Merlin

Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures. Geoffrey combined existing stories of Myrddin Wyllt (Merlinus Caledonensis), a North Brythonic prophet and madman with no connection to King Arthur, with tales of the Romano-British war leader Ambrosius Aurelianus to form the composite figure he called Merlin Ambrosius (Welsh: Myrddin Emrys). He is allegedly buried in the Broceliande forest, near Paimpont in Brittany.

Geoffrey's rendering of the character was immediately popular, especially in Wales. Later writers expanded the account to produce a fuller image of the wizard. Merlin's traditional biography casts him as a cambion: born of a mortal woman, sired by an incubus, the non-human from whom he inherits his supernatural powers and abilities. The name of Merlin's mother is not usually stated but is given as Adhan in the oldest version of the Prose Brut. Merlin matures to an ascendant sagehood and engineers the birth of Arthur through magic and intrigue. Later authors have Merlin serve as the king's advisor until he is bewitched and imprisoned by the Lady of the Lake.

Angel Coulby

Angel Coulby (born 30 August 1980) is an English actress. She is best known for portraying the character Guinevere "Gwen" in the BBC fantasy series Merlin.

Early life

Coulby was born and grew up in north London, she moved to Edinburgh to study for a degree in acting at Queen Margaret University.

Career

She is seen in an episode of Scariest Places on Earth, not! as a student who had an encounter with a ghost. Her breakthrough came in 2001 with her role in the Johnny Vaughan vehicle 'Orrible. She was later chosen to play Gwen, a young woman who would later become Queen Guinevere, in the BBC One fantasy TV series Merlin.

In an interview, Coulby stated that she enjoys being able to play the character from Gwen the humble, lowly maidservant all the way to Queen Guinevere of Camelot. In that capacity, she starred in all the five seasons, and most of the episodes, right up to the final one.

She took the star role of the jazz singer Jessie in the BBC Two Stephen Poliakoff five-part 2013 drama serial Dancing on the Edge, alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Goodman, Matthew Goode, Anthony Head and Jacqueline Bisset.

Bradley James

Bradley James (born 11 October 1983) is an English actor. He is best known for portraying Arthur Pendragon (previously Prince Arthur) in the television programme Merlin.

Debuting in 2008, his breakthrough role as Arthur Pendragon in Merlin came later that year. He has since appeared in Homeland and iZombie, and will star as the title character in the upcoming Damien. Film roles include Carl in Fast Girls in 2012 and a villain in the future Underworld: Next Generation.

Early and personal life

James was born in Exeter, Devon in England. He and his family then moved to Jacksonville, Florida in the United States when he was nine years old. During his time there, he attended Crown Point Elementary School and then Fletcher Middle School, before attending Madeley High School in Madeley, England.

James is a fan of football and participates annually in sporting charity events. When he was younger, he wanted to be either a footballer or an actor.

Career

James first appeared in an episode of Lewis in 2008 and also played the part of Ben in the BBC Three drama Dis/Connected.

Angel

An angel is a purely spiritual being found in various religions and mythologies. In Abrahamic religions and Zoroastrianism, angels are often depicted as benevolent celestial beings who act as intermediaries between God or Heaven and Earth, or as guardian spirits or a guiding influence. Other roles of angels include protecting and guiding human beings, and carrying out God's tasks. The term "angel" has also been diversed to various notions of spirits or figures found in many other religious traditions. The theological study of angels is known as "angelology".

In art, angels are often depicted with bird-like wings on their back, a halo, robes and various forms of glowing light.

Etymology

The word angel (pronounced /ˈeɪn.dʒəl/) in English is a blend of Old English engel (with a hard g) and Old French angele. Both derive from Late Latin angelus "messenger", which in turn was borrowed from Late Greek ἄνγελος ángelos. According to R. S. P. Beekes, ángelos itself may be "an Oriental loan, like ἄγγαρος ['Persian mounted courier']." The word's earliest form is Mycenaean a-ke-ro attested in Linear B syllabic script.

Advent calendar

An Advent calendar is a special calendar used to count or celebrate the days in anticipation of Christmas. Since the date of the first Sunday of Advent varies, falling between November 27 and December 3 inclusive, the Advent calendar usually begins on December 1, although many include the previous few days that are part of the season. The Advent calendar was first used by German Lutherans in the 19th and 20th centuries but is now ubiquitous among adherents of many Christian denominations.

Design and use

Advent calendars range in theme, from sports to technology. They come in a multitude of forms, from a simple paper calendar with flaps covering each of the days to fabric pockets on a background scene to painted wooden boxes with cubby holes for small items.

Many Advent calendars take the form of a large rectangular card with "windows", of which there are usually 24: one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Eve (December 24). Consecutive doors are opened every day leading up to Christmas, beginning on December 1. The calendar windows open to reveal an image, a poem, a portion of a story (such as the story of the Nativity of Jesus), or a small gift, such as a toy or a chocolate item. Often, each window has a Bible verse and Christian prayer printed on it, which Christians incorporate as part of their daily Advent devotions. Advent calendars may also have puzzles and games printed on their reverse side.