To continue, Eilan displays through her values and actions that she represents the Maiden. This is revealed near the end of the novel, just after Eilan sacrifices her honour and life to save her fosterling Senara from the tribes. Gaius, realising his love for Eilan, thinks to himself:
In that moment she had unearthly beauty...
Gaius saw his own heart with a terrible clarity. He
cared about Senara, but his desire for her had not been love. In the
younger woman he had only been trying to recover Eilan as she had
been when he first knew her, the maiden (Forest House 410)
In these lines Gaius realises that he loved the innocent maiden that Eilan was to him before she took on the other roles that come with being the High Priestess. In this moment he sees her with an "unearthly beauty" that can be compared to that of the Goddess. Gaius rekindled love for Eilan is important because it shows that he realises that the Maiden Goddess that he loves is still within her despite all the negative roles Eilan assumes. It also shows that to be the Maiden one does not have to be a physical maiden as Senara is. Another example of when the Maiden is seen in Eilan appears earlier on in the novel. At this time, the High Priestess that reined before Eilan is on her deathbed. After she chooses Eilan to succeed her she declares, "Be it so. Maiden and Mother, I see the Goddess in you now" (Page 217). In this lines the dying priestess proclaims that the Goddess is evident within Eilan, showing that despite Eilan's sins of lying with a man she is still a suitable vessel to represent the Goddess and perform her work on Earth. In death it is made clear to Lhainnon the High Priestess that Eilan's actions were no sin. The Goddess too performs the duties of the Maiden and Virgin huntress by lying with the Year-King and it was the Goddess within Eilan that lied with Gaius when her child was conceived. By being chosen as the new High Priestess Eilan does not only represent the Goddess to the wise Priestess Lhiannon, but will be a suitable representation to the ignorant village people as well seeing as the Maiden and all the faces of the Goddess are visible part of Eilan. Overall, Eilan is shown to represent the Maiden to the many different people she encounters during her life. Throughout, both novels we see that Morgaine and Eilan show characteristics of the Maiden and at times embody this aspect of the Goddess in the eyes of those they meet.
Secondly, Morgaine represents the Mother. This is shown in the last chapter of the novel when Arthur is dying. Morgaine comforting him in his last moments thinks to herself:
His head was heavy on my breast, heavy as the child in my own childish
arms, heavy as the King Stag who had come to me in triumph. Morgaine, my mother had called impatiently, take care of the baby... and all my life I had borne
him with me. I held him close and wiped away his tears with my veil (The mists of Avalon 868)
In these lines Morgaine realises that she has always been the only mother Arthur has ever know. Even when Morgaine was a child herself it was her responsibility to care for her younger brother, as her mother Igraine should have. She sees that her bond to Arthur is greater then that of a brother. Throughout her entire life it was he who she focused on. Arthur was her prodigy child, who would to grow up to be the greatest king that ever reined preserving Avalon and herself. Arthur is now an old man but despite the changes that time has brought Morgaine still comes to him as the Mother in his final moment of need. She cradles him in her arms like a child and comforts him, wiping away the tears he sheds. As the Mother she provides for him the last necessity he will ever need: Love. Another example of the Mother Goddess showing herself in Morgaine is demonstrated earlier on when Morgaine is in Camelot speaking with Gwenhwyfar. After Gwenhwyfar tells the story of the Virgin Mary Morgaine ponders on the topic: "I myself gave up my maidenhood to the Horned One and bore a son to the King Stag... will Gwydion set me on the throne in Heaven as Mother of God?" (Page 738) This is important because it shows that Morgaine has made a connection between herself and the biblical figure, Mary. She sees that they were both virgins made to be mothers by a God. She feels that her son may become a God just as Jesus did and she will be like Mary. Later on in the novel Morgaine realises that the image of the Virgin or Mother Mary is just another form of the Goddess. This is significant because when Morgaine sees herself as Mary she is actually envisioning herself as the Mother Goddess that is within every woman. Overall, Morgaine and those around her see that she is a living representation of the Mother.
Eilan shows the face of the Mother Goddess within her. This aspect of the Goddess is shown during Eilans exile from the Forest House. Gaius is visiting her and her new-born son when Eilan observes, "Gaius's gaze returned to Eilan, and as he set the child once more within the curve of his arm she realised that, wan and exhausted though she might be, to him she was the Goddess as well" (Forest House 255). Eilan sees that although she is not beautiful or heavenly looking as one would expect a Goddess to be, Gauis still sees the Goddess in her. The Mother Goddess is the mother of all men because she is the one who gives life. The Goddess loves, protects and cares for her children. Gaius thinks of Eilan as the Goddess because she gives birth to his son, bringing forth new life into this world. He sees that like the Mother she watches over her children and cares for them deeply. Eilan loves her child and would risk her own life to protect him. The Mother is also seen in Eilan later on in the novel. This occurs during the Samaine festival and Gaius's persecution. After Eilan admits that Gaius came for her, she thinks to herself:
She wished that she could
take him in her arms, but the priests were holding her and she
realised that he did not need it; she no longer saw the lost child
that before had always waited in his eyes. (Page 412)
These lines show that Eilan acknowledges that Gaius is going to be killed soon and want to provide him some comfort before he meets his painful end. Even though Eilan is not Gaius's mother she has always cared for him as a mother would. When they first met it was the stranger Eilan who held Gaius's hand and comforted him while he endured the agony of having his wounds tended. To Eilan, Gaius will always be her child, just as we are all children of the Mother. This is important because it shows Eilan is the Mother to many and not just the physical mother of her son. Overall, Eilan shows that she represents the Mother through her thoughts, actions and motherly nature. In conclusion, the face of the Mother Goddess is mirrored in both Morgaine and Eilan.
Lastly, Morgaine shows the face of the Old Death-crone, killer of men. This occurs after Avalloch is killed and Accolon is sent to battle Arthur. Morgaine says in a conversation to her former friend Kevin the Merlin:
For him too the Goddess wears my face... and pain struck through her.
The Goddess is the giver of life and manhood... and of death...
“Do you recoil from me Kevin? I swear on my life I will do no
murder. You have nothing to fear--” (The mists of Avalon 618)
Morgaine realises that in Kevin's eyes she represents the Goddess and all her faces. Morgaine knows that one of faces of the Goddess is the Death-crone but she refuses to acknowledge that she has ever shown this face and denies that she ever will. Despite this, Kevin with his inner vision sees that the Death-crone and her harmful ways are a part of Morgaine. Earlier on when Morgaine wove the spell to kill Avalloch she was doing the work of the old Death-crone. It is the Goddess of Death who takes the lives of mortal men and Kevin foresees that it is this Goddess within Morgaine who will claim his. Morgaine does not accept that she is one with the Death-crone until much later on. This is seen when Kevin betrays his oaths to the Goddess and is brought back to Avalon for his punishment. Upon sentencing Kevin to death Morgaine tells herself, “But now she must face Kevin as the person avenging the Goddess, the Death-crone, the ravening sow who will devour her own young, the Great Raven, the Destroyer” (Page 800). Morgaine has come to terms with the fact that she must play the old Death-crone. Although Morgaine does not want to kill, she sees that she must represent the Goddess and take it into her own hands to carry out her will. She realises that it is her duty to inform Kevin of his horrific fate and oversee that his undoing is carried out. Like the Death-crone, Morgaine has the power to determine whether men live or die and like the Death-crone she carries out the solemn task of killing. She now sees that when she had Avalloch killed, and sent Accolon to kill Arthur she was acting as the Death-crone, sentencing them to die for the Goddess. Overall, Morgaine's actions show that she represents the Death-crone.
The face of the Death-crone is seen within Eilan. This is first revealed at the Midsummer festival when the rebels summon the Goddess, in the form of Cathubodva the Lady of Ravens. While possessed by the Goddess Eilan says, “I do not give victory- I am the battle-bride; I am the devouring mother; death is the only victory that you will find in my arms!” (Forest House 296). In these lines Eilan assumes the role of Death-crone. Eilan is not an old woman like the killer Goddess is envisioned to be, but the Goddess still speaks through her because Eilan one day will too take the lives of men. Eilan predicts the suffering of Britain and the eventual downfall of Rome. By stating the future Eilan makes it real, laying the death sentence on both the British and Roman people. She understands that the only comfort she can offer the rebels is death. Eilan demonstrates this later on when her rebel brother is killed by her bodyguard for hitting her. After he dies her cousin Dieda proclaims, " Is this your reward for faithfulness to our people? I would have willingly given my own life-" (Page 382). Huw the bodyguard had been taught to kill all that violate the High Priestess and was carrying out Eilans orders when he did so. Like the Death-crone, Eilan kills indiscriminately. All men will eventually die by the hand of the Goddess even those she favours. Although Cyneric was her brother he had to pay for his sin in the appropriate manner. Forsaking a High Priestess is comparable to Kevin forsaking the Goddess; both sacrileges must be punished. Eilan also shows that she has the power of the Death-crone to decide whom lives and who dies. Dieda would have gladly given her life to pay for Cyneric’s wrongdoing, yet Eilan let her live and Cyneric die. Overall, Eilan represents the Death-crone, killer of men. Throughout both novels Morgaine and Eilan embody and show characteristics of the old Death-crone to those around them.
In conclusion, both Morgaine and Eilan act in ways that show they represent the many forms the Goddess takes. In Marion Zimmer Bradley’s masterpieces The mists of Avalon and Forest House we are confronted with female characters that go beyond the roles woman were expected to play. The two priestess’s looked inside themselves and found the power to be the Goddess on Earth. These novels show that if one believes in themselves and the Goddess inside them, they can be anyone and do anything. This lesson can be applied to everyone regardless of gender.