The Word of Unbinding
Encyclopedia
"The Word of Unbinding" is a short story
by Ursula K. Le Guin
, first published in the January 1964 issue of Fantastic
, and reprinted in collections such as The Wind's Twelve Quarters
. In this story, the Earthsea
realm, which was later made famous by A Wizard of Earthsea
, was first introduced. Along with the story "The Rule of Names
", this story conveys Le Guin's initial concepts for the Earthsea realm, most importantly its places and physical manifestation, but not the characters appearing in the novels.
named Festin, finds himself imprisoned. Thinking back, he recalls his apprehension at the news that the evil wizard Voll had been marching from island to island, among the islands of Earthsea
subduing all in his way, with no one able to understand or fight his magic. Festin determines that Voll must have just reached his island; thus his imprisonment.
At first Festin, a strong wizard in his own right, is confident of his power to escape and overcome Voll - but all his attempts are rebuffed more than defeated. Finally, Festin's desperate longing for his beloved countryside makes him transform himself into a fish, swimming in one of the island's cool steams. However, Voll has noticed what happened, and a troll
, one of the evil one's servants, finds and takes Festin out of the water. The wizard is trapped by his own spell and cannot change back.
By now, Festin has realized that the source of Voll's power and invulnerability is that he is already dead, and controls his servants from the world of the dead. The only course left to Festin is The Word of Unbinding, the uttering of which is tantamount to suicide
- but which enables Festin to get at his enemy and destroy him.
Festin has forever lost the joys of his beloved island, but his sacrifice has saved others from Voll.
"The Word of Unbinding" underscores the importance of language to the entire Earthsea cycle. In particular, the use of "word" in the title, along with the use of "names" in "The Rule of Names" solidifies this message in the first two Earthsea stories.
The story foreshadows The Farthest Shore
in which Ged
similarly goes into the world of the dead to fight a "dead" enemy threatening the world of the living, and defeats him at the cost of enormous sacrifice (though in that case, of his power rather than his life).
Also within this story is the theme that a wizard taking the form of an animal risks becoming trapped in his own spell and not being able to change back. In A Wizard of Earthsea Ged is trapped in the form of hawk, and would have remained a bird but for Ogion
having changed him back. This theme is reinforced by another tale of a wizard who takes the form of a bear and is unable to return to his original form. As a bear, the wizard kills his own child. Likewise, there is mention of "wise men who became dolphins and forgot their wisdom among the waves of the sea". This is a specific example of the limitations and risks inherent in the use of magic and the need to keep a balance, which are central to Le Guin's concept of magic.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin is an American author. She has written novels, poetry, children's books, essays, and short stories, notably in fantasy and science fiction...
, first published in the January 1964 issue of Fantastic
Fantastic (magazine)
Fantastic was an American digest-size fantasy and science fiction magazine, published from 1952 to 1980. It was founded by Ziff-Davis as a fantasy companion to Amazing Stories. Early sales were good, and Ziff-Davis quickly decided to switch Amazing from pulp format to digest, and to cease...
, and reprinted in collections such as The Wind's Twelve Quarters
The Wind's Twelve Quarters
The Wind's Twelve Quarters is a collection of short stories by Ursula K. Le Guin first published by Harper & Row in 1975.Le Guin describes the collection as a retrospective. It includes many stories which had been published previously or expanded into novels. Others take place in locations that...
. In this story, the Earthsea
Earthsea
Earthsea is a fictional realm originally created by Ursula K. Le Guin for her short story "The Word of Unbinding", published in 1964. Earthsea became the setting for a further six books, beginning with A Wizard of Earthsea, first published in 1968, and continuing with The Tombs of Atuan, The...
realm, which was later made famous by A Wizard of Earthsea
A Wizard of Earthsea
A Wizard of Earthsea, first published in 1968, is the first of a series of books written by Ursula K. Le Guin and set in the fantasy world archipelago of Earthsea depicting the adventures of a budding young wizard named Ged...
, was first introduced. Along with the story "The Rule of Names
The Rule of Names
"The Rule of Names" is a short story by Ursula K. Le Guin, first published in the April 1964 issue of Fantastic, and reprinted in collections such as The Wind's Twelve Quarters. This story and "The Word of Unbinding" convey Le Guin's initial concepts for the Earthsea realm, most importantly its...
", this story conveys Le Guin's initial concepts for the Earthsea realm, most importantly its places and physical manifestation, but not the characters appearing in the novels.
Plot summary
At the beginning of the story, the protagonist, a wizardMagician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
named Festin, finds himself imprisoned. Thinking back, he recalls his apprehension at the news that the evil wizard Voll had been marching from island to island, among the islands of Earthsea
Islands of Earthsea
The Islands of Earthsea are the hundreds of named islands, groups of islands, and unnamed islets that make up the lands of the largely oceanic fantasy world of Earthsea in the stories of Ursula K. Le Guin.-List of Islands and Places:...
subduing all in his way, with no one able to understand or fight his magic. Festin determines that Voll must have just reached his island; thus his imprisonment.
At first Festin, a strong wizard in his own right, is confident of his power to escape and overcome Voll - but all his attempts are rebuffed more than defeated. Finally, Festin's desperate longing for his beloved countryside makes him transform himself into a fish, swimming in one of the island's cool steams. However, Voll has noticed what happened, and a troll
Troll
A troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
, one of the evil one's servants, finds and takes Festin out of the water. The wizard is trapped by his own spell and cannot change back.
By now, Festin has realized that the source of Voll's power and invulnerability is that he is already dead, and controls his servants from the world of the dead. The only course left to Festin is The Word of Unbinding, the uttering of which is tantamount to suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
- but which enables Festin to get at his enemy and destroy him.
Festin has forever lost the joys of his beloved island, but his sacrifice has saved others from Voll.
Literary significance and criticism
Susan Wood points out that it was during the early 1960s when Ursula K. LeGuin was selling stories such as "The Word of Unbinding" and "The Rule of Names" that she "was an accomplished writer, expressing valuable insights with grace and humour.""The Word of Unbinding" underscores the importance of language to the entire Earthsea cycle. In particular, the use of "word" in the title, along with the use of "names" in "The Rule of Names" solidifies this message in the first two Earthsea stories.
The story foreshadows The Farthest Shore
The Farthest Shore
The Farthest Shore is the third of a series of books written by Ursula K. Le Guin and set in her fantasy archipelago of Earthsea, first published in 1972. It follows on from The Tombs of Atuan, which itself was a sequel to A Wizard of Earthsea. It is the Earthsea series novel which inspired the...
in which Ged
Ged (Earthsea)
Ged , is the true name of a fictional character in Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea realm. He is introduced in A Wizard of Earthsea, and plays both main and supporting roles in the subsequent Earthsea novels...
similarly goes into the world of the dead to fight a "dead" enemy threatening the world of the living, and defeats him at the cost of enormous sacrifice (though in that case, of his power rather than his life).
Also within this story is the theme that a wizard taking the form of an animal risks becoming trapped in his own spell and not being able to change back. In A Wizard of Earthsea Ged is trapped in the form of hawk, and would have remained a bird but for Ogion
Aihal
Aihal is the true name of a fictional character in Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea fantasy series. In most of the Earthsea books he goes by the Hardic name Ogion or Ogion the Silent.-Biography:...
having changed him back. This theme is reinforced by another tale of a wizard who takes the form of a bear and is unable to return to his original form. As a bear, the wizard kills his own child. Likewise, there is mention of "wise men who became dolphins and forgot their wisdom among the waves of the sea". This is a specific example of the limitations and risks inherent in the use of magic and the need to keep a balance, which are central to Le Guin's concept of magic.