A Wizard of Earthsea: Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

As Ged sails eastward back to the Archipelago, he feels a renewed fear of the shadow. He has no idea what to do or where to go in order to escape it, and so he decides to return to Low Torning and report on his encounter with Yevaud. As Ged returns to the island and tells the Isle-Men of what’s transpired, the people of Low Torning rejoice. They turn Ged’s deeds into a chant, the Song of the Sparrowhawk, and the whole island celebrates late into the night. The evening is joyful, but in the morning, Ged’s old fear returns. He knows he must leave the island. As he says farewell to Pechvarry, he feels guilty over having been unable to save the man’s son—even though he was able to conquer an island of dragons.

Ged and several boatmen from Low Torning set out on the journey back to Roke. The trip takes several days, and though Ged is anxious, his sailing-mates are still proud and triumphant, rejoicing in the victory over the dragons. As the boat approaches Roke, a strong wind batters the vessel. Ged casts a spell to push the boat through the storm, but it is of no use. Ged realizes that the wind blows against him only. He urges his crew to turn back to the nearby isle of Serd and leave him there—he tells his men the conflict is between him and his shadow.

Ged passes an anxious night at an inn on Serd, considering where he might run next. He knows that though the shadow has no physical substance, once it catches up with him, it will pull strength and life from him. He can sense nothing but doom ahead of him and feels he cannot drop his guard even for a second lest the shadow try to trick him by inhabiting the body of another. At dawn, Ged resolves to turn to chance. He goes down to the harbor and boards a galley bound for the Great Port at Havnor. From there, he thinks, he might return to Gont and seek out Ogion.

While making port in the town of Orrimy, Ged finds himself being followed by a cloaked man as he makes his way through the streets. The stranger tells Ged he senses his fear—though the stranger doesn’t know Ged, he says, he thinks their meeting must not be a chance thing. He has heard stories of a scarred man who must fight his way through darkness. He urges Ged to go to the Court of the Terrenon in Osskil—there, he will find a sword with which to fight the shadows. Ged is afraid to trust the man, yet after the stranger departs, Ged hurries to the harbor and begs passage on a thin longship bound for the north. He offers himself as an oarsman, since the ship already has a weatherworker on board.

The journey is long and taxing, yet Ged grows accustomed to the work within a few days. Osskil, the land he is bound for, is a faraway place whose wizardry is different than that practiced on Roke. Gold is prized there highly, and the people of Osskil are often divided in pursuit of it. The pale-skinned northernmen shun Ged for his “red” skin, and even his status as a wizard wins him no goodwill or high regard. Ged keeps to himself for most of the journey, but one day, a man called Skiorh taunts Ged’s pet otak. When another oarsmen stands up for Ged, Skiorh scowls and turns toward the man—Ged sees Skiorh’s features blur and shift for a moment, and he becomes suspicious of the man. For the rest of the journey he avoids Skiorh when he can.

At last, the longboat arrives in the harbor of Osskil. Ged begins asking directions to the Court of the Terrenon—Skiorh, overhearing him, says he is on his way there and offers to lead Ged the rest of the way. Ged is not excited by the prospect of traveling with the shady Skiorh, but not knowing the language of this land, he feels he has no other choice. He draws up the hood of his cloak and begins following the man through the moors beyond the harbor.

After a day of walking, Ged is exhausted, yet Skiorh insists they are not far. The weakened Ged follows Skiorh through darkness and snow, asking him periodically how much longer they have to go. One time, when Skiorh turns around to tell Ged they are near, his voice sounds like the voice of a beast. Ged stops and calls Skiorh’s name. When Skiorh turns around, Ged sees that there is no face beneath Skiorh’s hood. Ged realizes Skiorh has been turned into a gebbeth—a puppet—by the shadow, but it is too late. Skiorh calls out Ged’s true name and Ged is prevented from casting any transformation or summoning. Ged realizes that his shadow has come for him.

The gebbeth advances on Ged, and Ged strikes out with his staff. He hits the form of the cloak to the ground, but it rises once again and tries to get hold of him as it did on Roke Knoll the first night it came into the world. Ged seizes an opportunity to run from the shadow, but it follows him at a quick pace. The shadow calls Ged’s name again and again, but Ged continues forward in spite of his fear and exhaustion.

As Ged reaches a slope, he struggles his way up and soon senses a light before him and a voice urging him to come toward it. The light grows and soon Ged sees a gateway. He stops running and the gebbeth catches him by his cloak. Ged struggles from the shadow’s grasp and goes through the lighted door—yet he cannot shut the door on the gebbeth. As Ged struggles with the last of his strength, he feels himself fade out of consciousness.