Merlin and Nimiane: The Unifying Force for the National Unity of Britain at the Waning of the Middle Ages as Depicted in the Fifteenth-Century "Prose Merlin"

The article analyses a special portrayal of the relationship between Merlin and Nimiane in the English fifteenth-century Prose Merlin. The power couple escapes from their previously distinct and usually dubious renditions to perform a new function that serves the nation-building of a reviving civilization. The political and religious inclinations of the anonymous author are visible in their almost impeccable conduct towards their sovereigns, God, and themselves. The article analyses the unique presentation of the two in the light of the political and social circumstances of the waning of the Middle Ages in Britain and contrasts them with a short analysis of other medieval portrayals of the couple.