Sev's common lineage

Jeff Wilson · 01 Jul 2008, 17:33 · from 2008-July.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:33:18 -0500
Subject: (urth) Sev's common lineage
In-Reply-To: <BAY103-W98FD5081D12E8D8397455D79E0 at phx.gbl>
References: <BAY103-W98FD5081D12E8D8397455D79E0 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <486A6A5E.5070405 at io.com>

b sharp wrote:
> Roy, I not sure I understand the point of your previous post. Are you saying you see no 
> connection between Severian's loggia scene and the Contessa's story in the play? If so 
> that almost defies belief.  I would think even the most tunnel-visioned skeptic could see 
> the similarities between those scenes.
> 
> Regarding this statement:
>> Are there any characters in the Urth Cycle who *don't* have access to one of
>> these increasingly ubiquitous and textually elusive time machines? Why on
>> Urth would anyone have had any reason to preserve one of the Old Autarch's
>> old whores by spiriting her away in time somewhere, so she can pop up on
>> Ushas fifty years later?
> 
> I don't find them elusive and I think time "portal" is a more apt description than "machine".
> Master Ash's house is the archetype; a labyrinthine entranceway to a vertical structure.  
> Is there any quibble about its function? I see obvious copies of it in the Jungle Garden and 
> Atrium of Time tower. I assume Thais or Catherine or any other character who seems out 
> of place in time would have no trouble climbing stairs or a ladder without assistance.  
> Moreover the suggestions of horizontal portals connecting the House Absolute to the Citadel 
> and even to the Botanic Garden and House Azure suggest to me that many could have access
> if they wandered to the right place (as Sev and Jonas wandered to Inire's Mirror room). Sev's
> discussion in UotNS of the many who managed to get into the Secret House supports this.

Sev's movements in the Houses seem to be under manipulation by Inire, 
for example the forced perspective room covered by the drop-down 
painting is explicitly his work. It's possible he similarly employs 
transcendent doorways that are only there in order to steer Severian 
over long distances, and would not necessarily be available for anyone's 
use.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
< http://www.io.com/~jwilson >

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