Lots of people talking about gods and religion in The Crystal Cave, but what religion is the right one? Are we even asking the right question?
For characters like Merlin and Ambrosius, it's all about light and power. They're not so particular: whichever god brings light (in all its symbolic meaning, versus darkness), it's all good. For Merlin, the name of the god doesn't matter. He only cares that there's an invisible hand giving purpose to his life.
The way characters like Merlin mix and match elements from different religions—something smarty-pants scholars like to call syncretism—shows us that these characters are less worried about the nitty-gritty details of a religion and more interested in the big picture: where is "the god"—whoever he or she may be—leading them?
Questions About Religion
- Why does Ambrosius (and later, Merlin) say that the name of the god doesn't matter?
- Why does Merlin get initiated into the secret rites of the druids when his father's family follows Mithras?
- What god is driving or helping Merlin? What makes you think this?
- How does Merlin feel about his mother's devotion to Christianity?
Chew on This
Merlin isn't driven by any god. He's really only interested in cementing his dad's political legacy.
Uther's dedication to Mithras is more about his desire to stay Roman than about any religious duty.