Magyk

The Dragon Ring of Hotep-Ra is another formidable magical artifact that acts as a motif of The Influence of Power on Identity and Responsibility. It belonged to the first ExtraOrdinary Wizard and is shaped like an emerald-eyed “gold dragon, its tail clasped in its mouth” (210). The ring helps to trace Boy 412’s growth and offers a lesson about the importance of sharing power. Initially, he conceals it from the other characters and believes that whatever potential Marcia attributes to him is actually due to the ring’s influence. His relationship with the ring reflects the protagonist’s inner struggles at this point of the novel; he doesn’t know his true identity or his true power yet, and his doubts make him timid and hesitant to act. As his trust in himself and his allies grows, he becomes willing to share the ring’s power, and this helps Boy 412 resolve both internal and external conflicts. His decision to give the Dragon Ring to Marcia enables her to escape from DomDaniel’s clutches, paving the way for the antagonist’s defeat and the happy ending. During the resolution, the ring gives Boy 412 the confidence to recognize his remarkable potential and become the ExtraOrdinary Wizard’s Apprentice: “‘You are the Dragon Master,’ repeated Marcia, ‘because the ring chose you’” (528). The Dragon Ring advances the theme of power, the protagonist’s characterization, and the novel’s structure.

The Queen’s crown and Jenna’s circlet function as motifs of the theme of power and identity.

The crown represents the power with which the Queen shielded the Castle from DomDaniel’s Darke Magyk: “‘I thought,’ said Marcia, ‘that as long as we Wizards could hang on until the Princess was old enough to wear the Crown, we would be all right’” (144). This shield is lost when DomDaniel has the Queen assassinated and the Supreme Custodian seizes the crown: “The Supreme Custodian was never seen without” it, and “his appearance was made faintly ridiculous by his crooked, and slightly feminine, Crown” (23). The observation that the crown doesn’t suit him underlines that he is a usurper rather than the Castle’s rightful ruler. He acts as an authoritarian brute rather than fulfilling a leader’s responsibilities to their people as the Queen did. He is also a pretender in the sense that the power he steals ultimately goes to DomDaniel rather than to the Supreme Custodian himself.

Similarly, Jenna’s golden circlet connects to her identity and responsibility as a future ruler. Sage strengthens the object’s link to the theme of identity by having Marcia bestow the circlet and the revelation of Jenna’s royal bloodline on the girl simultaneously: “‘Princess,’ said Marcia, ‘this was your mother’s and now it is yours by right.’ Marcia reached up and placed the gold circlet on Jenna’s head. It fitted perfectly” (52). Jenna doesn’t remove the circlet despite the dangers she faces, just like she never thinks of abandoning her obligations to her people. For example, she boards The Vengeance rather than waiting for the adults to intervene when Marcia is imprisoned by DomDaniel, and the Necromancer recognizes her as the Princess by her “long dark hair and the golden circlet” (462) she wears. The circlet is both literally and figuratively smaller and lighter than the Queen’s crown, indicating that Jenna is ready to carry some of the responsibilities of her royal lineage but is not yet ready to become leader of the Castle.