The Dark Is Rising

Merriman is the one character who appears in every book of the Dark Is Rising series, tying them all together. As the oldest of the immortal Old Ones, he has watched the lives of mortals flicker in and out for thousands of years. During that time, he has developed a degree of distance that allows him to use people remorselessly at times. His allegiance to the Light sometimes requires him to sacrifice individuals for the greater good—one of the ways in which Dark May Be Evil but Good Is Not Nice. His demands of loyalty to the Light sometimes exceed mortal strength; he forgets that, their lives being so short, mortals more urgently feel the need to be loved in the time they have. This leads Merriman to make an error in his treatment of Hawkin that results in disaster for the Light and contrasts with Will’s early mistake (opening the door to the Dark, requiring the Lady to expend herself). Where Will’s error stemmed from hope and sympathy, Merriman failed because he did not recognize that Hawkin would interpret Merriman’s actions as a betrayal.

As the archetypal herald, Merriman announces Will’s entry into the special world, revealing his dual nature and his destiny. As the mentor—a role he also fills in Arthurian legend—he teaches Will how to use his power and what it means to be an Old One. As the mage, he understands the connections between earth and spirit. The mage’s role is not to fight the battle directly but to guide the warrior hero. Merriman occasionally intervenes to protect Will early in the latter’s quest to find the Signs, but by the end of the story, Will is standing on his own feet, doing credit to Merriman’s teaching.

Hawkin is Merriman’s liege man—nearly an adopted son—from the 13th century. Merriman puts too much trust in Hawkin’s love for and faith in him. Hawkin consented to act as a security key, ensuring that no one could force Merriman to open the clock concealing the Gramarye before its proper time. The role potentially jeopardized Hawkin’s life, although he did not fully understand that when he agreed to it.

Merriman failed to see that Hawkin’s loyalty is not to the Light but to Merriman himself. It is also transactional: Hawkin gives his love expecting it to be returned and rewarded. When Hawkin realizes that Merriman is willing to put Hawkin’s life at risk, he concludes that Merriman doesn’t have the same loyalty to Hawkin as Hawkin has for him. In bitterness at what he sees as Merriman’s betrayal and in envy of the Old Ones’ immortality, Hawkin is seduced by the Dark. Will’s presence exacerbates Hawkin’s jealousy and resentment, as the latter watches a young boy enjoy the power and immortality he thinks he deserves.

Merriman ultimately gives Hawkin a shadow of what he coveted, compelling him to live for centuries carrying one of the Signs until the last of the Old Ones (Will) demands it from him. 600 years is a greater span of life than mortals are made to bear; by the end of that time, he is grateful to die, having returned to the Light and remembered his love for Merriman.

Tom: The Stantons’ firstborn child died after only three days. Tom is significant chiefly because his birth makes Will the seventh son rather than the sixth. As the seventh son of a seventh son, Will possesses a magical nature.

Stephen: Will’s adored oldest brother was already 15 when Will was born. Nevertheless, they have a special bond of understanding; Stephen cedes his attic bedroom to Will, and Will keeps a little shrine to his brother there. Stephen represents adulthood for Will—particularly separation from one’s childhood family. Stephen is physically distant from his family, traveling the world and seeing and doing things outside their close-knit, narrowly bounded village life.

Max: The second oldest of the Stanton siblings is an artist. All of Will’s family are artistically inclined, especially musically. Creativity is one way in which people may feel set apart from their peers; in this sense, most of Will’s brothers have some characteristic that parallels Will’s nature as an Old One.

Gwen: Gwen is Will’s oldest sister. She plays a semi-maternal role in Will’s life, participating in housekeeping and kitchen chores. She is more stereotype than character.

Robin and Paul: Robin and Paul are the Stanton twins. Robin is bigger, stronger, and more down-to-earth than his twin. He’s interested in sports and pretends to be too manly to go caroling, although he is as devoted to music as the rest of the family. Paul plays the flute and is not only the family genius but quite possibly a true genius. His musical ability sets him apart from most people, so he, more than any other sibling, mirrors Will’s special nature.

Barbara: Barbara is the second oldest of the Stantons’ daughters and another female character who is barely mentioned, having fewer lines of dialogue than any other character.

Mary: Mary is the third and last of Will’s sisters. Mary seems almost a caricature, embodying the worst stereotypes of the teenage girl; she is silly, shallow, and self-absorbed. Her mother describes her as being young for 14. Her role in the story is to introduce a complication for Will by having her mind violated and used as a hostage by the Dark.

James: James is the second youngest of the Stanton children and therefore the closest in age to Will. Very practical and down-to-earth, he is quick to forget the strange incidents he encounters when he comes in contact with Will’s second life. He also is musical; he and Will together make up a third of the church choir. They both sing soprano, but Merriman tells James that he will eventually be a world-famous tenor. Despite having great talent, he has not yet come of age.

The Old Ones are a race of immortals set on the Earth to serve the Light and oppose the Dark. They act as agents rather than having agency themselves; their actions are directed by ritual and prophecy, like the rhyme that describes Will’s quest for the Signs. While human beings have free will, the agents of the Light have the certainty of knowing the “right” path.

This knowledge does not guarantee the Old Ones’ success, which relies on their possessing the strength to drive back the Dark. This strength derives largely from unity, as when they form a circle. They also place a high value on faithful adherence to the demands of the Light, as when Will chooses to sacrifice Mary rather than give up the Signs to the Dark.

The Old Ones’ long lives isolate them from mortal humans. Consequently, the Old Ones can sometimes act ruthlessly: Wiping people’s memories for their own “good” may be “necessary,” but it is also a violation of selfhood.