Order of Merlin Question?

[Steve <bboy_mn@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52228

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Risti <pretty_feet51 at y...>"
<pretty_feet51 at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Rona Patterson < 
> >  Kathryn Wolber <katydid3500 at y...> wrote:
> > ... if Merlin was a bad wizard ....
> 
> 
> Now, I'm probably not as up to speed on my Arthurian Legends, but 
> ...  He is one of the most morally ambiguous character in the 
> Legends.  The Legends of Merlin covered a large chunk of ... 
> history, and ... Merlin did many very  good things, some not so 
> good things, and many things that could be  questioned as to which 
> side they were on.
> 
> I've always understood the Order of Merlin to be a reference towards 
> the fact that Merlin was probably one of the greatest wizards in 
> British History, and over all, was really a great *help* to Britain.  
> My take on it is that the Order of Merlin is an award given to those 
> who have shown a high level of skill in magic, and/or done something 
> that is a big help to Britain(at least the magical community in 
> Britian).
> 
> ~Risti

bboy_mn:

I'm inclined to agree with Risti on the 'Order of Merlin', it is an
award along the line of being awarded Knighhood (or Grand Dame) in the
'Order of the British Empire', an honor bestowed on outstanding citizens. 

Generally speaking Merlin was considered the greatest wizard of all
time, and since he was a British (or at least served a British king)
that makes him even more special to British wizards. In a sense, it
could be interpreted as the awardee being honored as a wizard /on the
order of/ (of the same quality or class as) Merlin. The award places
you amoung the most honored wizards, just as Knighthood or Grand Dame
place you amoung Britian's most honored citizens.

Regarding whether Merlin was a great wizard or a bad wizard, let me
point out that it appears that the literary character Merlin was in
public domain, since many many differnent authors have published
Merlin stories over a period of (assumed) hundreds of years. That last
 Merlin story I read was writing in the 1920's or 1930's. 

In a strange sense, Merlin was one of the first Fan Fiction
characters. Since so many different authors wrote these stories, you
are going to get a full range of potrayals of the character, just as
in some Fan Fiction Draco is an annoying but generally nice guy while
in others he is a brutally sadistic sex feind. So I think that we are
left with taking the general concensus portrayal of Merlin which is
generally a great, powerful, benevolent, and wize wizard.

Just a few thoughts.

bboy_mn