[BlavikensButcher]

As the title of the topic asks, does he believe in Destiny?

[dragonbird]

TW1 asks you to decide.

[BlavikensButcher]

dragonbird said:

TW1 asks you to decide. ›››

I mean the established character, like in the books.

[Wichat]

Geeralt is someone who doesn't want to believe in destiny and fight against it. So, he believes in it despite his internal struggle.

[BarisM]

From what I read in the books so far, he does. It takes a while for him but he eventualy does believe in destiny. And "something more" =) Wow, now I want to read it again. It was in "The Sword of Destiny".

[nVid]

BarisM said:

From what I read in the books so far, he does. It takes a while for him but he eventualy does believe in destiny. And "something more" =) Wow, now I want to read it again. It was in "The Sword of Destiny". ›››

If you really read it you should realize he does not in fact belive in destiny. Nor he does in greater powers ie gods. Remember how he was being sarcastic to Nenneke about that? Or when he came back to Cintra and spoke with Calanthe? He clearly stated that he did not belive destiny exists. Later in the book he might've doubts about it but I don't remember it.

[secondchildren]

BlavikensButcher said:

I mean the established character, like in the books. ›››

Geralt's point of view is expressed in two tales "The Sword of Destiny" and "Something More". I don't want to spoil you, so I cannot enter in the details of the story. To answer your question in short, no Geralt does not believe in Destiny. But then it is forced to embrace what Destiny has prepared for him.

[nVid]

Is it really translated as 'Something More'? Man that's dumb.

[BarisM]

nVid said:

If you really read it you should realize he does not in fact belive in destiny. Nor he does in greater powers ie gods. Remember how he was being sarcastic to Nenneke about that? Or when he came back to Cintra and spoke with Calanthe? He clearly stated that he did not belive destiny exists. Later in the book he might've doubts about it but I don't remember it. ›››

I really read it though I did not want to give spoilers here since this is general discussion forum. Anyway, you're right about what you say, I remember those parts. But that's why I said it took him a while. SPOILERS. Geralt believing there needs to be "something more" than destiny made a bigger impression on me. And it's stated that Geralt does accept and start believing in destiny in Blood of Elves, am I right? (Regarding Ciri. "She's my.. our destiny". Paraphrasing.) I've only read half of the book though, so I don't know if his belief changes later.

[VonStreff]

He does, remember the child-surprise? He believes in it, I think.

[nVid]

VonStreff said:

He does, remember the child-surprise? He believes in it, I think. ›››

He doesn't, read what we typed in previous posts, mate.

[grregg]

nVid said:

Is it really translated as 'Something More'? Man that's dumb. ›››

Well, how would you translate Coś więcej?

[Guy N'wah]

grregg said:

Well, how would you translate Coś więcej? ›››

In context, it definitely means "something more"; the translator could have taken license and used "something beyond", but that would be portentous and silly. I agree the title and translation are good ones.

[arkblazer]

Ive read the whole thing so of what ive read, Geralt doesn't WANT to believe, but the world or whatever ( the story goes on) he is forced to beleive.

[Glaroug]

Quote

Ive read the whole thing so of what ive read, Geralt doesn't WANT to believe, but the world or whatever ( the story goes on) he is forced to beleive.

Well said. To believe in destiny, Geralt must accept that he is powerless to it, a "victim". It was destiny in the form if a the Law of Surprise that made him a witcher, destiny made him infertile, and, again, destiny that denied him a life with Yennifer. His response to "fate" is similar to the three protagonist of Robert Jordans a Wheel of Time: rejection and strong denial that slowly melts.

Destiny is a fickle bitch, an invisible foe and a blessing. It has made him bitter and has aged him considerably. So of course Geralt is going to reject any notion of destiny, even when its grabs him be the scruff of his white mane, kicking and screaming, to stare at him straight in the face, where maybe, just maybe, Geralt will acknowledge its stinking breath.

Just my take on things. Its very hard to know just exactly what Geralt is thinking. Its important to note he will not always say what he feels. The best insight into Geralt's head is given by the women in his life.

[secondchildren]

Guy N said:

In context, it definitely means "something more"; the translator could have taken license and used "something beyond", but that would be portentous and silly. I agree the title and translation are good ones. ›››

There's still no official translation into english. In my language, it's "Qualcosa di più" which is more or less "Something more". Publisher renamed "Ostatnie życzenie" into "Il Guardiano degli Innocenti" (The Guardian of Innocents)..... if you know what I mean

[Wichat]

arkblazer said:

Ive read the whole thing so of what ive read, Geralt doesn't WANT to believe, but the world or whatever ( the story goes on) he is forced to beleive. ›››

Right, as I've said some posts before....

[Guy N'wah]

secondchildren said:

There's still no official translation into english. In my language, it's "Qualcosa di più" which is more or less "Something more". Publisher renamed "Ostatnie życzenie" into "Il Guardiano degli Innocenti" (The Guardian of Innocents)..... if you know what I mean /> ›››

Sorry, I meant the translation of the title. Its book (Sword of Destiny) was never (and probably won't be, due to the publisher's inertia, disorganization, and timidity) translated into English.

[nVid]

Guy N said:

In context, it definitely means "something more"; the translator could have taken license and used "something beyond", but that would be portentous and silly. I agree the title and translation are good ones. ›››

No, it should be translated to 'A little more' as in 'a little more effort'. That's the right context there, mate. Something more suggests that you need something completely different fullfiling your needs while 'just a little more effort' excplains how Yennefer and Geralt just had to put a little more effort in their relationship to work.

[Guy N'wah]

nVid said:

No, it should be translated to 'A little more' as in 'a little more effort'. That's the right context there, mate. Something more suggests that you need something completely different fullfiling your needs while 'just a little more effort' excplains how Yennefer and Geralt just had to put a little more effort in their relationship to work. ›››

But the original language does not mean "a little more", and "something more" does not mean "something completely different".

A good example of "something more" in proper English usage, "Well, it seems to me that the best relationships, the ones that last, are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before." [Gillian Anderson]

The general principle of preserving the author's wording when it is not unfit in the language is sound.