Eldest

In a fantasy world inspired by traditional epics and chivalrous quests, weapons are often used to characterize their bearer and take on deep levels of symbolism. Within the context of this literary tradition, Eragon’s bow symbolizes his trajectory from his humble beginnings in Carvahall to the heroic deeds he performs on the battlefield. After his physical transformation in Ellesméra, Eragon tries to use his old bow and accidentally breaks it, then laments the loss of the weapon that “Garrow had made […] as a birthday present” and reflects that “[l]osing his bow was like losing an old friend” (535). Eragon’s feelings toward his bow symbolize the loss of his innocence and hint at the sacrifices that he must make in order to become the hero that the series requires him to be. By contrast, when Queen Islanzadí offers him “a long, dark bow with reflexed limbs and curled tips nestled on a bed of velvet” (556), this particular weapon symbolizes his physical and psychological development. The bow is enchanted and tailored to Eragon’s new strength, highlighting his growth as a warrior and representing the physical changes that he has undergone. In short, these two bows reveal the contrast between the life that Eragon has left behind and the new roles and responsibilities that he is now accepting.