The limits of magic: A study in breaking through barriers in fantasy fiction

Abstract

The article analyses the theme of magic in the works of Andrzej Sapkowski (the Witcher series) and Jarosław Grzędowicz (Pan Lodowego Ogrodu) in terms of their potential, limitations, and the social consequences of using them. Magic is a genre-forming element of fantasy fiction, yet in most works – e.g. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings or Robert E. Howard’s Conan series – readers do not learn about it more than they do from fairy tales. Magic is subject to extensive descriptions much later, i.e. in the works by Sapkowski and Grzędowicz. In Sapkowski’s texts, it is a natural force of nature, which is studied and developed by the members of an academy. In Grzędowicz’s novel, it is a highly advanced technology, often mistaken for spells by the fairly undeveloped inhabitants of the planet Midgard. Magic is an attempt at breaking through barriers enforced by the laws of nature as well as social barriers. An uncontrolled development may lead to the self-annihilation of an entire civilisation.