The Blue Hawk by Peter Dickinson
"The Blue Hawk" is a narrative that centers on the character Tron, a young priest in a highly organized priestly society, who becomes embroiled in a struggle for power after witnessing the violent overthrow of the old king during the Ceremony of Renewal. Tasked with protecting a sacred blue hawk, the totem of the god Gdu, Tron embarks on a perilous journey to aid the old king's son in reclaiming the throne from the oppressive priests. Throughout his travels, Tron undergoes significant personal growth, moving from a state of brainwashed obedience to one of awareness and understanding of the societal oppression imposed by the priesthood.
As Tron ventures south, he encounters a vibrant community that contrasts sharply with the repressive atmosphere of his homeland, revealing to him the possibility of a simpler, freer life. With the help of allies, including the blind priest One of Sinu and the old high priest Odah, Tron faces numerous trials, including a devastating battle against the Mohirrim, who support the priestly regime. The story explores themes of identity, freedom, and the struggle against tyranny, culminating in Tron's realization of his own soul and the interconnectedness with the blue hawk, leading him to embrace his newfound identity by releasing the bird. The narrative unfolds against a backdrop of ancient mythological elements, suggesting a deeper connection between the characters and their divine beings.
On this Page
The Blue Hawk
First published: 1976
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Fantasy—theological romance
Time of work: The distant future
Locale: Earth
The Plot
The story opens in the Temple of Gdu during the annual Ceremony of Renewal. Tron, a young priest, witnesses the victory of the priests of Gdu over the old king. He experiences a vision, then removes a blue hawk, the totem bird of the great Hawk God, Gdu, from the temple. The bird was to have been sacrificed to renew the soul of the old king; instead, the priests kill the king. Tron becomes the keeper of the sacred blue hawk and as such cannot be harmed, but he discovers that the highly systematized priestly society now in charge of the kingdom will try to kill him indirectly.
As Tron trains the blue hawk, he runs into the son of the old king, who asks Tron to help him regain his rightful throne from the rigid priestly caste. Tron is frightened but intuitively believes in the king, even though, as a member of the priesthood, he has been thoroughly brainwashed. Tron also is a visionary, an attribute that makes him different from the dronelike priests with whom he lives.
Tron becomes the king’s messenger and begins a dangerous journey south to enlist certain individuals to help the new king overcome the powerful priests. Tron observes the terrible condition of parts of his country. The farther south he journeys, however, the happier people seem. When he reaches Kalakal, he understands that life can be lived in great simplicity and openness without the intrusiveness of the powerful priests. He meets a lovely girl, Taleel, who helps him contact the local leaders and the old high priest, Odah, one of the few people he can trust.
Tron and the blue hawk return to the kingdom of O and Aa to find that repression has become almost unbearable. Tron meets with the king in secret. The king realizes that he must smuggle Tron and the blue hawk out of the country before they are murdered. He secretly places Tron and the hawk within the burial barge of his father, the old king, and sends it down the river into possible oblivion. Tron, after many harrowing adventures and risks, finally reaches Kalakal again. He enlists the One of Sinu, a blind priest, to aid him and Odah in performing the rituals required to ensure that the quest for reinstatement of the king will be successful.
After performing these exhausting rituals, the three priests are almost slaughtered by barbarians, the Hun-like Mohirrim, as they attempt to return to Tron’s home. The Mohirrim, it seems, support the priests of Gdu and will do anything to destroy the forces of the king. After a devastating battle in which virtually all the Mohirrim either commit suicide or are slaughtered by the king’s faithful forces, Tron is wounded by an arrow in his back.
During the battle with the Mohirrim, both the One of Sinu and Odah die of exhaustion, leaving Tron to fend for himself. During Tron’s recovery, he meets Taleel again. She helps nurse him back to health, though the process is slow because of the severity of his injury. His wound gives Tron a deeper understanding of the awful power of the priests in keeping the citizens of O and Aa ignorant and subservient. Tron sees that people have lived their lives by ritual and precedent, and that change is never permitted. He sees himself as part of an ancient corrupt system from which only the king, his blue hawk, and his visionary experiences can release him. After regaining his strength, Tron accompanies the king and his triumphal forces back to the kingdom to overcome the priests.
At the conclusion of the novel, Tron realizes that he has found his own soul. He also begins to understand that the blue hawk is not only a totem divinity but also a part of his own identity. Tron decides to release the hawk and discovers that he, too, is entering a life of freedom. The reader also becomes aware that the gods of Tron’s world are in fact alien beings reluctantly tied to Earth.