Gene Wolfe

K R Maxson · 07 Apr 1992, 00:41 · from sf-lovers.1992.mbox

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From: maxson at cerl.uiuc.edu (K R Maxson)
Subject: Re: Gene Wolfe
Date: 7 Apr 92 00:41:11 GMT
Message-ID: <sflovers-v17-160-12 at digest.sf-lovers>
X-Digest-Issue: SF-LOVERS Digest V17 #160
X-Urthmirror-Source: https://archive.org/details/sf-lovers-digest-vol-17a

BECKS at TAUNIVM.TAU.AC.IL (Sara Beck) writes:
> Anyway, I think that Wolfe's (or his characters) consistently have a
> weird attitude towards women.  Women in Wolfe's books seem to be a
> somewhat alien species.  They are assumed to have their own agenda which
> is completely hidden from men, and to be more or less dangerous to men.
> "There are Doors" is exhibit A, of course.  Also check out the references
> to sexual activity in the Torturer books (honesty compells me to admit I
> only read the first 2); the atmosphere is like a soldier reporting on an
> encounter with the enemy.  Yes he

I think you are mistaking Wolfe's fascination with "The Other" for his
perception of women.  You are right that in _There Are Doors_ women are
alien, but I don't think that is representative.  Rather, in most of Gene
Wolfe's stories, there is a shadowy, elusive-but-familiar alien presence:
the abos of _Fifth Head_, the doctor in _The Death of Doctor Island_.
Wolfe writes a great deal about identity, and makes many ordinary things
appear uncertain, illusory, deceptive; or even dangerous, malevolent.

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