Who are John Uskglass and the Raven King in Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrell?

I think the series has some serious ambiguity for those who didn’t read the book! Who are John Uskglass and the Raven King? (In the series they said they are two different persons.) What do they want? Are they good men or not?

Answer

In the book, John Uskglass was the Raven King, a historical figure who, like Arthur, is expected to be capable of returning. He was a human child who was raised in Faerie, and whose magical powers exceeded all other humans. (For, as the book points out, Humans are weak in Magic but strong in Reason; Fairies are the opposite.) After re-emerging into the Human world, he gained a kingdom, presumably around Yorkshire (I believe Childermass comments about how the people there remember him).

At no point do I recall him being described as "evil" (as opposed to "good"), but he was powerful and inscrutable. He is remembered as a protector of his people.

I cannot find my copy of the book now, but the footnotes do contain a lot of what is known about the Raven King.

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