It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Senex. (Discuss)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2009)

The wise old man (also called sage or "Senex") is an archetype as described by Carl Jung. It is also a classic literary figure, and may be seen as a stock character.^[1] Historically, an expert was referred to as a sage. The individual was usually a profound philosopher distinguished for wisdom and sound judgment.

Contents 1 Traits 2 Terminology 3 Examples 3.1 Historical 3.2 Mythology 3.3 Fiction 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Traits

This type of character is typically represented as a kind and wise, older father-type figure who uses personal knowledge of people and the world to help tell stories and offer guidance that, in a mystical way, may impress upon his audience a sense of who they are and who they might become, thereby acting as a mentor. He may occasionally appear as an absent-minded professor, appearing absent minded due to a predilection for contemplative pursuits.

The wise old man is often seen to be in some way "foreign", that is, from a different culture, nation, or occasionally, even a different time, than those he advises. In extreme cases, he may be a liminal being, such as Merlin, who was only half human.

In medieval chivalric romance and modern fantasy literature, he is often presented as a wizard.^[2] He can also or instead be featured as a hermit. This character type often explained to the knights or heroes — particularly those searching for the Holy Grail — the significiance of their encounters.^[3]

In storytelling, the character of the wise old man is commonly killed or in some other way removed for a time, in order to allow the hero to develop on his/her own.

[edit] Terminology

Jung dubbed this character as a senex. This is Latin for old man in general, and in fact, two stock characters of the stage are the senex iratus, an old man who irrationally objects to the love between the younger characters, and the senex amans, an old man foolishly in love with a woman too young for him. Jung's senex, unlike these characters, has grown old graciously. His wisdom is not only in his increased knowledge and judgment, but his knowing that younger people have taken on the role of hero, and that his position has changed to one of mentor.

Merlin fell from the role of senex to senex amans when he fell in love with Nimue; this lapse in judgment is what led to his enchantment and imprisonment.

[edit] Examples

[edit] Historical

• Seven Sages of Greece
  • Solon of Athens
  • Chilon of Sparta
  • Thales of Miletus
  • Bias of Priene
  • Cleobulus of Lindos
  • Pittacus of Mitylene
  • Periander of Corinth

• Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove
  • Ruan Ji
  • Xi Kang
  • Liu Ling
  • Shan Tao
  • Ruan Xian
  • Xiang Xiu
  • Wang Rong

• Navaratnas

• The Rabbis, or Sages of Talmudic lore (Judaism)
  • Yohanan ben Zakkai
  • Hillel I
  • Shammai
  • others

• Jiang Ziya, a genius and patient old man. He was well known as a legendary military strategist and the most famous Prime Minister of the Zhou Dynasty of China.
• Benjamin Franklin, at least at the time of the American Revolution and afterwards; shows much of the character of a "wise old man".^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Mythology

• Mentor, in Greek mythology
• Merlin from the Matter of Britain and the legends of King Arthur
• Nestor from Iliad
• Tiresias from the Odyssey, Oedipus Rex, and other Greek myths
• Utnapishtim from the Epic of Gilgamesh
• Mímir, in Norse mythology

[edit] Fiction

As noted above, due to the influence of Merlin (and later Gandalf), a wise old man is often presented in the form of a wizard or other magician in medieval chivalric romance and modern fantasy literature and Films (e.g. Obi-Wan Kenobi or Gandalf) See List of magicians in fantasy for more examples.

[edit] See also

• Elderly martial arts master
• Hermit
• Ivory Tower
• Jungian psychology
• Magic Negro
• Magicians in fantasy
• Masonic
• Sage (Sophos)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Social Transformative Gaming Citadel of Sages