Morgan le Fay: Witch’s Witch
Few legendary witches carry as much cachet as the ruthlessly ambitious Morgan le Fay, and few have so captivated people’s perceptions of witches, sorceresses and enchantresses as Morgan (aka, Morgan le Faye, Morgen, Morgaine, Morgana, Morganna, Morgant, Morgane, Morgne, Morge, Morgue, etc.)
Her name is particularly resonant, and, no doubt, has helped give her longevity across pop culture and history. You can’t say “Morgan le Fay” and not cause folks to react. She’s the consummate, mystical femme fatale. Morgan le Fay will always hold people’s imaginations. This is a testament to her success as an iconic figure of witchcraft.
Morgan le Fay (1880) by John Spencer Stanhope.
Originally apprenticed to Merlin and a formidable adversary of the Knights of the Round Table, Morgan is fiercely independent and sexually voracious, with many lovers (in addition to repeatedly attempting to seduce Lancelot, her lovers include Corrant, Gui of Carmelide, Guyanor, Helians of Gomeret, Kaz of Gomeret, and Sir Hemison).
Morgan’s got deep (if mysterious) ties to Welsh and Celtic mythos. Morgan’s first literary appearance was in 1150 AD, in the accounts of Geoffrey of Monmouth in the Vita Merlini.
Morgan uses her witchcraft to attempt to take down the Arthur, whether by poison, theft, magic and misdeed. She particularly reviles Guinevere, trying to out her big secret and bringing Camelot crashing down, and likely resents that Lancelot loves Guinevere and not her.
Morgan has considerable skills with magic, and, while originally positioned as a redoubtable adversary of King Arthur and Merlin, in more recent times, Morgan’s put into a more ambiguous and even sympathetic light. She has become a symbol of female and feminine power.
Wicked Morgan le Fay Quotes
“You have a strong will, Merlin. As do I.“
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