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Origin of Wizards Tower in Legend and Literature?
- Thread starter johnsemlak
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Mystaros
First Post
I'd say, look to the east...
Among the core influence on the concept of a "wizard" or "magician" in western myth can be found the archetypal Magi of Persia. The Persian Magi were what we would today regard as fire worshippers of a sort, followers of Zoroastrianism (and earlier Mazdaism, later Manichiism and somewhat Mithraism, though that faith had a quite different canon and ritual). The Persians and thus the Magi adopted many traits from the Sumerians/Akkadians/Babylonians, whom they conquered early in their imperial era. Among the architectual traits that were adopted (or further embellished, from whatever fashion it existed in Persia already) was the use of towers to better see the stars and planets whilst engaged in astrology (truly ancient style astrology, not astronomy or even modern astrology as we would know it today). The Babylonians and their predecessors had used towers since time immemorial for this very important religious function, and many religious rituals and beliefs were adopted from Babylon by the Persians (as too by the Hebrews during the Exile, but that is another matter). Note that these ancient towers were not the same type of tower that we are familiar with in the west, the "keep" style tower. Many of these were tall piles of stone with stairs snaking up to the top on the outer or, more rarely the inside of the structure, with an observatory at the top. They were usually (though not always) somewhat distant from a city (for the same reasons modern observatories avoid cities today), built as part of a religious complex. Not designed for defense at all...
Much, much later the Muslims from Arabia stormed into Mesopotamia and Persia, adopting many of the local cultural traits wholesale and disseminating them further. Towers used by astrologers and mystics continued, as did the development of the more "modern" minaret, a classic round tower as we know from medieval times. Sufis and other Islamic mystics (often confused as "magi" by westerners) could be found from Persia to Andalus (Spain), where, as mentioned, they enter the collective myth of the west during the time of the Frankish emperor, Karl the Great (Charlemagne for you Francophiles). Use of the tower, adopted to western styles (sometimes; often wizards in tales were Saracens, remember) continued fitfully in myth and legend throughout the late middle ages and into the gothic era, during which the "mad scientist" or "dark lord" often lived in the tower of an ancient castle (Frankenstein, Dracula, etc.)
The modern myth of the "wizard in the tower" developed at the same time in Britain and America, with Tolkien on the one hand and Howard on the other. But, until the development of role-playing games, and the subsequent re-seeding of fantasy literature by those that played such games, the "wizard's tower" was still usually part of a fortress complex, such as Orthanc at Isengard, the "Scarlet Citadel" of Tsotha-lanthi, or Dol Guldur and Barad-Dur of Sauron. Even the tower of Merlyn in T.H.White's "Once and Future King" was, IIRC, part of a castle. And Thangorodrim, the "towers" of Morgoth, were actually huge, mountain-sized slag heaps that stood above the pits of Angband, not towers at all. In almost every case in early fantasy literature where there is a "wizard in a tower," it is a tower as part and parcel of a greater fortress or city, or ruined fortress or city.
No, the singular wizard's tower, outstanding of all other structures and civilization, is really a modern development, born of the simple fact that, in D&D, a wizard often didn't *need* anything more than a simple tower for self defense. Any wizard of sufficient power to live in the wilderness on his own or with but few followers could take care of invading forces with fireballs, lightning bolts, and stinking clouds... Not to mention that most of the living space in the "tower" was actually found in the "dungeon" belowground! Plus, why waste treasure building more "fortress" than necessary, when that treasure could go toward creating or buying magic items, eh?
So really, we have to blame *ourselves* for the pure concept of a "wizard's tower". Y'all give yourselves a pat on the back, eh? (^_^)
Among the core influence on the concept of a "wizard" or "magician" in western myth can be found the archetypal Magi of Persia. The Persian Magi were what we would today regard as fire worshippers of a sort, followers of Zoroastrianism (and earlier Mazdaism, later Manichiism and somewhat Mithraism, though that faith had a quite different canon and ritual). The Persians and thus the Magi adopted many traits from the Sumerians/Akkadians/Babylonians, whom they conquered early in their imperial era. Among the architectual traits that were adopted (or further embellished, from whatever fashion it existed in Persia already) was the use of towers to better see the stars and planets whilst engaged in astrology (truly ancient style astrology, not astronomy or even modern astrology as we would know it today). The Babylonians and their predecessors had used towers since time immemorial for this very important religious function, and many religious rituals and beliefs were adopted from Babylon by the Persians (as too by the Hebrews during the Exile, but that is another matter). Note that these ancient towers were not the same type of tower that we are familiar with in the west, the "keep" style tower. Many of these were tall piles of stone with stairs snaking up to the top on the outer or, more rarely the inside of the structure, with an observatory at the top. They were usually (though not always) somewhat distant from a city (for the same reasons modern observatories avoid cities today), built as part of a religious complex. Not designed for defense at all...
Much, much later the Muslims from Arabia stormed into Mesopotamia and Persia, adopting many of the local cultural traits wholesale and disseminating them further. Towers used by astrologers and mystics continued, as did the development of the more "modern" minaret, a classic round tower as we know from medieval times. Sufis and other Islamic mystics (often confused as "magi" by westerners) could be found from Persia to Andalus (Spain), where, as mentioned, they enter the collective myth of the west during the time of the Frankish emperor, Karl the Great (Charlemagne for you Francophiles). Use of the tower, adopted to western styles (sometimes; often wizards in tales were Saracens, remember) continued fitfully in myth and legend throughout the late middle ages and into the gothic era, during which the "mad scientist" or "dark lord" often lived in the tower of an ancient castle (Frankenstein, Dracula, etc.)
The modern myth of the "wizard in the tower" developed at the same time in Britain and America, with Tolkien on the one hand and Howard on the other. But, until the development of role-playing games, and the subsequent re-seeding of fantasy literature by those that played such games, the "wizard's tower" was still usually part of a fortress complex, such as Orthanc at Isengard, the "Scarlet Citadel" of Tsotha-lanthi, or Dol Guldur and Barad-Dur of Sauron. Even the tower of Merlyn in T.H.White's "Once and Future King" was, IIRC, part of a castle. And Thangorodrim, the "towers" of Morgoth, were actually huge, mountain-sized slag heaps that stood above the pits of Angband, not towers at all. In almost every case in early fantasy literature where there is a "wizard in a tower," it is a tower as part and parcel of a greater fortress or city, or ruined fortress or city.
No, the singular wizard's tower, outstanding of all other structures and civilization, is really a modern development, born of the simple fact that, in D&D, a wizard often didn't *need* anything more than a simple tower for self defense. Any wizard of sufficient power to live in the wilderness on his own or with but few followers could take care of invading forces with fireballs, lightning bolts, and stinking clouds... Not to mention that most of the living space in the "tower" was actually found in the "dungeon" belowground! Plus, why waste treasure building more "fortress" than necessary, when that treasure could go toward creating or buying magic items, eh?
So really, we have to blame *ourselves* for the pure concept of a "wizard's tower". Y'all give yourselves a pat on the back, eh? (^_^)
johnsemlak
First Post
Wow, another awesome post, thanks James. That really seems to tie a lot of the previous posts in this thread together.
Gez
First Post
d20fool said:
As I said, and there's no need to involve Freud, phallic symbols are symbols of power -- but not necessarily sexual power. Rather, masculine power, in its archetypal conception. Overt and proud symbols, like swords and staves, of destruction, creation, protection, and autority. (Archetypal feminine power is different, more about creation, protection, mysteries, subtlety, seduction, etc. Both have creative and protective roles, but in different ways.)
jester47
First Post
Looking at that great post by James, it seems that the "Hey, wizards must live in towers!" thought began in the 1930's. We have T.H. White stuffing Merlin into a Tower, Howard having Conan kill everyone in the tower, and Tolkein doing followup in the 50's with Saruman in the Orthanc.
From the research that I have been looking at, there is a strong tradition of wizard towers in eastern literature coming (as James said) from persia.
All in all though, it is a handy trope that really saw its formulation in the 30's.
The tower = the inaccesible place, the holiest of holies, the restricted area
The wizard = the one who can access it, the high priest, the guy with the clearance.
The corrupting influence = power gained from such a position
There are numerous characters in literature that follow this combination. Faust, Frankenstein, Abdul al Hazred, Prospero to an extent, and many others.
There seems at the core the abandonment of humanity for power through some force and how that faustian bargain corrupts. I think while this literary pattern develops time and time again, I think that the character of Saruman is a complete synthesis of this literary type. He lives in a place of power, removed from the rest of the world, he has a power at his command but has given up his "soul" for unlimited power. So looking at this we find the end result. The final draft of the "wizard in the tower." But we are looking at the beginning...
I recently spent some time looking through the influences of Tolkien as laid out by Tom Shippey in The Road to Middle Earth.
In there he points out a particular "Dark Tower" story from a book of English Fairy Tales, and also notes the citation of the Old Man of the Mountain, Hassan i Sabbah. If one looks at the traits of the historical site, you get the impression that the fortress would have been very tower like. With all the legends, we can see how the idea of a "wizard in a tower" could come from reading abut this. The major research on the historical Alamut was done by Freya Stark in the 1930s. So that could be an element. Furthermore, Howard would have been aware of the travels of Marco Polo, and his wizards (especially thier use of the black lotus) seems to be very much inspired by Hassan-i-Sabbah and the Assassins as laid out by Polo, and later Mandeville. Mandeville was also a work that Tolkien would have looked at.
So I am thinking that the trope comes from three sources:
1) Legends of the Assassins. Polo, Mandeville. I think this is largely the source that howard used in the Scarlet Citadel.
2) Faust, Faustus, Frankenstien. The Faustian bargain of magic/technology in exchange for soul and humanity.
3) Historical Persian and Arab priest/astrologers
We see all of these in synthesis in the character of Saruman and the location of Orthanc. Grima Wormtounge is a further example of the Assassin traits of Saruman. The palantir is an example of the astrologer aspect (the stars were thought to be in a crystal sphere...) and saruman is sort of a "high priest."
More to come.
Aaron.
From the research that I have been looking at, there is a strong tradition of wizard towers in eastern literature coming (as James said) from persia.
All in all though, it is a handy trope that really saw its formulation in the 30's.
The tower = the inaccesible place, the holiest of holies, the restricted area
The wizard = the one who can access it, the high priest, the guy with the clearance.
The corrupting influence = power gained from such a position
There are numerous characters in literature that follow this combination. Faust, Frankenstein, Abdul al Hazred, Prospero to an extent, and many others.
There seems at the core the abandonment of humanity for power through some force and how that faustian bargain corrupts. I think while this literary pattern develops time and time again, I think that the character of Saruman is a complete synthesis of this literary type. He lives in a place of power, removed from the rest of the world, he has a power at his command but has given up his "soul" for unlimited power. So looking at this we find the end result. The final draft of the "wizard in the tower." But we are looking at the beginning...
I recently spent some time looking through the influences of Tolkien as laid out by Tom Shippey in The Road to Middle Earth.
In there he points out a particular "Dark Tower" story from a book of English Fairy Tales, and also notes the citation of the Old Man of the Mountain, Hassan i Sabbah. If one looks at the traits of the historical site, you get the impression that the fortress would have been very tower like. With all the legends, we can see how the idea of a "wizard in a tower" could come from reading abut this. The major research on the historical Alamut was done by Freya Stark in the 1930s. So that could be an element. Furthermore, Howard would have been aware of the travels of Marco Polo, and his wizards (especially thier use of the black lotus) seems to be very much inspired by Hassan-i-Sabbah and the Assassins as laid out by Polo, and later Mandeville. Mandeville was also a work that Tolkien would have looked at.
So I am thinking that the trope comes from three sources:
1) Legends of the Assassins. Polo, Mandeville. I think this is largely the source that howard used in the Scarlet Citadel.
2) Faust, Faustus, Frankenstien. The Faustian bargain of magic/technology in exchange for soul and humanity.
3) Historical Persian and Arab priest/astrologers
We see all of these in synthesis in the character of Saruman and the location of Orthanc. Grima Wormtounge is a further example of the Assassin traits of Saruman. The palantir is an example of the astrologer aspect (the stars were thought to be in a crystal sphere...) and saruman is sort of a "high priest."
More to come.
Aaron.
Last edited:
dougmander
Explorer
johnsemlak said:
In Ariosto's satiric epic poem Orlando Furioso, begun in 1505, there is a wizard named Atlas who lives in a high, many-towered castle. This poem, by the way, is the original source of the hippogryph, which the evil wizard used as a steed.
"Then I came to a stark, grim valley hemmed in with cliffs and horrid caves, and in the middle, on a rock, there rose a mighty castle, well seated and of remarkable beauty... Later I learned how industrious demons, evoked in the burning of incense and in magical incantations, had ringed the beautiful place in a wall of steel tempered in Hades' fires and in the waters of the Styx. Each tower gleams with this burnished metal which is proof against rust and stain. Day and night the guilty thief scours the country round, then to withdraw into his keep."
--Orlando Furioso, Canto 2
The Orlandos (there were several versions) were comic reworkings of the tales of Roland and the paladins of Charlemagne which were popular in Renaissance Italy. I'm guessing that the idea of a wizard's keep/castle/tower didn't start with Ariosto, but I'm not familiar enough with his source material to cite any sources in print earlier than 1505.
johnsemlak
First Post
I want to thank everyone for the awesome answers. This has been a fun thread for me to watch.
Bump for just a little more posterity.
Bump for just a little more posterity.
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