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We like our wizards to fit a certain mold. They seem to have the same characteristics in many of our classic adventure tales. A wizard trains or mentors the young protagonist (to whom he is not related), has knowledge unavailable to the general public which was passed down from long ago, uses supernatural powers, sports a white beard (mainly to show his advanced age), and despite his age, he’s still good in a fight.
Merlin
Merlin the Magician is the oldest of the archetype. The character dates back centuries, from the writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth. The version we know best was taken from T.H. White’s book The Once and Future King, which was the source material for Camelot and The Sword in the Stone. The other wizards follow in Merlin’s footsteps.
Mentors: Arthur, who became King of Britain.
Knowledge: More educated than anyone around him.
Supernatural powers: Engineered Arthur’s conception by sorcery, can see remotely, prophesied the outcome of various battles and Arthur’s actions.
White beard: Yes.
Fights: Usually by magic only, although in some movie versions he can swing a sword with the best of them.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness) was a Jedi Master who became a hermit on the planet Tattooine in order to hide from the Empire and keep an eye on Luke Skywalker. He trained the young hero in the use of The Force when they were brought together by the droid R2D2. His role in training Luke was passed to the much older Yoda upon Obi-Wan’s death.
Mentors: Anakin and Luke Skywalker. He was more successful the second time around, which goes to show that older wizards are better.
Knowledge: Jedi training.
Supernatural powers: Skillful use of The Force (“These are not the droids you’re looking for.”)
White beard: Yes, in episode four.
Fights: He was a master with the lightsaber, but could not bring himself to kill Darth Vader.
Gandalf
Gandalf the Gray (Sir Ian McKellen) made it his life’s mission to rid Middle Earth of the evil influence of Sauron and the Rings of Power. Along the way, he advised various entities and brought them together to reclaim their lands.
Mentors: Frodo, Aragorn, and their comrades.
Knowledge: The entire history of Middle Earth, plus a limited ability to see the future.
Supernatural powers: Plenty, including returning from the dead.
White beard: Yes, although it was gray early in the saga.
Fights: Fearlessly, on horseback or on foot.
Dumbledore
Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) is the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Mentors: Harry Potter and other students at Hogwarts School.
Knowledge: Was educated at Hogwarts himself.
Supernatural powers: Producing fire, invisibility, various spells.
White beard: Yes.
Fights: He spent years battling Grindelwald and Voldemort by various magical means, most often with conjured fire.
Miyagi
Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) trained The Karate Kid by getting his household chores done (“Wax on; wax off”). He’s a master at what he knows, and bluffs his way convincingly through anything he doesn’t know.
Mentors: Daniel Larusso.
Knowledge: Ancient martial arts techniques, zen philosophy, and a trained poker face.
Supernatural powers: Only a magical healing touch, which was enough to save the day.
White beard: Just the minimum requirement.
Fights: Whipped five teenage black belts in 30 seconds.
Rafiki
You don’t have to be human to be a wizard. Rafiki the monkey shaman kept an eye on the pride in The Lion King.
Mentors: He wasn’t a long-term teacher, but he set Simba straight on how to live his life. Afterward, he became an advisor to the lion king.
Knowledge: He is the philosopher of the animal kingdom.
Supernatural powers: Could see remotely by gazing at feathers.
White beard: Yes.
Fights: The hyenas with his staff.
Santa Claus
The word wizard isn’t normally applied to Santa, but he fits the profile, with the exception of mentoring the protagonist. No one upstages Santa Claus!
Mentors: Nobody in particular, but he won’t bring you toys unless you are a good girl or boy. That’s a powerful incentive to behave.
Knowledge: He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you’re awake.
Supernatural powers: Drives flying reindeer, packs amazing amounts of gifts, rises up chimneys, and eats tons of cookies.
White beard: In abundance.
Fights: He prefers not to, but was arrested for assault in Miracle on 34th Street, and saved the day in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
Curiously, the character who actually uses the title Wizard (in The Wizard of Oz) doesn’t display any of these characteristics! There are no doubt other characters who do fit this same profile. Can you add more to the list?
Comments (30)
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“Curiously, the character who actually uses the title Wizard (in The Wizard of Oz) doesn’t display any of these characteristics! ”
That was the whole point! He wasn’t a wizard – he was just a sham and Dorothy had to put her belief in herself and find a way home.
posted by Rachel on 5-13-2008 at 7:20 am
Score one for girls and self-reliance.
posted by Miss Cellania on 5-13-2008 at 7:42 am
The way I look at it, all modern wizards (represented as such) are Gandalf derivatives, and Gandalf is a Merlin derivative. Makes sense when you consider Tolkien’s background as a linguist and his definitive translation of Sir Gawain.
I really enjoyed the take on some of the more unconventional wizards!
posted by Ira on 5-13-2008 at 7:45 am
Just off the top of my head- what about Alanon in the Terry Brooks ‘Shanara’ series? (I’m talking books, not movies here.)
posted by ann on 5-13-2008 at 8:20 am
Another great post! I was going to say the same thing Rachel said–the Wizard of Oz was a FAKE! = no wizardly features.
posted by Katie D. on 5-13-2008 at 8:30 am
These characters (except Santa) all fit the role of “the mentor” or “the wise old man” from Joseph Campbell’s monomyth theory (famously described in “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.”) If you believe Campbell’s theory, then they are all similar to each other because, subconciously, we all recognize this character as being necessary to our psychological development.
George Lucas was especially famous for being influenced by Campbell, so Obi Wan is textbook “mentor.”
posted by Natalie on 5-13-2008 at 8:47 am
@/with Natalie:
This also works along the lines of the hermit archetype found in Tarot(especially those based on psychology, like Jungian): The Hermit is usually an old wise man/mentor. When the card comes into play, it generally involves inner searching and enlightenment and/or a teacher to light your path through the darkness.
Or maybe I’m heading off topic…
posted by ACute Angle on 5-13-2008 at 9:00 am
The tarot card connection would make sense– Campbell was a follower of Jung, so we have the same root.
posted by Natalie on 5-13-2008 at 9:13 am
Technically, didn’t Gandalf the Gray get his white beard after he became Gandalf the White? I thought Ira’s comment was excellent, I totally agree with it.
posted by kani on 5-13-2008 at 9:19 am
Santa Clause concurs the Martians?!?! Awesome! Love the part with the polar bear costume with the obvious zipper!
posted by Em on 5-13-2008 at 9:21 am
My favorite – Gandalf. I actually wrote my final in my high school senior lit class on how Gandalf is a Christ figure. That was so much fun.
And I once read somewhere (yeah, I know, reliable source) that Gandalf is actually an angel.Plus, at the start of the second movie (for those of you who haven’t read the novel) it shows that he defeats the balrog, so he never actually dies.
posted by Konstantine on 5-13-2008 at 9:26 am
Konstantine,
Not to take the comments further off topic, but if you read Tolkien’s Silmarillion, it is pretty strongly suggested that Gandalf is of the Maiar; essentially, he is a member of the order of the second most powerful beings of good in creation. So an angel would be a pretty close parallel.
posted by Ira on 5-13-2008 at 10:08 am
From Dune, Jessica Atredies, Mentor son Paul, White beard no, Fights like an enraged buzzsaw.
posted by MIke on 5-13-2008 at 10:09 am
I would add Ursula K. LeGuin’s wizard Ged from the Earthsea tales, but he doesn’t quite fit the old-guy-with-the-beard archetype. I like the character better for that!
posted by Christine on 5-13-2008 at 10:28 am
The Sword in the Stone was my absolte favorite movie when I was a child… I always dreamed that a wizard would take me under his wing and turn me into a fish or bird for a day to teach me stuff. It sounded like so much fun! I´m 27 now but I would still volunteer for the fish or bird experiment any day…
posted by GTT on 5-13-2008 at 11:20 am
I guess you could consider Yoda to be Obi-Wan’s replacement. He fought well, he mentored, but no white beard….
posted by Jim on 5-13-2008 at 11:23 am
I’d have to go with Belgarath, of David Eddings Belgariad and Mallorean series. 7,000 years old and so cool that a wolf turned herself human so she could marry him. There isn’t anything he can’t do, and has a great sense of humor to boot.
posted by Lea-Anne on 5-13-2008 at 11:25 am
I loved this post and I love how geeky everyone is getting with their versions of wizards from various books and such. Funny stuff =).
posted by CK on 5-13-2008 at 1:13 pm
What?! No Tim the Enchanter?
posted by Chris on 5-13-2008 at 2:20 pm
to christine – yeah, ged is awesome, but he gets kind of moody and weak in the later books….i would also submit thom, from the wheel of time series, cause he’s kind of a wizardish thing
posted by oneita on 5-13-2008 at 4:22 pm
I think Papa Smurf fits the profile.
posted by Mike on 5-13-2008 at 4:54 pm
I second the inclusion of Belgarath; his origin book is great. The Prydain series, the Dark is Rising series, the Riftwar series and a million more indelible tributes to this archetype are out there for the seeking! Tolkien set the bar very high and I’ll forever love him for it. Other favorites, _flossers?
posted by frodopal on 5-13-2008 at 5:38 pm
NUMA – history’s original wizard
Successor to Romulus. Given credit for establishing the Roman guilds, several Roman priesthoods, and furthering cementing the relationships of the early tribes of Rome. Calendar reform, too. Pious out the wazoo.
MENTORED: Salii priests, Vestals, Pontifices.
KNOWLEDGE: Trained by nymnph Egeria, philosophized with Pythagoras.
SUPERNATURAL POWERS: Jupiter bestowed upon him a magical shield with words of prophecy engraved upon it.
WHITE BEARD: Looks like it, based on some Denarii minted under Pompey.
CAN FIGHT: Hell yes. Being from the Quirite tribe, he supposedly had the same bloodline as the Spartans!
posted by Cole on 5-13-2008 at 6:31 pm
How about wizardly women? Are there just not as many?
posted by Aemi on 5-13-2008 at 7:04 pm
really interesting… thanks
posted by антимаулнетизм on 5-13-2008 at 8:14 pm
Posted this link in http://www.surfurls.com
posted by gibsy on 5-13-2008 at 9:24 pm
As far as wizardly women go, I would point out Molly Weasley, the Fairy Godmother, Glenda the good witch, and eventually doesn’t Leia in Star Wars take up the mentor role to train young Jedi? I think the biggest difference in wizardly women is that they prove that you don’t always have to fight with brawn to win. My favorite? Molly Weasley! She is as much a mentor to the trio as Dumbledore, and she kicks ass in the final book!
posted by Seth on 5-15-2008 at 1:46 pm
Óđinn is the original wizard to me.
posted by Karl L on 5-16-2008 at 3:56 am
What? Where’s Yesnid from “Fantasia?”
posted by Sillstaw on 5-23-2008 at 7:59 am
Coming back to this post (it was a good one!)- what about Getafix in the Asterix comics? I think he fits, just a bit lighter than the rest.
posted by ann on 5-26-2008 at 3:24 pm