Merlin is portrayed as an admirable character through his willingness to adapt to change. Merlin originally was forced out of his land and due to Camlach, who wanted to murder the child. At the tender age of twelve, Merlin was willing to change his entire lifestyle and leave his home to venture into the unknown, regardless of the risk. In fact, this risk is exemplified moments later, when he is captured by Ambrosius’ men, and it is admirable that despite those dangers, he left his home. However, such change is not only represented by his physical state of being, but an emotional state as well. Cerdic, Merlin’s servant, tells the child that the boy is a ring-dove, a cowardly bird that flees at the sign of danger rather than fight for itself. …show more content…
Maugan is portrayed as a man who believes in superstition, and this later creates issues for Merlin. Vortigern was constructing a fortress, but it would not stand higher than a man’s height; Maugan manages to convince his king, Vortigern, that the blood of a man who has no father must be spilled onto the foundation of his fortress. Merlin, who they believe has no human father, is the would-be sacrifice for this deed. Stewart portrays this logic as foolish, and through Merlin, calls Maugan a “charlatan”. This shows Mary Stewart’s true feelings about superstition as well; such beliefs are only held by misled people or frauds. Stewart also believes that superstition stems from a lack of proof and factual evidence about a subject. After Merlin makes the prophecy of of red and white dragons, and these dragons are seen in the forms of shooting stars, Vortigern sees this as evidence and dispels his previously held claim. Thusly, it can be seen that once evidence was shown to Vortigern about a different possibility for his problem, he eliminated his superstitious misconception based on the fact that there was no proof for the belief. Through the magician Maugan, Mary Stewart reveals her true attitude towards humans and their superstitious