As the famous educator and author Peter F. Drucker once said, “Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility”. Indeed, power and responsibility have a complex relationship that is associated by factors such as an individual’s morals and ethics, character, and the conditions under which they were raised. Drucker’s words resonate very heavily within Ursula K. Le Guin’s ‘A Wizard of Earthsea’, considering that the theme of power and responsibility is reappearing as Ged’s journey takes him from being a prideful and ambitious youth to a humble and knowledgeable adult. Via Ged’s journey to become a reputable wizard, Le Guin emphasizes that the secret to using power responsibly is complete self-awareness. In Earthsea, the wisest wizards understand that to truly reach a wizard’s potential one must find the limits to the use of their power, while also comprehending the appropriate use of one’s magic.
One of the primary qualities of a prudent and knowledgeable wizard is the ability to wholly understand the limits to the use of one’s power. Ged, on the journey to become a wizard, must recognize these limits for himself. When Ged negligently reads a spell of summoning the spirits of the dead, he immediately faces the horror of a shadow nearing him. Fortunately, Ogion, his mentor, rushes to his rescue, but warns Ged: “[...]never work that spell but in peril of your power and your life” (Le Guin, 31). In his adolescence, Ged is impulsive, reckless, impatient, and evidently does not yet understand the values and limits of magic. In this instance, he needs his mentor to enlighten him of the perils of performing a spell beyond the reach of one’s capabilities and to save the day. Yet another turning point of Ged’s perception of magic is when he isn’t able to save the Pechvarry’s son, Ioeth from dying. Thought he desperately fears disappointing his friend, even he acknowledges that “He mistrusted his own judgement[...]” (Le Guin, 111), by following Ioeth’s spirit into the land of the dead. As much as Ged wishes to save Ioeth, he’s not able to, and he realizes there are limitations to even a wizard's power, as he then experiences a ‘coma’ that further symbolizes Ged's failure to recognize the limits of his power. Only after Ged’s experiences of overestimating his powers does he finally begin to uncover the limitations to his magic, which further helps him become both, a wiser adult and wizard.
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Another prominent quality of a wise wizard is to comprehend to the best of their abilities the appropriate use of their magic. Thought Ged has been taught this lesson numerous times, it’s something that he has taken his entire journey to truly understand and apply. The first prominent experience of his learning was when Ged first releases the shadow, eager to go beyond mere illusion. As Ged divulges the shadow into the world, Archmage Nemmerle intervenes in order to save Ged’s, but must sacrifice his own to do so. The new Archemage, Lord Gensher, then expresses to Ged, he “[...]used [his] power wrongly, to work a spell over which [he] has no control, not knowing how that spell affects the balance of light and dark[...]” (Le Guin, 91). As his previous mentor, Ogion, had warned him, the danger of using such magic can affect the balance of the world. Giving in to his pride and temper proves to have consequences not only for Ged himself, but for the entire community, as neglecting these consequences disturbs the equilibrium. Following these events, Ged understood what it meant to be a wizard and the effects magic may have on nature. His new found knowledge is present as he decides not to use his powers when he is most vulnerable. As Ged and Vetch advance closer to the shadow, Ged “[...]stood up suddenly in the prow and spoke aloud. The mage wind dropped[...] ‘Take down the sail’” (Le Guin, 247). Ged chooses to trust his gut and relies on this the rest of the way, even though he’s faced with imminent threat. He doesn’t meddle with the wind using his magic, comprehending that it’s not the right time to use it. It is only after first-hand experiences that Ged realizes the appropriate use of his magic, which helps him further down the road to becoming a reputable wizard.
Without a doubt, acknowledging the limitations to one’s power and wholly understanding the appropriate use of that power leads one to become a further experienced, perceptive and intelligent wizard. Through Le Guin’s illustration of Ged’s character and all the lessons that have shaped him into the wizard he’s matured into, one theme has been recurring: the responsibility of possessing incredible power. Hence, while Ged once believed wizards could do anything they please, he learns through his experiences and battle with his shadow that truly wise wizards know to use their power only sparingly, which itself has made him a significantly better wizard. In society, the journey to understanding power and the responsibility that comes with it has proven to be viewed as one of the most powerful and influential of all, having shaped one’s character and encouraged them to make the right decisions.
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