Phantastes · Chapter
Chapter XX explained
The narrator arrives at a lonely tower where two brothers, a dark-haired elder and a fair younger, are forging a sword.
What happens
The narrator arrives at a lonely tower where two brothers, a dark-haired elder and a fair younger, are forging a sword. They welcome him as a long-expected brother, recounting how a wise woman foretold his coming and instructed them to prepare for battle against three giants. The narrator joins their fellowship, and after a meal, he sings two songs: one about a king and his son who dies slaying a giant, and another about a lady mourning her dead lover. The brothers weep at first but then grow resolute.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the protagonist's psychological reversal from despair to…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- The Heroic Journey and Self-Sacrifice
The brothers prepare to sacrifice themselves against the giants, and the narrator joins their fellowship, embodying the heroic quest and willingness to die for others.
- Art and Poetry as Transcendence
The narrator's songs move the brothers to tears and then to resolve, showing poetry's power to transform grief into strength and purpose.
Characters to notice
- Anodos
The narrator, who arrives at the tower and is welcomed as a brother by the two smiths.
- Some Hero
The dark-haired elder brother, muscular and skilled at the forge, who leads the preparation against the giants.
- Sir Percival
The fair younger brother, slender and eagle-eyed, who assists in forging and shares the quest.
- The Speaker
The wise woman consulted by the brothers, who foretold the narrator's coming and advised them to forge their own armor.
Key passages
“Past tears are present strength.”
Tears shed in the past become a source of strength in the present.
The wise woman's proverb, explaining that weeping does not weaken but fortifies the soul for future trials.
“Tears are the only cure for weeping.”
The only way to stop crying is to cry it out completely.
A paradoxical insight from the wise woman, suggesting that emotional release is necessary for healing.
