The Wise Old Man reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Wise Old Man

The Wise Old Man is an archetype as described by Carl Gustav Jung. It is also a classic literary character in works of fiction; typically represented by an older father-type figure who uses personal knowledge of people and the world, to help tell stories that in a mystical way illuminate to his audience a sense of who they are and who they might become.

Examples of notable wise old men in popular fiction

• Gandalf from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth series
• Merlin from the Matter of Britain and the legends of King Arthur
• Yoda from Star Wars (also Obi-Wan Kenobi from the original trilogy)
• Mr Miyagi from The Karate Kid

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