[johns-adventures-in-placemaking]

Mentors and Trust

While there are many similarities between the relationship between Ged and Arren, and that of Gandalf and Aragorn, I am most interested in their differences. Yes, both involve wise wizards and men who lack magic, and both pairs go on perilous journeys to save the world, the way they interact with one another is starkly different. I think the root of this difference is in Gandalf’s own sureness in his own powers and limits. At any given time he knows exactly what he is capable of and how he can help. Aragorn trusts Gandalf completely, without question, in part because of this. While he may not understand everything that Gandalf says must be done or will come to pass, he knows that Gandalf is doing everything within his power to make things right. This trust has been built up over years of familiarity, as the two met long before the events of The Lord of the Rings, when Aragorn was much younger, only 25, some 50-60 years prior. Arren on the other hand barely knows Ged, and knows much more about his position as Archmage and the tales of his deeds. Much of the trust Arren does place in Ged is blind. Even Ged himself is much less sure of himself than Gandalf. Not being a being that has existed outside of the universe and time himself he still needs to find the limits of his own powers. As they sail towards their final confrontation Ged says, “A goatherd to set the heir of Morred on his throne! Will I never learn?” (The Farthest Shore pg. 200). Even at the end of his journey as the greatest wizard of all time, he is still surprised at what he can accomplish. Reflecting on it, its honestly no wonder that he doesn’t inspire the same trust in Arren that Gandalf does in Aragorn. 

[arwenselfbaby]

I wrote about something similar. You make a great point about how Gandalf and Aragon have known each other for a long time, whereas Ged and Arren only just met. I think this speaks a lot to their relationships and trust, and it makes sense that Ged and Arren’s relationship isn’t as unquestionably strong.

[johnathanmolina]

Dragons

In other stories and depictions in media dragons are powerful and terrifying creatures. The depiction and culture behind the dragons in The Farthest Shore fit these ideas and possible inspired other authors as well. The initial look at the dragons is explained when Arren watches them in the sky. “Their beauty was made up of terrible strength, utter wildness, and the grace of reason. For these were thinking creatures, with speech and ancient wisdom:…” (222) Not only are they intelligent but they are likely unfriendly to people sailing to them as they are angry and showing their impressive ability to breathe fire as they are circling around them. Brutality within their culture can also be seen with the dying dragon that is sailed by. The entrails being trampled by other dragons is one indication of this. Respect and courtesy are also an important thing to the dragons as it is said how difficult it is to speak to a dragon. Both out of respect but also as it is said how the dragons have a lot going through their minds which would make it difficult to get a clear answer from one as well as not wanting to offend one.

[arwenselfbaby]

Throughout this course I have noticed more and more of Le Guin’s influences in other popular media. Harry Potter, for one, has undeniable similarities/influence, as with Ged going to magic school. I also really realized in this chapter the importance of dragons being thoughtful, intelligent, and even speaking. This reminds me a lot of Skyrim... the dragons there have a mysterious, ancient language, and one must painstakingly learn the words to understand it.

[arwenselfbaby]

The Farthest Shore: Ged and Arren

A clear difference I see between Ged and Arren, and Gandalf and Aragorn, is their hierarchy of power. Gandalf and Aragorn are of completely different classes: magic wizard, and non-magic Man, although still incredibly intelligent and well-versed in the happenings and history of Middle Earth. Gandalf is the ultimate overseer of the Fellowship, and Aragorn occasionally needs guidance and to be “calmed down,” as when the group is entering the Golden Hall. However, the two are still both uniquely powerful, though in very different ways, since they occupy different levels of power in Middle Earth. Conversely, Ged seems to be more like a direct mentor to Arren. Ged is in a more direct role-model/teacher position to Arren, constantly helping him along the time together on their journey. When Ged notices that the dragons seem angry in Chapter 10, he directs Arren to “turn your face aside if you must,” as if Arren would not have known to do this on his own. Ged really is his teacher and guide, whereas I think Aragorn views Gandalf as more of an inspiration, intellectual guide, and war leader, rather than a direct life-mentor.

[damgoodfantasy]

Silky Smooth Social Strata

Silk! You know it, you love it, you touch it and go, "oooooh, soft."

This weird wacky worm byproduct has captivated the minds of historical juggernauts and fantasy authors alike, to the point that it is almost a trope in and of itself to have silk be the token "luxury good that means someone is rich and powerful" in a story. But this is not without good reason.

Historically, silk was the warp and weft of the social fabric for much of the world for centuries, if not millennia! For a fascinating look into how silk dominated many societies, look no further than Palmyra. Who? Oh come on, you know Palmyra -- Queen Zenobia, fancy tombs -- that Palmyra? Whatever, point is that according to Cynthia Finlayson, cultural archeologist for BYU, silk elevated "the status of women" in the kingdom to the point of "matriarchy," almost exclusively due to "the influence of the silk trade upon their lives" (Finlayson, The Women of Palmyra, 4). That alone would be incredibly unique, but their connection to silk even transcended death! Palmyran women would be buried and mummified in silks during elaborate funerary rights, which allows us such a thorough look at their lives even today, nearly 2000 years later.

It is no small wonder, then, that silk continues to fascinate and motivate societies that exist only in the annals of fantasy. In Ursula Le Guin's The Farthest Shore, magical buddies Ged and Arren visit the decrepit down of Lorbanery (side note, is it pronounced Lorbanery or Lorbanery?), a settlement and indeed whole island famed for its silks. Quite literally the lives of every person on the island seem irrevocably tied to silk, to the point of stagnation when their precious dyed fabric suddenly loses its luster. Unlike any other place we've seen in any of the Earthsea books, here we find a people utterly dominated by their work.

Unfortunately, such reliance can easily spiral into dependency. Whether it's Palmyra or Lorbanery, staking your existence on the stable trade of a most fragile fabric is inherently risky. That, then, is the appeal of silk in stories, the notion that so small a worm could topple empires.

Or maybe we just like shiny smooth fabrics!

[arwenselfbaby]

I love this breakdown of how silk is just a worm... secretion. Well, there is definitely human labor needed to make the final product, but still. Really interesting perspective on the complexity of human civilization and how entire societies and empires can grow so dependent on something that seems otherwise insignificant. 

[anneeemerald]

Women Empowered by Silk

After reading Finlayson’s “The Women of Palmyra,” it was clear that vital to the significance of Palmyra was the fact that “in these early eras, no one merchant or caravan enterprise was seemingly able to transverse the complete length of the Silk Road from East to West” (Finlayson, 2, footnote 1). Palmyra was a necessary stop on the Silk Road, where items such as silk were “sold, resold, or traded, and then moved forward along a route deemed the safest by the caravan leader” (Finlayson, 2, footnote 1). In many cases the women of Palmyra might have been responsible for adding embroidered designs to the silk to increase their value (6).

Women played central roles throughout the city, including even ruling, and “through carefully orchestrated marriages guaranteed wealth and access to trade routes through clan alliances” (4). And they created silk funerary headdresses. 

Due to the vital role silk played in Palmyra, women were made into integral parts of the community, improving the product, enabling trade, and utilizing silk in the funeral practices. Perhaps this is evidence that if a community is focused on one output, gender discrimination lessens because both men and women are needed to fulfill the task?

[arwenselfbaby]

Good point, I think it is definitely true in some cases that when a society is very output-oriented and highly focused on basic industry like weaving, herding, etc, gender discrimination has less utility. I am pretty sure most scholars agree that back when humans were nomads, running around finding food and such, there was much less evidence of gender discrimination. Only when people settled down, started agriculture, and therefore individual wealth could be amassed, did institutionalized gender discrimination really come around. Or so I’ve heard.

[arwenselfbaby]

Finlayson and silk

There are many examples throughout human history of societies being overly dependent on one commodity, which therefore ultimately contributes to its downfall. A famous one is Ireland and their potatoes, which sidenote, are not even native to Ireland (thanks Columbian exchange). I think Mexico was quite dependent on corn as well in the early 1900s, which made them very vulnerable to basically American economic imperialism and trade agreements like NAFTA. We see in Finlayson’s reading this week that this phenomenon has been going on since very early human history, as silk was once a very important commodity in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This economic dependence was also tied to social construction and political atmosphere, as it seems silk garments and embroidery contributed to the elevation and/or maintenance of women’s higher status in Palmyra, with Finlayson even going so far as to describe the society as “matriarchal” (p. 11). Finlayson describes how the visual identity of the headdresses was a powerful marker of social status, and was even used as a way to maintain distinct cultural elements, as there were garment variations between different parts of Palmyra. On page 7, she describes how a “simple headdress style was still worn by some women from the clans of the southeastern side of the city even after their marriage into clans of the northern side of the city,” where more elaborate designs were dominant. This indicates that, even in marriage, women here were allowed to maintain their individual customs and culture. This scenario in which women have more power in marriage is quite unique in human history.

[risluvsearth]

royal murder: still murder?

Whenever anyone is willing to sacrifice themselves for loyalty, devotion, or faith, I can’t help but wonder if they are maybe a little brainwashed. In conjunction with the staging/choreographing of political dramas, the ego seems to really have taken ahold of the Royal Graves at Ur. Considering that these are seen as “snapshots of the past”, it’s clear that even in death, wealth and fame make you better than everyone else — I fear we will never be from the death grip of capitalism (131). Scholars describe this system of leadership as “sinister” and “menacing” (133). Everything is done to make the God King seem godly and royal, so critical thought tells me that everyone who wasn’t both of those things had a rough life. I think this is most easily backed up by the “brutal military discipline and its attendant drum-head courts, frog marches and public floggings” (137).

The physical landscape of the Royal Cemetery is meant to accommodate huge fluxes of people rushing to worship the dead God King (how much of a god can a dead man be, by the way?). The scale alone would inspire awe into whoever looked at it and make them wonder what had to be done to be buried in such a glorious manner, accompanied by so many of your own “willing” people. Also, forcing people to die for your cause — as the king called Kabaka pushed the state of Buganda to do “for the health of the kingdom” — just seems like murder.

[arwenselfbaby]

Good point about how godly can a dead person be. Cultures around the world seem to worship and revere dead people, and I never thought about the implications of that. Maybe it makes the worship easier because we can’t criticize their morals or actions in the present.

[damgoodfantasy]

A Theater of Necessity

Leadership, especially new forms of it, does not have a rulebook. No, the leader must carve out their power through whatever means work. In Tombs of Atuan, we see a fascinating piece of the two-fold theater taking place within the Kargish Empire -- a small slice of the performative political dance that has been taking place within the Kargish lands for millennia.

Generally speaking, "governments and rulers establish the legitimacy of their rule by civil or numinous means or both" (Dickson, Public Transcripts Expressed in Theatres of Cruelty: the Royal Graves at Ur in Mesopotamia, 133). Civil rule is what we think of as power in the traditional sense, meaning all the facets of power we can see. But what gives lordship its legitimacy requires more: numinous rule, that of the extraordinary.

This sense of the ephemeral pervades Tombs of Atuan, from Place of Tombs and its competing temples to the vast Undertomb and Labyrinth beneath. Ultimately, the delicate balance between three systems of religion acts to uphold the same goal: the rule of the Godking. It is a messy system, and it certainly has its strange and sometimes torturous aspects, but it is all necessary. If even a single piece falters, it risks the entirety of rule being delegitimized.

Whether you are the ruler trying to keep your subjects in their place or a subject trying to make sense of your society's structure, this careful balance is reassuring. It tells you that everything is meant to be this way, that your life on top or on the bottom holds perfect meaning as part of something far greater than yourself. This transcript between Godking and man paints the world in a beautiful light, where all is as it should be. But to quote a wise flaming tree sage: no matter how tender, how exquisite...a lie will remain a lie.

In the end, the Place of Tombs, the entire existence of Arha, it is all "expressions of a sad and repellent public transcript acted out in a theatre of public cruelty" (Dickson, 141). Le Guin presents to us a world, spends chapters explaining its every dance, ceremony, and ritual, then drops the floor from beneath us as we and Tenar learn that it is all a façade. And what lies beneath is not the light of truth, but unfathomable and nameless: the prospect that there is no meaning at all.

[arwenselfbaby]

There is no meaning at all... really interesting point. In one sense, there is definitely no meaning to the Priestess’ rule, because it is all socially constructed and socially legitimized. On the other hand, however, all things are socially constructed, and the only power and importance allotted to social institutions is the power people give them. I do think, though, since it is sort of an allegory for societal misogyny and despotism that makes the Priestess’ rule viable, it is fair for the audience to think that it should all be dismantled and rethought.

[arwenselfbaby]

Tombs of Atuan

Performance and the projection of ideals is a hallmark of governmental regimes. The fact that Dickson had to include a section about if the “Royal Graves even contain royalty” (p.129) is a testament to how historical leaders are able to skew the retelling of history to be in their favor. The Tombs of Atuan in general seems to be an allegory to a religious cult or something similar, in which people are unwillingly born or brought into and then are told that it is a great place to be, when in fact, it is not. The Tombs themselves are filled with the deceased members of the nearby places and therefore hold a sense of intrinsic importance, which I think contributes to Tenar’s resolve to stay there and protect them. There are a lot of implications with dead bodies, and surely being their keeper and protector can be amounted to a hugely important and prestigious position, thus providing Tenar with more moral justification and reason to think her position is empowering and good.

[ca-wolly19]

Reading Earthsea After LoTR is Like Doing Yoga After Running 6 Miles, I Love It

Ged's physical reunion/encounter with his shadow towards the end of Book 1 leaves many avenues for interpretation. However, one in particular from earlier this week sticks in my mind. That is, the purpose of Ged's life, or the meaning of his journey. Le Guin's highlights an excerpt from the Tao Te Ching,

"To follow the Way, is to not need fulfillment. Unfulfilled, one may live on, needing no renewal."

I think this excerpt as it relates to Ged's life, helps to explain the meaning of his own hero's journey. Ged spends a great part of his life literally chasing his own shadow, however upon realizing that he must face it instead of run from it, he accepts his course. To not need fulfillment, to live unfulfilled, may mean simply to live with acceptance and presence.

[arwenselfbaby]

The ending of Wizard of Earthsea really surprised me, since there was no huge climactic battle or anything like that. Ged was just forced to come to terms with himself, his mortality, and his flaws. I love unexpected endings like this, that really encourage the audience to introspect rather than culminating in a super violent or provocative battle.

[arwenselfbaby]

Le Guin’s interpretation of the Dao de Jing

I approached reading Le Guin’s version of the Dao de Jing with a bit of apprehension, because I researched her background beforehand and learned that she indeed does not know Chinese. She does, however, provide a well-crafted afterward that explains her stance and humbly recognizes her place in this scholarship as a non-Chinese speaker. She also makes an incredible effort in recognizing scholars before her that have made her work possible. Overall Le Guin works not to situate her interpretation of one of the most important works in Chinese literary history as anything profound or “better” than her predecessors--she simply wanted to undertake the task, and so she did, and accordingly acknowledges how this decision may-or-may-not-be respected. On page 110 of the text, though, she illustrates a great honor and appreciation for the text and Lao Tzu: “by confusing [his] mysticism with imprecision, [other] such versions betray the spirit of the book and its marvelously pungent, laconic, beautiful language.” This statement, that mysticism should not be misconstrued as imprecision, is profound to me, and acknowledges the inherent flaws in non-native speakers attempting to translate or interpret works.

[jackh9]

Nov 5th: Earthsea Gifts

Gift giving in the world of Earthsea is clearly important as explained throughout Senior’s article and is based upon gift giving processes found in many real cultures. Gift giving is normally associated with the giving of a physical object but what I found interesting is that one of the most important gifts in Earthsea is telling someone your true name. It is a higher form of gift giving because in Earthsea “to give one’s true name is to render oneself completely” (Senior, 106). Senior explains that Vetch’s gift of his true name, Estarriol, to Ged gives Ged peace and security during a time of distress in his search for the shadow. The giving of this gift also has to do with trust because Vetch “had given that gift only a friend can give, the proof of unshaken, unshakable trust” (Le Guin, Wiz of Earthsea, 69). Ged would owe Vetch something in return to reciprocate the gift, which in this case would probably be his own true name. There is power attached to the gift of a true name because the receiver of the gift holds power over the giver because he knows the name. Ged becomes indebted to Vetch because of this incident of gift giving. It isn’t clear if Vetch expects reciprocation or not but it seems to be the way the world works.

[arwenselfbaby]

I didn’t read Senior’s article but these are really interesting thoughts. I hadn’t even thought about gift-giving in Earthsea, but I can definitely see its importance from your post. The concept of naming in Earthsea is really unique and interesting and reminds me of other fantasy works, but Le Guin implements it in a personal, intimate way, whereby people can resign themselves over to others in a display of trust and connection.

[damgoodfantasy]

A Life of Salt and Sea

It's right there in the name: A Wizard of Earthsea. Yet I struggle even after reading the book to truly imagine what life is like on a world so utterly dominated by ocean. A quote that comes to mind is this: "Out of the sea there rise storms and monsters, but no evil powers: evil is of earth."

In this world of Ursula Le Guin's creation, the very magic of the world comes from balance and its disruption. The sea represents constancy: from it islands rise and fall, people come and go, yet water remains. This sense of impermanence permeates Le Guin's work, the idea that all things come and go (or should, at the very least). Ged's journey, from my reading, is that of a young man learning to live "life for life's sake" and not for glory nor power (Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea).

I imagine that the world itself teaches this lesson to most living in Earthsea. Ged visits many islands throughout his flight from and later hunt for his shadow, and the one thing he comes to cherish more than any other is connection. That is what defines Earthsea. Ged's link to his shadow, to Vetch, to his home of Gont and his master Ogion -- by the end of the book, no matter how far from these he is, he can feel them always in the waves that surround the world. No matter what shore he finds himself upon, the waters of the world are one, and on them he can always find his way home.

While that may seem strange to us, it really isn't. After all, our world when seen from far away is not brown rock, but blue water. Our Earth too is dominated by ocean. We too live on islands -- they're just a little bigger.

[arwenselfbaby]

Living in the Arizona desert especially makes me feel so disconnected from water. Going to the beach for us is breathtaking because it’s like the most opposite environment that you could encounter. Really makes me think about how my perception of life and the world is so skewed just based off where I was born, and still reside. Ged and those of Earthsea certainly have a very different outlook.

[ca-wolly19]

The Unknown Sea

Early in chapter 10 of A Wizard of Eathsea (Le Guin, 1968), Ged is talking with his friends about the various isles of Earthsea they may encounter while on their sail. They talk about the islands that lie ahead on the border of the vast, open ocean. Vetch mentions an island of particular interest to Ged, "the South Reach: Rood, and Toom, and the Isle of the Ear where men do not go... That is a disagreeable part of the world, they say, full of bones and portents" (197). The Isle of the Ear is immediately a foreboding place, as is any place with a body part in the name. The name and stories that precede this place makes me suspicious of the people lurking there. I think about the stories of isolated cultures that practice cannibalism and other sorts of gruesome rituals.

[arwenselfbaby]

I noticed the Ear when we were looking at Le Guin’s map in class last week. I wondered if she would mention it in the text, or if it was just there. I’m not sure if Tolkien mentions every place in the text that he puts on the map--in fact, he probably doesn’t, or maybe just in passing.

[arwenselfbaby]

Earthsea chapter 10

The conversation between Ged and Vetch on pages 205 and 206 really stood out to me. Vetch says “I hold with those who think the world has but one face, and he who sails too far will fall off the edge of it, to which Ged replies, “Who knows what a man might meet, out there? Not we, who keep always to our coasts and shores.” I have not read the whole book and so am not sure if there is more context behind this, but I thought this discussion was so interesting and reminded me a lot of the Hobbits’ attitudes toward the Shire, and their affinity for Home. Ged is certainly very adventurous, and is not so attached to his home--he longs to discover the greater world outside of where he was raised. I wonder how much this is related to living in an island-based world, and how that life is different from than in Middle-earth. As we have discussed in class, although Middle-earth is one large landmass, it is arguably more disconnected than Earthsea. Although seafaring life seems much more conducive to isolationism, it seems like that is not necessarily the case in Earthsea. Perhaps different factions even see more of each other, as they are only separated by short bodies of water, and presumably they are quite skilled at seafaring. 

[arwenselfbaby]

[jackh9]

Earthsea Chapter 1

I am unfamiliar with the work of Ursula Le Guin, so the reading for this week was my first introduction to the Earthsea Cycle. I just want to discuss my first impressions in this post and how the village of Ten Alders compares to the Shire culturally. Firstly, I like the concept of the world being composed almost entirely of islands as opposed to a large continental landmass seen in many other fantasy worlds. Based on this I have a feeling that sailing and coastal raiding will play a significant role in the story as it already has in chapter 1 with the Kargad raiders sailing in and raiding Gont. Le Guin seems to me to have been inspired by the Viking raids of the early Middle Ages in creating the Kargads. They are described as “a savage people, white-skinned, yellow-haired, and fierce, liking the sight of blood and the smell of burning towns” (Le Guin, Wiz of Earthsea, 7). Their description sounds a lot like how most people would describe Norse peoples or Vikings. The second thing that stuck out to me in this first chapter were the spells that Duny learned that allowed him to control animals. With one spell “the wild falcons stooped down to him from the wind when he summoned them by name” (Le Guin, 5). The magic presented in this first chapter is connected largely to nature and the natural world, which is clear in the control of animals but also in Duny’s ability to control the mist and air to scare off the Kargad raiders.

Duny/Ged’s home is similar to the Shire culturally in that the people are peaceful and have little experience fighting. They did not have any weapons “for the mountain folk of Gont are not warlike; it is not warriors they are famous for, but goat-thieves, sea pirates, and wizards” (Le Guin, 8). Both Hobbits and these villagers are able to fight off enemies when the need arises such as when the Kargad raiders attack or the Shire gets occupied by Saruman at the end of LOTR.

[arwenselfbaby]

I also have not read the Earthsea Cycle before, and I am excited to see if the island setting is developed more. Side note but I just started playing Stardew Valley and I am very enthralled in the pirate/marine life idea. You also point out a really good quote about how Le Guin describes the Kargads as both “savage” and “white-skinned”--it stuck out to me how an author would use these two terms in tandem, since fantasy has a history of racism (to my knowledge at least).