A Wizard of Earthsea

by

Ursula K. Le Guin

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The Elderly Man and The Elderly Woman Character Analysis

The Elderly Man and the Elderly Woman live together on a seemingly uninhabited sandbar in the middle of the ocean. For many years, it seems, they have been living alone with only one another’s company. The two are pale Kargs who do not speak the Hardic tongue of the Archipelago. When Ged’s shadow tricks him into running aground on their sandbar, Ged stays with the couple for several days before beginning to piece together their story. After the elderly woman shows him some finery inlaid with the emblems of the Kargish empire, Ged begins to believe the two are a royal or noble brother and sister living in exile.
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The Elderly Man and The Elderly Woman Character Timeline in A Wizard of Earthsea

The timeline below shows where the character The Elderly Man and The Elderly Woman appears in A Wizard of Earthsea. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Knowledge and Patience vs. Power and Pride Theme Icon
Identity and the Shadow Self Theme Icon
Duty and Destiny Theme Icon
...left and begins walking. Soon, he sees a ramshackle hut. He enters to find an elderly man sitting by the fire and an elderly woman huddled on a pile of rags in... (full context)
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Knowledge and Patience vs. Power and Pride Theme Icon
Identity and the Shadow Self Theme Icon
Cosmic Balance Theme Icon
...his old boat, which has washed ashore. Slowly, they become more accustomed to him, and the old woman even offers him fresh-caught mussels. That evening, the elderly woman shows him a beautiful child’s... (full context)
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Knowledge and Patience vs. Power and Pride Theme Icon
Identity and the Shadow Self Theme Icon
Duty and Destiny Theme Icon
As Ged prepares to leave, he tries to offer the elderly man and the old woman passage on his boat to a more populated place, but they... (full context)