Different Phases/Faces of Morgan le Fay - The Changing Image of the Sorceress in Arthurian Literature - Master Thesis

Aug 22, 2026

The thesis examines how Morgan le Fay is represented across different stages of Arthurian literature, tracing the evolution of her image from early narrative sources to later literary reinterpretations. It analyzes key portrayals in texts attributed to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Sir Thomas Malory, Alfred Lord Tennyson, T. H. White, and Marion Zimmer Bradley, focusing on shifting gendered ideals and moral framing. Special attention is given to depictions of the “ideal woman,” the “fallen woman,” and a counterpoint to Victorian ideal womanhood, culminating in an assessment of the overall transformation of the sorceress.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages132

Reading Time5 h 33 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

The origins of Morgan le Fay

Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae and his Vita Merlini

Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur

Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Idylls of the King

T. H. White’s The Once and Future King

Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon

Conclusion

DIPLOMARBEIT Titel der wissenschaftlichen Arbeit Different Phases/Faces of Morgan le Fay: The Changing Image of the Sorceress in Arthurian Literature Verfasserin Elke Dalecky Angestrebter akademischer Grad Magistra der Philosophie (Mag.phil.) Betreuer: Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Franz-Karl Wöhrer Wien, September 2008 Studienkennzahl: A344 299 Studienrichtung: LA Anglistik und Amerikanistik LA Philosophie, Pädagogik, Psychologie DECLARATION OF AUTHENTICITY I confirm to have conceived and written this Master thesis in English all by myself. Quotations from other authors are all clearly marked and acknowledged in the bibliographical references, either in the footnotes or within the text. Any ideas borrowed and/or passages paraphrased from the works of other authors are truthfully acknowledged and identified in the footnotes. Signature HINWEIS Diese Diplomarbeit hat nachgewiesen, dass die betreffende Kandidatin oder der betreffende Kandidat befähigt ist, wissenschaftliche Themen selbstständig sowie inhaltlich und methodisch vertretbar zu bearbeiten. Da die Korrekturender/des Beurteilenden nicht eingetragen sind und das Gutachten nicht beiliegt, ist daher nicht erkenntlich mit welcher Note diese Arbeit abgeschlossen wurde. Das Spektrum reicht von sehr gut bis genügend. Die Habilitierten des Instituts für Anglistik und Amerikanistik bitten diesen Hinweis bei der Lektüre zu beachten. Acknowledgements I owe a great deal to a number of friends and family members who shared their advice and lent me support. Special thanks must go to the following people: First of all, I would like to thank Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Franz Wöhrer who guided me through the writing process of this thesis. He has been helpful and encouraging all along and at any time. I could not have wished for a better tutor and I owe him a special debt of gratitute. Judith S. Morgane, a very talented and dear friend of mine. She suggested that I should attempt to write about the character of Morgan le Fay. Without her, this thesis would not have come into existance. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and friendship with me. May all your wishes come true and blessed be! ☺ I am very indebted to my parents Gottfried and Philippine Dalecky and my sister Carmen. Without their love, understanding and of course financial help, I would not have made it. I am sorry that it took me so long. I love you. Thanks to Gregor Kutschera. You know what for. I love you. Judith Büger, my beloved cousin and closest friend. She knows better than anybody else what I have been through. Thanks for your love and friendship. Petra Lipautz. I owe you so much. I will always be by your side. Do not forget: VINCO! Thanks to Kati Tratz, my dear friend for always being there when I needed someone. You are a very special person to me and I wish you all the best for your musical carreer. I regret that my grandmother Philippine Bürger who always believed in me could not see me complete this thesis. I wish you were still with us! Astrid Schmoliner for being the best friend I have ever had! Special thanks must also go to Tobias Schwenner, my boss and dear friend at Vienna’s English Theatre for always showing reams and reams of understanding and for giving me so many days off!!! My cat Piero for always being on my side while I was sitting on the computer. Thanks for keeping me aware of the fact how important it is to relax! ☺ Last but not least, I would like to thank a few people who supported and/or inspired me during the last few years of my studies: Elfriede, Michael and Christoph Buksnowitz; Carina Kny, Beatrix Kutschera and Eugen Kohler, Heidi Hinteregger, Kathryn and Howard Nightingall, Daniel Resch, Noel Razzak, Hannes Haberl, Julia Storm, the whole crew at Vienna’s English Theatre, Christine Buchwald, Kristin Baumann and finally my band Transceiver. Thanks!!!! Table of Contents INTRODUCTION .............................................................

FAQs

Which works are analyzed for the changing image of Morgan le Fay?

The thesis analyzes portrayals in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae and Vita Merlini, Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, Tennyson’s Idylls of the King, T. H. White’s The Once and Future King, and Bradley’s Mists of Avalon.

How does the thesis connect Morgan le Fay to ideas about women?

It focuses on how different texts frame Morgan le Fay as a representation of the “ideal woman” in the mid-twelfth century and later as the “fallen woman” in the late Middle Ages, and it also examines tensions with Victorian ideal womanhood.

What is the main research question about Morgan le Fay’s portrayal?

The study investigates how Morgan le Fay’s phases/faces change across Arthurian literature, reshaping the image of the sorceress through different authors and periods.

Aug 22, 2026

Upload by Evangeline