Subject: (urth) Eschatology and Genesis revisited

From: CRCulver <crculver at aol.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 22:14:55 +0000

In late 1997, there was a discussion of "Eschatology and Genesis" which was
essentially my introduction to the list, and now it is archived in the 5th
volumes of the archives. Now translating the play into Esperanto as a sort of
intellectual exercise (no foolin'), I can see several interesting issues not
previously covered.

Alice Turner wrote:
<<Baldanders’s  roles are downright fascinating. As Nod, he represents the
elementals, the children of Urth, not only the Nephilim, Titans, Jontun,
ogres, giants, trolls, creatures in the cave, Gayomart, Enkidu, etc, but also
the dumb beasts who cannot speak for themselves. As the Statue, he stands for
androids, demi-humans and the cacogens, but also, I think, for ruins,
monuments, the nobler detritus of mankind. It’s possible that he, rather than
Dr. T, will play the Old Sun in the last act, yet he is crucial to the
development of Ushas, or so I think>>

Alice says that Baldanders represents the cacogens, and I must humbly
disagree. It would seem to me that the cacogens are represented by the two
demons. In their little lecture to the Autarch, they speak of the new
continents to be raised by the New Sun, especially of the precious metals soon
to be exposed. Wolfe, in his role as translator, speculates that it is the
possible trade of metals (as well as food and slave labour) which give the
cacogens a reason to communicate with Urth.
Also, the joy of the demons at the coming of the New Sun is furthermore tied
to the Hierodules because, according to "The Key to the Universe" in volume
four, the New Sun itself is a tool of the Hieros, used to "shape" humanity.

Does this hold water?

- Christopher Culver <crculver at aol.com>

*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/