ENCHANTRESS. ARTHURIAN FOLKLORE ICON. FAIRY QUEEN.
FEMINIST PHENOMENON.
Morgan le Fay
As an Arthurian Tradition
Morgana as a character has powerful representations of folklore traditions operating. As she is inspired by Celtic and Irish mythology, and inspires modern adaptations, she is a perfect depiction of sharing of folklore (Sims 2011).
Origin
Morgan le Fay originated in Arthurian romance works in the medieval period, including Vita Merlini and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Morgana is King Arthur's half sister, and has great powers related to healing and spell casting. Her role as a fairy, queen, and witch vary within her depictions.
Why have I referred to her as "Morgana" and "Morgan le Fay"?
Due to the broad range of Athurian works and inspirations, Morgan le Fay's etymology is extensive, including variations such as Morgaine, Morgant, Morgue and more (Loomis).
Faery and Mythology Inspirations
Comparison of the classic stories of Morgan le Fay offer trends that can be deciphered to have relations to Celtic mythological characters, like modron, the Morrigan, and Niamh, as well as Greek goddesses Circe and Medea (Loomis). Morgan le Fay is traditionally expressed to be a fae, with strong sorcery skills that often have her contrasted to Merlin.
