Summary:
In Ursula Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea, Ged's many mistakes show the damage magic can cause when it is used too much. Therein lies the irony of the story: Magic is intentionally learned for everyday use, but in the end it should be used only when necessary and never as a means to disrupt equilibrium.
Magic itself in Ursula Le Guin's "A Wizard of Earthsea" is quite a complex matter if it is being used at such a level high enough to effect the balance of equilibrium. Ged makes many mistakes throughout the novel showing how magic should not be used as if it is, it can cause a lot of damage. Also the magic is quite draining and if it is used at a high level which cannot be controlled it may go so far as to kill the one who cast the spell. This has quite a bit of irony in it, as magic is intentionally learnt to be used in everyday life, though in the end it is discovered that magic should only be used where it is necessary and be controlled every where else, causing minimal usage.
Apparently to learn magic in Earthsea can be learnt at Roke or by being an apprentice of a highly trained mage, such as Ogion. Though Ged did start of learning magic from Ogion, he found it quite pointless as he did not understand what Ogion was trying to teach him, which was of keeping the balance of equilibrium. So Ged decided in the end that it was best to go to Roke where the School for Wizards can be found.
It was quite clear from the start, that at Roke, Ged had a greater power than others in the school. This was shown by the fact that compared to other students at the school Ged himself had learnt more on magic then some people in quite a short period of time. As time went on and Ged left the School of Roke to go to the ninety isles, he slowly learnt more about magic and how it affects the world. Though he had studied quite quickly and learnt a lot, in the end he understood that it was best not to disrupt the balance of the world.
Obviously from the start of this novel it has been frequently shown that Ged has quite clearly a lot of power within him, as Ogion in his letter to Nemmerle had written "Lord Nemmerle! I send you one who will be greatest of the wizards of Gont, if the wind blow true." Pp48. But with this power Ged used it in such a way that he disrupted the balance of equilibrium so harshly when did as spell to prove to Vetch that he was greater and far more powerful, that he unleashed a beast which would hunt him down for the rest of his life until he realised the truth of magic.
Plainly Lord Gensher told Ged quite a good example on how magic should not be used unnecessarily and in this he said "You have great power inborn in you, and you used that power wrongly, to work a spell over which you had no control, not knowing how that spell affects the balance of light and dark, life and death, good and evil. And you were moved to do this by pride and by hate" Pp79. Through his wordings Lord Gensher showed Ged in that everything is in balance and to use a spell for your pride and hatred has consequences which in turn you have to face.
It was quite clear right from the start of this novel that magic is something which should be carefully dealt with if it is going to be used at quite a high and powerful scale as it may otherwise disrupt the balance of equilibrium. It was twice that Ged used his magic unnecessarily and both these times he caused a gebbeth/shadow to be released, as a kind of effect to show how equilibrium was disrupted.
When Ogion adopted Ged as his apprentice, his first lesson was on how the balance of equilibrium should not be disrupted at a high scale. He showed this on page 29 where it is written "For when it rained Ogion would not even say the spell that every weather-worker knows, to send the storm aside." As Ogion did this and did not use his powers to shunt the storm away he showed Ged that if he had done that very thing, who would know when the rain would come again to Gont and feed the plants and animals, showing the effect of equilibrium.
Obviously using magic when you have the power to use it a great scale, all comes down to using it only when it is a necessity and having discipline and control over how magic is used. As magic itself is very draining and if used too much it can cause great harm to the one who conjured the spell an example of this would be when Ged used up his power on page 23-24.
Finally, it has been quite obvious and clear that magic should be controlled and used only when it is necessary and should always be controlled and to be never be used in such a way to disrupt equilibrium.
This is the complete article, containing 826 words
(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page).
