's ladies in waiting, and fell in love with Giomar.

Now this is very short, and very much to the point. I could write an entire article on Morgan Lefey, but I chose only to give you brief, and to the point descriptions of the many things Morgan was.

Now my question to you all, in your opinion. Who was Morgan Le Fey?

I used to do alot of reading about the whole arturian history. She was a very interesting woman

I know this isn't the answer you're looking for and I'm sorry.
Morgan Le Fey to me was a woman who wanted power. I only think this, because I think she was in the movie, "Merlin."
Once again, I'm sorry if this is the wrong kind of answer.

Nicely done!!!

There was much more to the history of Morgan Le Fey than what people know in the more well known of the Arthurian mythology...Half sister to Arthur, who tricked him into sleeping with her and bore Mordred, raised to kill his father.....

No harm, no foul. :) I'm looking for all sorts of different answers. Morgan Le Fey wasn't just in the movies though. She's depicted rather falsely in the movies, and I do advise not to trust them. Thank you for your thoughts though.

I know for a fact that she existed but at what part does truth and fiction about her mix, all thats know for sure is that she was a very powerful and influential woman with in specific groups

Alright there are different opinions on both sides of this....this semi supports both but mostly the fact that she did exsist at some point in history....

History: The much maligned Morgan Le Fay was, to a large extent, the invention of medieval romance writers such as Sir Thomas Malory. In his "Le Morte D'Arthur" Malory tells us that Morgan was one of the half-sisters of King Arthur, daughter of Ygerna and her first husband, Gorlois. The Vulgate Cycle of Arthurian tales tells how she became Guinevere's lady in waiting and fell in love with the King's nephew, Giomar. Guinevere, however, put an end to the romance and, as a result, Morgan eventually betrayed the Queen's affair with Lancelot to King Arthur. Morgan herself took a fancy to Lancelot at one point and imprisoned him for some time before he was able to escape. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight she is presented as the instigator of the Green Knight's visit to Arthur's court, partly motivated by her desire to frighten Guinevere.

Despite the motif of Morgan's enmity towards Arthur and Guinevere, she is also presented as one of the women who takes Arthur in a barge to Avalon to be healed. This view of Morgan as healer has its roots in the earliest accounts of her and perhaps to her origin in Celtic mythology. In the Vita Merlini (c.1150) Morgan is said to be the first of nine sisters who rule The Fortunate Isle or the Isle of Apples and is presented as a healer as well as a shape-changer. It is to this island that Arthur is brought (though Morgan awaits him and heals him rather than actually fetching him herself).

Chrétien describes Morgan as a giver of healing ointments, but the lady is usually portrayed as a wicked enchantress who learned her initial mysterious skills from her corrupt education in an early Christian nunnery. Later, Merlin helped her to extend her magical powers. The story that she enticed King Arthur into an incestuous affair from which Mordred was born is, however, a misconception derived from the desire of modern authors to merge Morgan with her more sympathetic sister, (Anna-) Morgause.

Malory shows how Morgan hated Arthur for his purity and plotted with her lover, Sir Accolon, to steal both Excalibur and the British throne. Arthur met Accolon in combat without his magical sword, but the Lady of the Lake helped him retrieve it and win the battle. In return, Morgan stole Excalibur's scabbard and threw it into the nearest lake. She eventually escaped Arthur's wrath by transforming her entourage into stone.

Morgan retired to Gore (Gwyr) and then to her Castle of Tauroc (possibly in North Wales). The Royal court appears to have thought her dead until Arthur came across her residence while out hunting one day. The two were immediately reconciled. In late life she moved to the Isle of Avalon, and it was to here that she and her allies, the Queens of Northgalis (North Wales) and the Wastelands, took her wounded brother to be healed after the Battle of Camlann.

Malory makes Morgan the wife of King Urien Rheged, an historical mid to late 6th century King of what is now Cumberland and Westmorland in Northern Britain. Though technically this may have been just about possible, during this time period it is stretching credulity a little far. Morgan was an elder half-sister of King Arthur who fought at Mount Badon around 495-500 and traditionally died in 537. Urien was assassinated during a military campaign around 590. The earlier Vulgate Cycle, however, makes Morgan a generation younger, being the daughter of King Lot of Lothian (Gododdin). On the other hand, Welsh Tradition tells us that Urien's wife was Modron ferch Afallach, apparently a sister-in-law of King Maelgwn Gwynedd, and it may be that two ladies have become confused.

Alternatively, this latter identification may betray the lady's true origins as a Pagan Celtic Goddess. Modron was the name of the Celtic Mother-Goddess, often depicted in Romano-British times as having a triple personality. This may be seen in Arthurian tales through her association with the Queens of Northgalis (North Wales) and the Wastelands. The Lady of the Lake may have been another aspect of the lady. Modron's father, Afallach, was the titular God of the Celtic Otherworld, Avalon. Morgan is said to have lived here with her nine sisters, a not insignificant group similar to the Greek Muses. Some early sources actually refer to Morgan as "the Goddess," while her shape-shifting and healing aspects clearly indicate heavenly powers. She appears to have gradually degenerated into "Le Fay" - a fairy - who could fly through the air on enchanted wings: to this day, the Breton name for a water-nymph is a Morgan.

The lady's wicked character appears to have been the invention of the Cistercian monks who wrote the stories of the Vulgate Cycle. Influenced by memories of the ancient Irish Goddess, the Morrighan (Phantom Queen), another triple-aspect divinity representing life & death, sexuality and conflict, they painted poor pagan Morgan as black as they could. They believed it blasphemous for a healer to be neither male nor a member of a religious order and Morgan paid dearly for her reputation.

Powers/Abilities: Most of the legends paint Morgan as a great witch with a wide variety of evil powers at her command.

Comments: The text in the history above is copyright of David Nash Ford

I've read that before, but thank you for posting it. It's quiet insightful, I thought. It pointed out the many things I already knew of course. LOL...I'm not asking who she is, but I want to know what others think she is. She's such a desputed topic that I simply had to point her out and see what the crowd thinks.

I rather like the 'Mists of Avalon' concept of her. She wasn't evil, just misunderstood. All she was trying to do was get back her birthright that the bastard Author took from her.

og course that is just a point of view that I do lead toward.

Morgan may not have even existed, though wether or not she did, she has been an inspiration to many an author, historian and those such as us whatever we are. She has helped many of us and should be remembered as great either way.

True. She may or may not existed. There's plenty of her in mythology to go around though, especially celtic mythology.

and as such we Celts are the best enriched in history whether from the norse or influenced...

we are a people of poetry. of magic. of history. of family.

Morgan influenced such and for that i am greatfull

I liked your point of Morgan, and she might have existed and just part of her was taken for the romantic writings of the Arthurian legend?

it's possible.. they believe many of the myths have occured as such such as Cuchulan or Finn MacCool

great thread, and excellent participation everybody. Ashesofruin, thanks for the history. bravo.

here's a few lines from parts of a poem i found by Madison Cawein (1865-1914):

"Oh come with me! oh come with me!
Oh, come with me, my love, Sir Kay!"--
How should he know the witch, I trow,
Morgan le Fay?

...


But when Morgan lifted hand
Moved down the hall, they louted low:
For she was Queen of Shadowland,
That woman of snow.

where did you find it?

www.mythicalrealm.com/legends/morgan_le_fay.html

thank you

Nice poem. I have read that before too. LOL...I've done major research on Morgan. I, myself happen to be part of that bloodline too...so thus I would be familiar with celtic history.

However...I'm a mixture of many things...LOL...

Nevertheless, How do you suppose one could dechiper between myth and reality? What contridictions in her myth could point us to the truth?

i'm not well versed enough to know.. but i'd assume that origins itself in the myth could help as to where she may have been from.

is there any way to see what the oldest myth is? or is that information lost to time?

Being of Irish descent, I believe some people are mislead by the thought of her. True she was misunderstood by many. She was not the person portrayed by the movie "Excalibur" or "Mists of Avalon". She was just that, a myth. Created along with the story of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Some still believe that she is real, although there is no proof that she ever existed. In Irish lore, she was a fairytale. A way to show children that there was more to magic than the slight of hand. An equal to Merlin, she made it possible for mothers to encourage their daughters to strive for equality. However, this is also an opinion of an educated person on this subject. It doesn't mean that I am 100% correct. I was not alive then and I don't know anyone that was, so it's possible that she was real.

Very opinionated Nomad. I do like what you have there. I agree in some ways....Irish lore did make her into a fairytale. Part of me believes it and part of me doesnt. Out of all I learned about her, I'm still left with even more questions.

Thank you. Growing up in my family, I've learned that what one sees as a fairytale, others see as truth, and vice versa. The truth of Morgan Lafey, if there is a truth, has probably been lost due to the movies, books, and length of time from first she was mentioned. As far as my opinion, I believe that she is as true as the Chupacabra in Mexican lore.

Agreed---somewhat. I wouldn't relate her to the Chubacabra...(which in my town...is highly regarded as an amusing tale to scare small children into staying in bed.)

Morgan Le Fey's past was lost in the movies...the books....Sir Thomas Malory certainly killed it for the rest of us. However good his books were I might add. :)

the myths beind created from history was common then because many spent the time telling stories. such as she is reffered to in arthur, he was real.. could she not be as well?

Possibly. Theres alot of dispute surrounding Arthur. There is a legend that still rumors in england that When England needs him most, he will rise again and protect his kingdom. Supposedly returning from the dead and all. Bringing a great army with him.

hell it could happen.. i'd have thought he was needed during the Battle of Britain.. maybe worse is yet to come?

True., but what I meant was that Morgan was a story told to children, just like the Chupacabra. Morgan's story wasn't as scary, but the same effect where I live. It was a story for kids not adults. That is not the true way to look at it though. Any story that has been passed down should be looked into. Never know when you might find a truth. I certainly would like to find a truth in her story.

I would too. That's why I've been feverishly researching her. I want to get as much information as possible about her, and then start pulling out the contridictions and narrow it down to whats false and what is true. Thus why I posted this forum to begin with, so any info is greatly appreciated. :)

Yes, Arthur was rumored to return for a battle in Britain. Story has it...as I mentioned previously....he'll come back from avalon, sword blazing...great shiny army behind him. LOL I've heard so many different rumors about this though....

*tiny little bump* need research information...must have peoples opinions...*

As far as my research into Arthur and the history...There is no historical proof as such that Morgan Le fey did not or did exsist....Arthur himeslf is open to scrutiny although I believe he is an actual person whos Heroism was blown out of proportion and elivated him to this mythological legend.

Like legendary stories of the past, this one is based upon true events but have escalated him and the history around him to epic status

They do have some proof that king Arthur Pendragon existed so If he existed I would say there is a high chance she did as well. and all myths have a basis of truth

Yes Arthur Pendragon or Artur Pendragon {SP for Artur???} really did exsist, but the rest of the legend is still open to debate. Morgan Le Fey more than likely comes from an original source but again what she was or who she is are very much open to debate and of the research I have done holds very little substance to the story of Arthur.

Although I am open to take any knowledge that anyone out there can throw in my direction...I am very interested in the Legend of Arthur.

Yes, your right on that area. Arthur really did exist, and infact the supposedly discovered his finally resting place.

Very interesting information

Weather the historical person really existed is not of concern is the the 'concept' or 'spirit' of what we have titled Morgan that is. Putting a physical presence to her is just our way of better trying to wrap out minds around the concept of who or what she is.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is we choose to believe the existence of such a spirit and therefor, for she does, be it in the physical form or otherwise....

I have also assumed that Le Fey was Arthurs' step sister who seduced him..and thus Modred was created..but maybe after reading this thread she was something elese

i read a book once that tried to tell her legend from morgans eyes
and i think u would like it and maybe it would intrest u it is part of a linking stroy
its call i am morgan le fay and i think it is by nancy springer but i dont know for sure

I'll check into that, thank you for the book reference. :)

Morgan Le Fay: an idol to me...definitely a woman who wanted her own glory and power...it was as if she'd do anything to gain this desire of hers...inspirational, really...

indeed. Morgans story is rather inspirational. However, you never did answer my question
:)

thanks for the comment though.

I absolutely adored Morgan as a child. I think she's great! infact I sometimes tell people that my name is Morgan LeFay when they ask me what my name is. I changes it a bit, but its still for her. :D

If anything, she was a strong character, who did what it took to get what she wanted.

True, very true. :)

I do believe Morgan le faye was someone very real. Thank you for this. It has opened up my eyes to see what was not fully there.~NFA

i believe she did exist. i do believe also that in order for just about anything there has to be some basis in fact. just as a story or gossip in order for it to be written there is some basis of fact, its just with over time facts and fantasy get blended together. lol i probably am not making my self clear. but i think she did exist.

Well there is technically alot going on here. I've got people saying yes and no. I guess this will always be a yes and no question. Morgan was a very ambitious woman, but still..theres to much to sit here and say she didn't exist. They've proven Arthur so why not drag Morgan on into it. BUT if that were to happen, that would be Merlin would exist too. Now is there any proof on that? Nothing that I've personally discovered.

i have info to add but it will have to wait because i dont haveit on me ill add it monday

That would be awesome. Thank you. :)

your welcom morgan le fay is one of my interest and i have collected much infor on her i have note books full of it

That would be very interesting to hear. I've studied her along with many other legends and myths. I also do alot of work on historical figures. I like to take someone with alot of mystery around them and try to find an answer for myself. It's just one of my many hobbies. :)

i read a few things about this subject, but i still think it is just a legend. anyway... any legend starts from a truth

Very true. It is a legend, but like you said, every legend starts from a shred of truth, however it is manipulated and distorted over the centuries by rumors and stories. For all we know, her name might not have even been Morgan Le Fey. :)