Magic in fiction#Magic via enchanted objects

Magic in fiction is the endowment of characters or objects in works of fiction or fantasy with powers that do not naturally occur in the real world.

Magic often serves as a plot device and has long been a component of fiction, since writing was invented.

Historical beliefs

Historically, witches such as the Weird Sisters in William Shakespeare's Macbeth, wizards such as Prospero in The Tempest or characters like Doctor Faustus in Christopher Marlowe's play of the same name were widely considered to be real.{{cite book|last1=Clute|first1=John|last2=Grant|first2=John|last3=Ashley|first3=Mike|last4=Hartwell|first4=David G.|last5=Westfahl|first5=Gary|title=The Encyclopedia of Fantasy|date=1999|publisher=St. Martin's Griffin|location=New York|isbn=0312198698|edition=1st}}{{rp|1027}} Contemporary authors tend to treat magic as an imaginary idea, opting to build their worlds with a blank slate where the laws of reality do not carry as much weight.{{rp|1027}}

Function

Within a work of fantasy, magic can help to advance the plot, often providing power to heroes or to their opponents. The use of magic frequently manifests itself in a transformation of a character, if not the transformation of the fictional world.{{cite book|last1= Martin|first1= Philip|title= The Writer's Guide to Fantasy Literature: From Dragon's Lair to Hero's Quest: How to Write Fantasy Stories of Lasting Value|date= 2002|publisher= Writer Books|location= Waukesha, Wisconsin|isbn= 0871161958|edition= 1st}}{{rp|143}}

For magic to carry out its functions, it often comes at a price equal to its value. {{cite book|last1= Attebery|first1= Brian|title= The Fantasy Tradition in American Literature: From Irving to Le Guin|date= 1980|publisher= Indiana University Press|location= Bloomington|isbn= 0253356652|url= https://archive.org/details/fantasytradition00atte}}{{qn|date=February 2020}}{{rp|143}}

Fictional magic may or may not include a detailed magic system, but it is not uncommon for authors to omit details or explanations of certain limitations, ostensibly for pacing or other purposes; in these cases, it is possible that magic serves more as a convenience to the author rather than as a device for the character.{{cite web|url=https://www.osswriting.com/post/magic-systems-in-fantasy|title=The Role of Magic Systems in Fantasy Novels: Rules and Limitations|author=OSS Writing|date=22 January 2025}}

In nearly any given fantasy magical system, magical ability is limited. Limitations can add conflict to the story and prevent characters from becoming all-powerful with magic, although characters with unlimited power (such as deities or transcendental beings) are not unheard of in fiction.{{rp|616}} Fantasy writers use a variety of techniques to limit the magic in their stories,{{cite web|url= http://www.victorianweb.org/courses/fiction/65/tolkien/kern14.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20040823122821/http://www.victorianweb.org/courses/fiction/65/tolkien/kern14.html|url-status= dead |archive-date= 2004-08-23 |title= The Limits of Magic |website= The Victorian Web |access-date= 2013-10-16 }} such as limiting the number of spells a character has or may cast before needing rest, restricting a character's magic to the use of a specific object, limiting magic to the use of certain rare materials,{{cite book|last1= Card|first1= Orson Scott|title= How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy|date= 1990|publisher= Writer's Digest Books|location= Cincinnati, Ohio|isbn= 0898794161|pages= [https://archive.org/details/howtowritescienc00card/page/47 47–49]|edition= 1st|url= https://archive.org/details/howtowritescienc00card/page/47}} or restricting the magic a character can use through its negative consequences. Some works feature magic that is performed through the use of certain words or incantations to cast spells.{{Citation needed|date= July 2013}} While many works use this method without offering an explanation for it, others do offer an explanation.{{rp|134}}{{rp|167–168}}

Hard magic is a magic system with specific rules and regulations; a soft magic system is usually much more vague and undefined with a mysterious aspect to it.

Image:John William Waterhouse - Magic Circle.JPG, 1886 by John William Waterhouse]]

Acquisition

Authors introduce magic into their stories, and to their characters, in varying ways. Although there is great variation in how spontaneously magic occurs, how difficult it is to wield, and how the guidelines to the magic are implemented, there are a handful of methods for introducing magic found in many fictional works. In many{{quantify|date=February 2020}} fantasy works, writers depict magic as an innate talent, equivalent for example to perfect pitch.{{rp|616}} Magic may also be gained through a pact with a devil or with other spirits, a characteristic common in folklore.{{cite book|last1= Briggs|first1= Katharine|title= An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures|url= https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaoffa00brig|url-access=registration|date= 1976|publisher= Pantheon Books|location= New York|isbn= 039473467X|page= [https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaoffa00brig/page/279 279]|edition= 1st}}

=Items=

In some works, such as fairy tales, magic items either endow the main characters with magical powers or have magical powers themselves. Writers often use them as plot devices or MacGuffins to drive the plot of a story.{{cite book|last1= Thompson|first1= Stith|title=The Folktale|date= 1977|publisher= University of California Press|location= Berkeley|isbn= 9780520035379}}{{Page needed|date= February 2017}}

Wands and staves often feature in fantasy works in the hands of wizards.

{{cite book

|last1= Frye|first1= Northrop|title= Anatomy of Criticism; Four Essays

|date= 1971|publisher= Princeton University Press|location= Princeton|isbn= 0691012989

|page= [https://archive.org/details/anatomyofcritici00frye/page/152 152]

|edition= 2nd|url= https://archive.org/details/anatomyofcritici00frye/page/152

}}

Italian fairy tales had put wands into the hands of the powerful fairies by the late Middle Ages.{{cite web|url=https://theprouditalian.com/italian-folklore-and-other-stories/|title=Italian Folklore|author=theprouditalian|date=22 January 2025}}

Talismans such as rings or amulets may exert magical influence.

Note Tolkien's legendarium, for example, or The Story of the Amulet.

Seven-league boots and invisibility cloaks have also proven popular.

References

External links

Lawrence Watt-Evans, "[https://www.watt-evans.com/LawsofFantasy.shtml#article%20Watt-Evans' Laws of Fantasy]", Starlog
Patricia C. Wrede, "Magic and Magicians", [https://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/04/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions-magic-and-magicians/ Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions]
Anders, C.J. (2011) [https://web.archive.org/web/20151113193107/http://io9.com/5866306/the-rules-of-magic-according-to-the-greatest-fantasy-sagas-of-all-time "The Rules of Magic, According to the Greatest Fantasy Sagas of All Time"] io9.com (includes 7x51 chart)

Category:Fantasy tropes

Category:Fictional power sources

Category:Fiction about superhuman abilities

Category:Recurrent elements in fairy tales