Brisingr

“We give of ourselves to sustain Du Weldenvarden, and the forest is an extension of our bodies and minds. Any hurt it suffers is our hurt as well. […] We are a slow people to rouse, but once roused we are like the dragons: we go mad with anger.” 

Islanzadí, queen of the elves, defines her people for Eragon’s benefit. Paolini takes this opportunity to set up a comparison not only between the elves and the other races but also directly between elves and dragons. By doing so, he also offers insight into what defines a dragon—an angry race.

“You are the tip of the spear that is our effort, and if the tip should break and be lost, then our spear shall bounce off the armor of our foe, and we too shall be lost.”

Queen Islanzadí uses this metaphor of a spear to define Eragon’s role in the war to come, admitting his power not only to overthrow Galbatorix but to determine the future of the elves and other races living in Alagaësia. No matter how strong the soldiers that back Eragon and Saphira, if they should fail the whole effort will fail.

“Blood is the most important thing! First come your responsibilities to your family, then to your tribe, then to your warlord, then to the gods above and below, and only then to your king and to your nation, if you have them.” 

In this chapter Nasuada, leader of the Varden, disagrees with her relative, Fadawar, on the nature of leadership practices. She believes her priority is to protect her people, not to give handouts to her relatives. Their argument leads to a trial of the long knives. Nasuada’s victory ensures she will remain in her position as the leader of the Varden.

“That she had given her word meant she could not rescind her promise without revealing herself to be an honorless oath-breaker that fair-minded men would have no choice but to curse and shun.” 

Within the world of Alagaësia oaths are at a premium and to break an oath would be an unspeakable act. Oaths of all kinds are taken seriously whether for personal use or as a political act. Nasuada is not exaggerating when she fears that breaking an oath could result in her own death.

“You are a king. You ought to understand that danger is the mantle a person assumes when he—or she—has the arrogance to decide the fates of other men.” 

This is Nasuada’s way of reminding King Orrin that with great power comes great responsibility. Christopher Paolini draws this concept from Spider Man but the sentiment is often echoed in adventure stories to define good leadership. As king of Surda, Orrin’s leadership style is often in direct contrast to Nasuada’s.

“‘Why are we fighting these men, Arya?’ ‘Because they stand between us and Galbatorix.’ ‘Then we should find a way to strike at Galbatorix directly.’ ‘None exist. We cannot march to Urû’baen until we defeat his forces. And we cannot enter his castle until we disarm almost a century’s worth of traps, magical and otherwise.’” 

Arya is able to keep Eragon in check when he wishes to rush into direct combat with the most powerful spellcaster in Alagaësia. She believes they will be able to defeat Galbatorix but not now and not by storming his castle. Theirs is a long game and she will do what she needs to do to keep Eragon from ruining the bigger picture.

“It is always thus. The monsters of the mind are far worse than those that actually exist. Fear, doubt, and hate have hamstrung more people than beasts ever have.”

During a rare, long, and deep conversation between Arya and Eragon, Arya reassures Eragon that it is important to have courage and face one’s fears as doubt can have crippling effects on the mind. She encourages him to keep an open mind when encountering new things, whether they be people, places, or events.

“When I saw Fäolin fall, I understood then that the true agony of war isn’t being wounded yourself, it’s having to watch those you care about being hurt.” 

Eragon assumes that Arya has no friends or family to rely on, but she reminds him of her age and the bonds she has forged with elves and other creatures long before Eragon’s own existence. Some of these people, such as Fäolin have passed on long ago and live on only in her memory. Arya is an incredibly insightful woman and Eragon is lucky that she wishes to pass some of her wisdom on to him.

“Ah, he has gone. But there are others. There are always others. The line of dead never ends.” 

Elva speaks from the perspective of a young child who can feel the sorrows of the world and every individual’s pain. This has taken a massive toll on her physical and mental wellness and is due to a charm cast by Eragon that went wrong. She wishes to have this charm lifted but she is invaluable to Nasuada in her current state.

“It might take me a while, he thought, But I always settle my debts.”

Eragon reveals that he had been the one to take a saddle from Gedric’s stable when he was fleeing Carvahall. Although it has been a long time, Eragon remembered to repay the man for his misdeed. Gedric is astonished and overwhelmed to know his saddle had been used by the Rider.

“I were you, I would study at every opportunity the lessons history has to teach us, for they may help you with the problems of today. In my own life, reading the record of the past has often provided me with the courage and the insight to choose the correct path.” 

Jeod’s advice to Eragon would have him operating more cautiously and consulting the past. Jeod is not the first to instruct a young person to pay attention to their elders or look to history to solve the problems of today; however, this technique is often effective in the war room and could be proven useful in the battles to come.

“‘I am not evil!’ said Murtagh. ‘I’ve done the best I could under the circumstances. I doubt you would have survived as well as I did if our mother had seen fit to leave you in Urû’baen and hide me in Carvahall.’”

During their only standoff in Brisingr, Eragon attempts to draw his half-brother, Murtagh, away from the influence of Galbatorix by reminding him of his humanity and goodness and his ability to change. However, Murtagh knows his upbringing was quite different from his brother’s. He implies that as children, he and Eragon were no different; their nature was the same, it was their nurturing (or lack thereof) that made them who they are.

“Anger defines us, Eragon, and without it, you and I would be a feast for maggots.” 

Murtagh believes that he and Eragon are driven by negative past experiences. He expects Eragon to exact revenge upon his enemies for the death and uprooting of his friends and countrymen. He believes that if Eragon didn’t lean into his hatred, as Murtagh also had, they would both have died—it is what motivates them on and off the battlefield.

“‘I enchanted them to do three things,’ said Eragon. ‘If you ever need my help, or Saphira’s, twist the ring once around your finger and say, “Help me, Shadeslayer; help me, Brightscales,” and we will hear you, and we will come as fast as we can. Also, if either of you is close to death, your ring will alert us and you, Roran, or you, Katrina, depending on who is in peril. And so long as the rings are touching your skin, you will always know how to find each other, no matter how far apart you may be.’” 

Upon the occasion of their wedding, Eragon gives Roran and Katrina two gold rings crafted from the reserves he pulled out of the ground with magic. He has also infused these with magic, so he can be there for them if they are ever in trouble. Eragon places value on his family, and wants to take care of them, if he is able.

“I have purchased prestige and self-respect for Katrina, and by extension, I have purchased Roran’s goodwill. I may be overly optimistic, but I suspect his loyalty will prove far more valuable than a hundred shields or a hundred spears.” 

Nasuada provides Katrina with a handsome dowry for her marriage to Roran. She confesses this is not just for Katrina’s benefit but for her own as well; she sees this as an investment into Roran’s willing participation as a soldier for the Varden. If she can help to set them up, she can retain him for her own services—that’s how good Roran is at his job.

“No matter how hard he strove, there was always another mutilated soldier there to slash and stab at him. And always the demented giggling of men who knew they were dead and yet continued to maintain a semblance of life even while the Varden destroyed their bodies.” 

In a horrific trap, Roran and his men come face to face with a group of the undead soldiers that Galbatorix has made. These men feel no pain and as a result are able to continue fighting long past when their wounds should cripple them. After a long and difficult battle defeating these soulless men, Roran experiences long-term trauma.

“[…] Whether success or failure awaits us, and I surely hope we prevail, our names shall be remembered until the end of time for how we comport ourselves at this clanmeet. That at least is an accomplishment to fill your belly with pride! The gods are fickle, and the only immortality we can count on is that which we win through our deeds. Fame or infamy, either one is preferable to being forgotten when you have passed from this realm.” 

This passage, which is being used to open the clanmeet, tells the reader a lot about the personality and preferences of Orik. He places emphasis on a person’s fame and legacy and does not want to be forgotten. This is as much an appeal to his fellow dwarves as it is a reflection of their values as well; in this way Eragon is able to learn more about the race of dwarves.

“‘But, Stronghammer, we cannot kill that many men ourselves!’ Roran glanced back at Harald. ‘Of course we can! We fight to protect our families and to reclaim our homes and our lands. They fight because Galbatorix forces them to. They have not the heart for this battle. So think of your families, think of your homes, and remember it is they you are defending. A man who fights for something greater than himself may kill a hundred enemies with ease!’” 

In an effort to save the lives of as many of his men as he can, Roran disobeys his commander and leads his soldiers to victory. In the process, he must motivate them into attacking the much larger and stronger forces. A trick to doing this is by invoking his soldiers’ sense of loyalty toward their families and the wellbeing of their homeland.

“The way to defeat another magician is not by battering blindly against his mind. No! In order to ensure victory, you have to figure out how your enemy interprets information and reacts to the world. Then you will know his weaknesses, and there you strike” 

After Oromis and Glaedr tell Eragon that his real father was Brom, Saphira reveals that she has been holding a final recording from Brom to Eragon. Brom imparts several pieces of advice for his son, which he believes will be helpful in the future. While some advice focuses on Eragon’s own betterment, others such as this focus more heavily on how to defeat Galbatorix.

“You now have the hands of a warrior, Eragon. Take care they do not become the hands of a man who revels in the carnage of war.”

Oromis examines Eragon’s handiwork in producing knots on his knuckles to toughen them and prevent injury during battle. He also expresses his worry that Eragon will be tainted by war as he seeks to avenge his people in the face of Galbatorix. His mentor remembers him as he was, a young farm boy, and part of him will always see Eragon this way.

“As soon as Eragon uttered the spell in its entirety, the rock vanished from the palm of Oromis’s hand and, an instant later, reappeared in the middle of the clearing with a flash of blue light, a loud detonation, and a surge of burning hot air. Eragon flinched from the noise and then gripped the branch of a nearby tree to steady himself as his knees buckled and cold crept over his limbs. His scalp tingled as he gazed at the rock, which lay in a circle of charred and flattened grass, and he remembered the moment when he had first beheld Saphira’s egg.” 

Oromis grants Eragon one final spell and after some deliberation he agrees to teach Eragon how to move things across far distances. Eragon thinks of this spell because it is the one Arya used to send Saphira’s egg to Carvahall before she was captured by the Shade. This is a powerful spell and as such it saps energy from the caster; Eragon must be careful in choosing when to use this spell on his own.

“I cannot pretend that I regard this with favor, but the purpose of life is not to do what we want but what needs to be done. This is what fate demands of us.” 

Oromis is wise from years of experience and has been a beneficial mentor for Eragon. Despite his age, he and Glaedr have decided to fight in Gil’ead, as such these are some of his parting words of advice for Eragon. His advice is as much for himself as it is for Eragon; neither of them inherently love battle but they are willing to fight for what they believe in.

“Have I ever told you how glad I am we’re not enemies? Eragon asked. No, but it’s very sweet of you.” 

In this passage Eragon and Saphira are communicating telepathically. Saphira is a fearsome enemy and a loyal ally. This innocent expression of Eragon’s love and awe for the dragon is well received and an example of the bond they share as Rider and dragon.