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Revision as of 06:20, 24 December 2005 edit211.30.21.139 (talk) →Fiction← Previous edit Revision as of 06:34, 27 December 2005 edit undoNandesuka (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users13,890 edits →Fiction: Removed the every-wizard-in-the-universe list to separate article, added "See Also", culled the herd to the most well-known. Could be culled more, probably.Next edit →
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* ] - the grand wizard of ] * ] - the grand wizard of ]


==Fiction== ==Wizards in Fiction==
] ]
], from the '']'' series, is another famous literary wizard.]] ], from the '']'' series, is another famous literary wizard.]]


Famous wizards in folklore and fantasy fiction (sometimes both) include: Famous wizards in folklore and fiction include:
* ] Is the wizard from ], young adult fantasy/adventure novel by Karen M. Penn {{ref|penn}}
* ] is a wizard, also known as a ] and ], from the ] series, which was created by ].
* ] One of the prophesied twins born in the post apocalyptic movie "]" Avatar, the good son, is human and seeks a passive life of non-aggression in order to avoid responsibility for the bloodshed and despair prophesied. He defeats his evil brother Blackwolf, who tries to take over their world machinery gleaned from an old nazi war reel.
* ] - created by ] as a leading character for '']'' series of fantasy novels (also called 'Belgarath the Sorcerer' or 'The Eternal Man').
* ] The evil twin of Avatar, who uses magic to create Nazi machinery from an old projector and war film. Blackwolf's disastrous attempts to assassinate his brother compell Avatar to marshal forces against Blackwolf, leading to the ultimate confrontation.
* ] the Inescapable, ] the Marvelous, and others - from ]'s '']'' stories.
* ] in '']'' and sequels by ]
* ] is the wizard that helped ] in the ] ] series created by ] and produced by the ] ] ].
* The Dean of ] in ]'s '']'' series is not named, but is a senior wizard and recurring character.
* ] is a sorceror and ] in stories published by ].
* ] is a wizard ] and Sorcerer Supreme in the ].
* ] - featured in many of the ] fantasy novels and RPGs. * ] - featured in many of the ] fantasy novels and RPGs.
* ] of Melniboné - often called a sorcerer or a wizard - from ]'s ''Elric of Melniboné'' and its sequels.
* ] is the mortal avatar of the god ] from the ] fantasy novels.
* ], ], ], ] and ] - from ] '']'' - are called ], but are really supernatural entities. In the Middle-earth legendarium, "wizard" is a term applied only to the five members of the ]; the term "wizard" could never be applied to a human, and a human magic user is simply called a sorcerer. * ], ], ], ] and ] - from ] '']'' - are called ], but are really supernatural entities. In the Middle-earth legendarium, "wizard" is a term applied only to the five members of the ]; the term "wizard" could never be applied to a human, and a human magic user is simply called a sorcerer.
* ] is a major wizard in the world of ], which was created by ] and ].
* ], ], ], ], and all other non-] male characters from ]'s '']'' and its sequels. (The females are ]es). * ], ], ], ], and all other non-] male characters from ]'s '']'' and its sequels. (The females are ]es).
* ] is a Wizard up for hire for investigating crimes the Dresden File books by Jim Butcher
* Henrot, Necross the Mad, the Flame Jewel Wizard, and Charles X. Claremont are all wizards in the ] universe.
* ] ("a dealer in magic and spells") - the eponymous ] of ]'s ], who also features in two books by ].
* ] was a very powerful mage in the ] ] series. Other mages in ] include ], ], ], ] and ] among (many) others
* ] - protagonist of ]'s ''The Lord of Middle Air'' - a historical figure and an ancestor of the author!
* ], the wizard, associated with ]. * ], the wizard, associated with ].
* ] was the ]ous wizard of the first ] game.
* ] was the greatest wizard in the ] ] series by ] later bought out by] and then ]. Other great wizards of ] were ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ],and ].
* ] was the riddlemaster of ] in books by author ].
* ] - Archancellor of ] throughout most of ]'s '']'' series.
*] and ] are the sorcerous advisors for ], in ] ] series. They are (apparently) unhuman, and they aid (in other words, complicate the lives of) the two rogue heroes.
* ], as a master of the ], has some wizard-like attributes in ]' ] films: "That wizard's just a crazy old man" said ] to ] in '']''.
* ] is the Head of Inadvisably Applied Magic at ] in ]'s '']'' novels.
* ] (also known as Milamber) is the wizard ] of the ] ] by ].
* ] - The central character from ] series by ]. Richard's original name was Richard Cypher, and he is married to Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor, also a supernatural being.
* ] - strictly a "Wizzard" (it says so on his hat) and the wizards of ] - from many of ]'s '']'' novels. * ] - strictly a "Wizzard" (it says so on his hat) and the wizards of ] - from many of ]'s '']'' novels.
* ], an evil entity from ]'s epic ], oftentimes appears as a "wizard" in the author's other works. Notably in the '']'' as ] (The Man in Black) and ] (Steven Deschain's magician). He also plays the part of the antagonist in '']'' as "Flagg," King Roland's advisor.
* ], the ]ian wizard who gives ] and the ] their powers.
* ] or ] - from ]'s '']'' and its sequels.
* ] in '']'', ] in '']'' and ] in '']'' are examples of evil wizards from the stories about ] by ]. * ] in '']'', ] in '']'' and ] in '']'' are examples of evil wizards from the stories about ] by ].
⚫ * The eponymous character of ]'s '']'' is a stage magician pretending to be a genuine wizard; in the ] the wizard was also a fake. However, in later Oz stories, he studies magic with ] and becomes a genuine wizard. See ].
* ], the young wizard in the '']'' comic by ] and others.
* ] of the ] series is one example of the few Wizard-type Digimon.
* ] - created by ] as a leading character for the '']'' series of fantasy novels (also called 'The Shaman of the Norht' or 'The Watcher').
* ] is a prominent wizard in the ] series by ].


] (]) from ]]] ] (]) from ]]]


{{seealso|List of wizards in fiction}}
⚫ The eponymous character of ]'s '']'' is a stage magician pretending to be a genuine wizard; in the ] the wizard was also a fake. However, in later Oz stories, he studies magic with ] and becomes a genuine wizard. See ].

In some fictional and game settings, ''wizard'' or a similar term is the name for a "]" or species, not just a job description. For example:

* "]s" and "]s" and occasionally even "]s" and "]"s in the video game series ].
* "]" in the TV show ]


=="Real-Life" Wizards== =="Real-Life" Wizards==

Revision as of 06:34, 27 December 2005

For other uses, see Wizard (fantasy) (disambiguation).
File:Mckellen gandalf ttt poster.jpg
Gandalf, from The Lord of the Rings, is an example of a well-known, traditional literary wizard.

A wizard is a practitioner of magic, especially in folklore, fantasy fiction, and fantasy role-playing games. In popular use during 16th century England, "wizard' was used to denote a helpful male folk magican, a cunning man as they were usually called. The word does not generally apply to Neopagans, or to stage magicians (or illusionists).

Etymology

During the 15th century, the term "wizard" referred to "philosopher, sage", from Middle English wysard (from wys "wise" and the -ard suffix also in drunkard etc.) The semantic restriction to "sorcerer, magician" occurred in the 16th century. They have historical roots in the Shamans and the Magi.

Derived Uses

Colloquially, anyone who is especially adept at some obscure or difficult endeavor may be referred to as a wizard. For instance, someone who is particularly skilled with computers might be referred to as a "programming wizard". Wizard is also a slang term for an expert pinball player (cf. The Who's song Pinball Wizard). (However, normal usage applies more specialized superlatives to specific fields of endeavor, thus a musician is more likely to be called a "maestro" than a "wizard").

In MUD games, a wizard is a member of the world-building staff.

Related terms

During the Christianization of Norway, King Olaf Trygvasson had wizards (seidmen) tied up and left on a skerry at ebb.

In most cases there is little to differentiate a wizard from similar fictional and folkloric practitioners of magic such as an enchanter, a magician, a sorcerer, a necromancer, or a thaumaturgist, but specific authors and works use the names with narrower meanings. When such distinctions are made, sorcerers are more often practitioners of evocations or black magic, and there may be variations on level and type of power associated with each name.

The ever-shifting chaos of fantasy writing has, of course, muddled the meaning of each term, but they should never be stuck with a single meaning, for they change depending upon where they're found.

Dungeons & Dragons Third Edition, for example, distinguishes between the sorcerer and wizard character classes as follows:

  • "Sorcerers create magic the way poets create poems, with inborn talent honed by practice."
  • "Wizards depend on intensive study to create their magic... For a wizard, magic is not a talent but a deliberate rewarding art."

Steve Pemberton's The Times & Life of Lucifer Jones describes the distinction thus: "The difference between a wizard and a sorcerer is comparable to that between, say, a lion and a tiger, but wizards are acutely status-conscious, and to them, it's more like the difference between a lion and a dead kitten."

In Terry Pratchett's Discworld books, "wizard" has essentially the common usage meaning, while a sourcerer is a wizard squared (an eighth son of an eighth son of an eighth son) and is a "source of magic" who can create new spells and is immensely more powerful.

Myths and Legends

Wizards found in old fairy tales and myths include:

Wizards in Fiction

A fantasy Wizard
A fantasy Wizard
File:Dumbeldore1.png
Albus Dumbledore, from the Harry Potter series, is another famous literary wizard.

Famous wizards in folklore and fiction include:

File:Tim the enchanter.jpg
Tim the Enchanter (John Cleese) from Monty Python and the Holy Grail
See also: List of wizards in fiction

"Real-Life" Wizards

In history, there have been several real people who are popularly believed, or who claimed to be, wizards, sorcerers, etc. Examples include:

  • Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa a magician, occult writer, and an alchemist.
  • Aleister Crowley is a controversial figure, the most famous "modern wizard," who is believed to have coined the alternate spelling, "magick."
  • John Dee, whose magical powers were said to come from angels.
  • John Diamond, and his granddaughter, Molly Pitcher, were supposed to have the ability to foretell the future and help (or doom) sailors at sea.
  • Gerald Fitzgerald, the Earl of Desmond, was said to be a shapeshifter wizard, whose spirit is said to still haunt the living.
  • Nicholas Flamel, though he is really more of an alchemist.
  • Michael Scot may have been fictional, though those who claim his reality say he could do amazing feats by conversing with spirits.

References

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