A Wizard of Earthsea

by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Master Namer Character Analysis

One of the nine Masters of Roke, the Master Namer resides in the Isolate Tower, far away from the School, where he instructs students in the grave and mostly silent art of understanding the true names of everything in the universe. When Ged is first sent to study with the Master Namer, he feels the work is boring drudgery—on his second trip to the Isolate Tower, however, Ged feels a deep reverence for the careful, specific work the Master Namer does.

The Master Namer Quotes in A Wizard of Earthsea

The A Wizard of Earthsea quotes below are all either spoken by The Master Namer or refer to The Master Namer. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Coming of Age Theme Icon
).

Chapter 3 Quotes

If the student complained the Master might say nothing, but lengthen the list; or he might say, "He who would be Seamaster must know the true name of every drop of water in the sea."

Related Characters: The Master Namer (speaker)
Related Symbols: True Names
Page Number and Citation: 54
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Master Namer Character Timeline in A Wizard of Earthsea

The timeline below shows where the character The Master Namer appears in A Wizard of Earthsea. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3
Knowledge and Patience vs. Power and Pride Theme Icon
Duty and Destiny Theme Icon
Cosmic Balance Theme Icon
...to the northernmost part of Roke Island to study at the Isolate Tower with the Master Namer . There, Ged and his fellow students learn the true names of every geographical feature... (full context)
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Knowledge and Patience vs. Power and Pride Theme Icon
Duty and Destiny Theme Icon
Cosmic Balance Theme Icon
True magic, the Master Namer entreats his students to understand, comes from the Old Speech—many words of this language have... (full context)