Wolfe's "New Sun": Severian Unmasked!

Arthur Morgan · 30 Sep 1995, 19:15 · from sf-lovers.1995.mbox

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From: Arthur Morgan <Arthur at elfarran.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Wolfe's "New Sun": Severian Unmasked!
Date: Sat, 30 Sep 95 19:15:20 GMT
Message-ID: <sflovers-v20-370-10 at digest.sf-lovers>
X-Digest-Issue: SF-LOVERS Digest V20 #370
X-Urthmirror-Source: https://archive.org/details/sf-lovers-digest-vol-20b

raster at terra.com "Charles Dye" writes:
About the identity of Severian's mother
> Also, recall that Severian inherits his predecessor's memories ... he
> remembers being "unmanned" in Briah, not giving birth to <gulp> himself.

Agreed.  There's no reason to link her with the Autarch.  Severian's father
is Ouen, of the Inn of Lost Loves, and his mother was probably high-born
(which explains his height).  Dorcas was his grandmother.  Incidentally,
Catherine comes from a Greek word meaning `pure' in Greek, and seems a
punning reference to the Virgin birth of another, better-known Conciliator.

> How about Severian's sister?  Wolfe makes it clear that "Severian" is a
> twin-name.  Might "Severa" have been given to the witches?  And might
> they have changed her name to, say, "Merryn?"

I once wote to Wolfe about Merryn (and some other things), and he said she
was probably Severian's sister.

Arthur Morgan
arthur at elfarran.demon.co.uk

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