Marisa Coulter
Encyclopedia
Marisa Coulter is a fictional character in Philip Pullman
's His Dark Materials
trilogy and one of the main antagonists of Northern Lights
. As with her lover, Lord Asriel
, Mrs. Coulter (as she is usually called) undergoes several transformations during the series.
Marisa Coulter seems to have a keen interest in Lyra
. It is then revealed that Coulter is in fact Lyra's mother by her love affair with Lord Asriel (her title of "Mrs." comes from her widowed marriage to Edward Coulter, who died before the events in the book.) Although throughout most of the series Lyra hates and fears her mother, Phillip Pullman has stated that in fact every time Coulter appears she saves Lyra.
For example at the beginning of The Northern Lights Mrs. Coulter saved Lyra from the Gobblers by taking her out of Oxford, and nearing the end of The Northern Lights, Mrs. Coulter yet again saves Lyra from having her daemon cut away (a process known as intercision.) A distraught Mrs. Coulter cries out for Lyra - and Lyra passes out. When Lyra suddenly opens her eyes again, she is lying in a soft, comfortable bed with a recovering Pan at her side. Mrs. Coulter immediately reassures Lyra she's safe and, on her daughter's instruction, explains to her gently why children have to be intercised at such a young age, commenting on their "unhappy thoughts and feelings". When Lyra asks why Mrs. Coulter herself saved her, Mrs. Coulter eventually reveals that she is, in fact Lyra's mother.
Mrs. Coulter also struggles with her identity of being Lyra's mother due to her attachment to the church. She is then forced to make choice between Lyra and the church when it is revealed that Lyra is the new "Eve" and if she gives in to temptation it will cause the death of everything. Coulter then chooses to save Lyra from the Magisterium at the end of The Subtle Knife
, taking her to a cave and keeping her drugged there at the beginning of The Amber Spyglass
.
it is stated by John Faa that she fell in love with him as soon as they met.
She is described as being 'beautiful and young' with 'sleek black hair' that 'framed her cheeks' and slim. Given that the details of characters' physical appearances are not often given in His Dark Materials (for example, it is a long time before it is mentioned that the protagonist, Lyra, is blonde), this is an unusual attention to physical detail. However, Philip Pullman did not disapprove of the physical change made in the film adaptation of Northern Lights/The Golden Compass, claiming to regret not making Mrs. Coulter blonde in the first place.
There is a reference in Lyra's Oxford
to Mrs. Coulter having written an academic work called 'The Bronze Clocks of Benin'
Mrs. Coulter's dæmon takes the form of a golden monkey with long fur, who is not named in the books, but was given the name "Ozymandias" in the radio adaptation. A few times throughout the books, the golden monkey is shown to be capable of going much further from Mrs. Coulter than other people's dæmons, for instance, the golden monkey was snooping around in Lyra's room to look for the alethiometer, when Lyra goes to live with Mrs. Coulter in London. The reason for the golden monkey being able to go far from Mrs. Coulter is never explained within the books; Mrs. Coulter has not undergone intercision (as evidenced when she struggles against members of the Church attempting to intercise her and her dæmon,) and she never mentions visiting the Land of the Dead, where Lyra, Will and John Parry, and all witches are separated from their dæmon without severing the link between them. Later, she jumps into an abyss with Asriel to destroy Metatron, thus ceasing to exist.
Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman CBE, FRSL is an English writer from Norwich. He is the best-selling author of several books, most notably his trilogy of fantasy novels, His Dark Materials, and his fictionalised biography of Jesus, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ...
's His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman comprising Northern Lights , The Subtle Knife , and The Amber Spyglass...
trilogy and one of the main antagonists of Northern Lights
Northern Lights (novel)
Northern Lights, known as The Golden Compass in North America, is the first novel in English novelist Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy...
. As with her lover, Lord Asriel
Lord Asriel
Lord Asriel is a major character in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series and one of the main protagonists of Northern Lights.Asriel is a member of the English aristocracy in a parallel universe dominated by the Church...
, Mrs. Coulter (as she is usually called) undergoes several transformations during the series.
Lyra
In the beginning of the book The Northern LightsNorthern Lights (novel)
Northern Lights, known as The Golden Compass in North America, is the first novel in English novelist Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy...
Marisa Coulter seems to have a keen interest in Lyra
Lyra Belacqua
Lyra Belacqua , also known as Lyra Silvertongue, is the heroine of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. Lyra is a young girl who inhabits a universe parallel to our own...
. It is then revealed that Coulter is in fact Lyra's mother by her love affair with Lord Asriel (her title of "Mrs." comes from her widowed marriage to Edward Coulter, who died before the events in the book.) Although throughout most of the series Lyra hates and fears her mother, Phillip Pullman has stated that in fact every time Coulter appears she saves Lyra.
For example at the beginning of The Northern Lights Mrs. Coulter saved Lyra from the Gobblers by taking her out of Oxford, and nearing the end of The Northern Lights, Mrs. Coulter yet again saves Lyra from having her daemon cut away (a process known as intercision.) A distraught Mrs. Coulter cries out for Lyra - and Lyra passes out. When Lyra suddenly opens her eyes again, she is lying in a soft, comfortable bed with a recovering Pan at her side. Mrs. Coulter immediately reassures Lyra she's safe and, on her daughter's instruction, explains to her gently why children have to be intercised at such a young age, commenting on their "unhappy thoughts and feelings". When Lyra asks why Mrs. Coulter herself saved her, Mrs. Coulter eventually reveals that she is, in fact Lyra's mother.
Mrs. Coulter also struggles with her identity of being Lyra's mother due to her attachment to the church. She is then forced to make choice between Lyra and the church when it is revealed that Lyra is the new "Eve" and if she gives in to temptation it will cause the death of everything. Coulter then chooses to save Lyra from the Magisterium at the end of The Subtle Knife
The Subtle Knife
The Subtle Knife, the second novel in the book His Dark Materials series, was written by English novelist Philip Pullman and published in 1997. The novel continues the adventures of Lyra Belacqua as she investigates the mysterious Dust phenomenon and searches for her father...
, taking her to a cave and keeping her drugged there at the beginning of The Amber Spyglass
The Amber Spyglass
The Amber Spyglass is the third and final novel in the His Dark Materials series, written by English author Philip Pullman, and published in 2000....
.
Lord Asriel
As mentioned above, Mrs. Coulter gave birth to Lyra because of an affair with Lord Asriel. In the book Northern LightsNorthern Lights (novel)
Northern Lights, known as The Golden Compass in North America, is the first novel in English novelist Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy...
it is stated by John Faa that she fell in love with him as soon as they met.
Description
Mrs. Coulter is described as being 35 years old in The Amber Spyglass.She is described as being 'beautiful and young' with 'sleek black hair' that 'framed her cheeks' and slim. Given that the details of characters' physical appearances are not often given in His Dark Materials (for example, it is a long time before it is mentioned that the protagonist, Lyra, is blonde), this is an unusual attention to physical detail. However, Philip Pullman did not disapprove of the physical change made in the film adaptation of Northern Lights/The Golden Compass, claiming to regret not making Mrs. Coulter blonde in the first place.
There is a reference in Lyra's Oxford
Lyra's Oxford
Lyra's Oxford is a short book by Philip Pullman depicting an episode involving the heroine of His Dark Materials, Pullman's best-selling trilogy. Lyra's Oxford is set when Lyra Silvertongue is 15, two years after the end of the trilogy...
to Mrs. Coulter having written an academic work called 'The Bronze Clocks of Benin'
Mrs. Coulter's dæmon takes the form of a golden monkey with long fur, who is not named in the books, but was given the name "Ozymandias" in the radio adaptation. A few times throughout the books, the golden monkey is shown to be capable of going much further from Mrs. Coulter than other people's dæmons, for instance, the golden monkey was snooping around in Lyra's room to look for the alethiometer, when Lyra goes to live with Mrs. Coulter in London. The reason for the golden monkey being able to go far from Mrs. Coulter is never explained within the books; Mrs. Coulter has not undergone intercision (as evidenced when she struggles against members of the Church attempting to intercise her and her dæmon,) and she never mentions visiting the Land of the Dead, where Lyra, Will and John Parry, and all witches are separated from their dæmon without severing the link between them. Later, she jumps into an abyss with Asriel to destroy Metatron, thus ceasing to exist.
Adaptations
- Emma FieldingEmma FieldingEmma Georgina Annalies Fielding is an English actress.-Biography:The lapsed Roman Catholic daughter of a British Army soldier, Fielding spent much of her childhood in Malaysia and Nigeria, and a period in Malvern above her grandparents' betting shop...
played Mrs Coulter in the BBC version of His Dark MaterialsHis Dark MaterialsHis Dark Materials is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman comprising Northern Lights , The Subtle Knife , and The Amber Spyglass...
. - Alison Dowling plays her in the Chivers Children's Audio Books version. Author Philip PullmanPhilip PullmanPhilip Pullman CBE, FRSL is an English writer from Norwich. He is the best-selling author of several books, most notably his trilogy of fantasy novels, His Dark Materials, and his fictionalised biography of Jesus, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ...
narrates the latter with a full cast. - Patricia HodgePatricia HodgePatricia Ann Hodge is an English actor.-Early life:The daughter of the Royal Hotel owner/manager Eric and his wife Marion , Hodge attended Wintringham Girls' Grammar School on Weelsby Avenue in Grimsby and then St...
played Marisa Coulter in the first run of the National Theatre play, and Lesley ManvilleLesley ManvilleLesley Manville is an award-winning English actress.-Early life:Born in Brighton, Manville was raised in Hove, East Sussex, one of three daughters of a taxicab driver. Training as a soprano singer from age 8, she twice became under-18 champion of Sussex...
played her in the second run. - Nicole KidmanNicole KidmanNicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
plays Mrs. Coulter in the film adaptation, The Golden Compass, with Daniel CraigDaniel CraigDaniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert...
joining her as Lord AsrielLord AsrielLord Asriel is a major character in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series and one of the main protagonists of Northern Lights.Asriel is a member of the English aristocracy in a parallel universe dominated by the Church...
. Pullman had previously indicated that he would like to see Kidman play the role, although he had no role in the castingCasting (performing arts)In the performing arts, casting is a pre-production process for selecting a cast of actors, dancers, singers, models and other talent for a live or recorded performance.-Casting process:...
procedure.