Second Years, Lesson Three

"Good morning, everyone. Surviving?" There were a few equally tired expressions on the students, and Gabrielle couldn't help but feel sympathetic. The halfway point in the semester is where things tended to lull, after all, and she also tended to get exhausted. "I won't keep you all too long today, we'll just have a short lecture then I'll give you a small research assignment for homework." There were a few groans, and she smirked into her teacup, finishing the brew before it got cold.

"We've got an interesting and somewhat divisive figure to talk about today. The lady Morgan Le Fey, also known as 'Morgana'. If you recall back in first year you might remember mention of her when you learned about Merlin, yes?" There were a few blank stares, but some recognition amongst some. That was enough to satisfy her, and she continued. "She's mostly known as King Arthur's half sister, by his mother Igraine and her first husband prior to Uther Pendragon, and was a powerful sorceress in her own right. She was an exceptional healer, so it was told. She was believed to have resided in the Straits of Messina, off the coast of Italy. In this area, the strange currents can draw phosphorescent creatures from the depths to make strange lights appear to hover above the water. This is a phenomenon known as 'Fata Morgana'."

Gabrielle paused to give the students a chance to catch up with their notes, rolling her shoulders and neck to prevent herself from tensing up too much. "Perhaps this draws from the positive interpretations of the lady Morgana. She had an exceptional gift for healing, which caused some people to consider her as being a fae being, or even a goddess of sorts. Some tales speak of Morgana aiding King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, prior to his death."

"On the other hand, there are tales of her villainy, too. She stole King Arthur's sword, Excalibur - the one gifted to him by the Lady of the Lake - and schemed to plot his death and usurp his throne. Some tales expand upon this, suggesting she may have been a lover of Merlin, amongst others, and antagonised the Knights of the Round Table as well as the King himself. Even so, it is believed that she and Arthur still reconciled right before his death." Gabrielle raised an eyebrow, looking over the class. "People are complicated creatures. It's rather reductive to think in terms of 'good' or 'evil', wouldn't you think?" She gave a little laugh at herself with that. Something about this year's syllabus just made her go in to fable mode. Sometimes she just really couldn't help herself.

"Well, I promised you a shorter lecture today, so we'll leave it at that. From one healer to another, though - I'd like for your homework for you to give me a short essay on Paracelsus, please. If you're interested in studying to be a healer he's someone who I think you should certainly familiarize yourself with." There was still a little bit of time before the end of class, but Gabrielle wasn't planning on keeping them long. "Let me know if you're having any difficulty at any stage, otherwise have a good week!"

Homework
RP the lesson. Extra credit for short essay (one or two paragraphs is fine), please include your sources.

 

[Morrie Ayre]

Morrie was bored in History of Magic, nothing new, it was a boring class that she tended to use as an opportunity for nap time. Today she was listening, her chin rested in one hand and the other hand taking a few notes. She stayed awake for the duration and at the end of the lesson was glad for it to be over. She packed up her things and left the classroom.

Spoiler: Extra credit

Morrie handed in two sides of parchment but her handwriting is completely illegible throughout.

 

[Helios Obasi]

Helios walked into the history of magic classroom, and took his spot in the room. He didn’t mind a shorter lecture, the long ones were the ones he minded since they often hurt his hand. He took his quill and began getting down the important parts of what the professor was saying. He certainly worried that it would end up too long, but it was clear it wouldn’t. He was gtetting down the information he was sure would come up in the exam. He could appreciate that the professor understood the danger of lectues being too long and so was glad when the professor wrapped it up. He took a note of the homework and then headed out of the classroom, intending to take a break before he set about doing the assignment.

 

[Kyousuke Kurosawa]

Kyousuke had, of course, done his reading, but he knew that Professor Moncrieffe often added extra information that Kyousuke was eager to get his hands on, so to speak. He took his seat and began taking notes as she spoke. It was another interesting subject - he found himself intrigued by Morgana, the duality of her nature. She was a complicated, intriguing figure that would suit being portrayed on stage well - by someone who knew the craft of acting to an impressive degree, of course. Kyousuke took note of the homework before leaving to do it immediately; there was never any point putting off homework, after all.

Spoiler: Homework

Paracelsus was born in the latter months of 1493 in Switzerland. He was a reformer of previous medical knowledge, rejecting such methods as using moss and/or dung on wounds to heal them. His name, interestingly enough, was not Paracelsus at birth. He was known as Theoprastus as a boy. He chose the name Paracelsus himself. It references Celsus, a medical writer from the 1st century, and 'para' meaning 'above'. He was very influential in his time, and is still an important name in healing. [Source]