Griffith did almost everything Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist tells us to do
Darkest Personal Legend One Can Have
Last week, I started reading this book called The Alchemist written by Paulo Coelho after finding good reviews all around the internet. I also watched a couple of book recommendation videos on YouTube where they mentioned this book and praised it with almost a sense of divinity. I got excited, downloaded an EPUB, and began the quest.The story follows the journey of Santiago as he tries to accomplish his Personal Legend, which is his deepest purpose. To be very honest, this was one of the most boring reads I have ever had. The things that Melchizedek and the Alchemist say, like “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it,” “Listen to your heart,” and “Fear is worse than failure,” just fry my brain.But as I went on reading, I started getting glimpses of Griffith, the Hawk of Light, from Berserk. I really feel Griffith did exactly what The Alchemist tells us to do. He followed his dream no matter the cost, believed everything was guiding him toward his destiny, and never let guilt or fear stop him. The more I read, the more I felt that Griffith was the perfect representation of the book’s philosophy.
I’ll be laying down the core principles The Alchemist teaches about reaching one’s Personal Legend and showing how Griffith follows every one of them in his pursuit of his deepest dream: having a kingdom.
1.Have a Personal Legend
According to the manga, Griffith was a common-born guy who lived through poverty. Though his life was so unequal, he was nothing compared to the other kids. He grew up looking at the castle from his dirty alleyways. Those moments planted something deep in his mind, which was to have a kingdom of his own.
2. Pursue your dream relentlessly
To achieve his impossible-sounding dream, he worked hard, starting with learning swordsmanship and horse riding, ultimately creating the most powerful mercenary band, the Band of the Hawk, while maintaining harmony among its members. Griffith astonishes me when he sells his body to Lord Gennon for the financial benefit of the band. This literally shows how determined he is to reach his goal, creating every opportunity to get himself one step closer to his unshakable ambition.
3. Fear is the greatest obstacle
Griffith is the type of guy who doesn’t give a second thought in a fight. His decisions are masterclass, and his leadership qualities are nowhere to be judged. He literally seizes every opportunity that comes his way to reach his goal. The Band of the Hawk fought for the Kingdom of Midland and were instrumental in defeating the invading Tudor Empire. He completely overpowers his fear by confronting Lord Gennon and eventually killing him by piercing his skull. His service to Midland earned him knighthood and the title of the Falcon, making him a noble. This was just one step closer to fulfilling his dream.
Even when he was captured by the King of Midland and tortured for a year, Griffith didn’t fear death. He endured all the pain for his greater cause.
4. Learn to recognize omens
The Crimson Beherit saves the life of Griffith. When he goes to meet the Queen, an arrow comes flying toward him, but the Beherit saves him. This is a major omen Griffith receives, making him question what kind of object could do something like that.
The Beherit saves him, almost as if the universe is giving him a sign to take his next big and risky step. Griffith orders Guts to assassinate Julius, but his son Adonis is also killed during the mission. After this major move, Griffith also has the Queen assassinated. As a reward for his continuous military victories, the King of Midland officially knights Griffith and awards him the noble title. It could be interpreted that Griffith started recognizing these signs and continued moving toward his dream with even greater conviction.
5. The universe conspires to help you
Right before the Eclipse, Griffith saw one of the creepiest dreams of his childhood. He saw himself looking at the castle, with a voice behind him saying that he would sacrifice himself for the sake of his dream. We also get a glimpse of what would eventually become Femto at the end of the dream.
The real peak comes a few moments later. Guts and the Band of the Hawk rescue Griffith after a year-long torture at the hands of the King of Midland. They finally save him, but he realizes that his dream is already over. He falls, gets back up hopelessly, his whole body completely fucked up to the core. He can’t do shit. All the dreams he had as a kid are now vanishing right in front of his eyes. All the work he put into pursuing his goal seems to have gone in vain. And that’s when the universe comes to help him. The Crimson Beherit shows up,the universe comes to help him and Griffth transform to Femto.
6. Sacrifice is necessary
The Alchemist says, “There’s no such thing as a painless lesson. They just don’t exist. Sacrifices are necessary; you can’t gain anything without losing something first.”
Griffith sacrifices the entire Band of the Hawk, whom he built from scratch, for the sake of his dream. He sacrifices Guts, the one he believed to be his dearest friend, along with all the members who cared for him. That sacrifice leads him to the path of glory and transforms him into Femto.
7. The journey transforms you
After the great sacrifice, there was no morality left in Griffith. He rapes Casca as part of a much greater plan. As a member of the God Hand, he could not physically exist in the normal world, and without that, he could not reach his dream. He uses the power of the other God Hand members to resurrect himself.
Conrad brings the plague to Midland, causing large-scale deaths, while the Egg of the Perfect World prepares the stage for the Incarnation Ceremony. During this ritual, Griffith is finally reborn into the physical world through the Demon Child, allowing him to continue pursuing his dream as Griffith.
I think Paulo Coelho wrote The Alchemist believing that the world rewards people who relentlessly pursue their dreams. The book tells us that everyone has a Personal Legend and that the universe will help us if we truly want something. But what the book never clearly answers is, how far should someone go to achieve that dream?
Griffith is the perfect example of this question. He did almost everything The Alchemist tells us to do. He had a Personal Legend. He pursued it relentlessly. He conquered his fears. He recognized the signs that guided him. He made sacrifices. His journey completely transformed him. Yet, in doing so, he also became one of the most immoral characters ever written.
Every successful person makes sacrifices, and sometimes they even make morally questionable decisions. But where do we draw the line? If the pursuit of a dream justifies every action, then Griffith is not a contradiction to The Alchemist. He is its darkest possible interpretation.
Maybe that isn’t what Paulo Coelho intended. But after reading both stories, I couldn’t stop thinking about Griffith and I feel he followed the rules more faithfully than Santiago.