Document Type
Paper
Abstract
Examines the recurring motif of people, both real and fictional, who believe they possess magical powers and a destiny that places them above normal human moral concerns and connections. Beginning with the biblical Simon Magus and continuing through the many tales of Merlin, Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus, and Adolf Hitler, and ending with Tolkien’s Saruman, Ellwood traces this complex to inner hunger and self-deception, and notes how some characters, such as Gandalf, escape this destiny through their sense of connection with others.
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Recommended Citation
Ellwood, Gracia Fay
(1971)
"A High and Lonely Destiny,"
Mythopoeic Society Seminar Proceedings: Vol. 1:
Iss.
2, Article 9.
Available at:
https://dc.swosu.edu/mythpro/vol1/iss2/9
