Violence
Violence is one of the most significant themes in Murtagh. Throughout the novel, readers witness several acts of violence committed by the mysterious and evil Witch. The Witch plagues the land of Alagaësia and frequently assaults and casts spells on the land's inhabitants. Ultimately, she uses violence as a way to control Alagaësia and its inhabitants by striking fear in their hearts. Murtagh and his dragon Thorn, on the other hand, use violence as a different way of control: they do it to protect themselves and to protect the land they know and love. The novel shows when used properly and ethically, violence can be an incredibly powerful and transformative tool. But it needs to be used properly to be ethical.
The importance of standing up for what is right
In a similar vein, the importance of standing up for what is right is another important theme in the novel. After the Witch reigns her unique brand of terror all across Alagaësia, leaving people scared and hopeless, few are willing to stand up and do what is right. That reaction is natural: they don't want to get hurt (or they don't want to get their family hurt) as a consequence of their standing up for what is right. In the case of the novel, that means fighting against the Witch and her abuse. Murtagh and his dragon Thorn ignored the potential of the harm that could come to them if they did what was right. They ignored the risks and carried on with their fight against the Witch. Although they experience loss, injury, and hardship on their journey, they continue on. And they are rewarded for their bravery. Their lives are put in jeopardy several times, but they still soldier on. This shows that standing up for what is right is vitally important to ensuring a free and healthy society, but it never comes without giving something up.
