sev/silk contrast

Marc Aramini · 22 Nov 2008, 01:51 · from 2008-November.txt.gz

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From: marcaramini at yahoo.com (Marc Aramini)
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:51:00 -0800 (PST)
Subject: (urth) sev/silk contrast
Message-ID: <558904.33307.qm at web58205.mail.re3.yahoo.com>

I believe Craig mentioned we were meant to contrast Sev and Silk in a meaningful fashion and I agree, yet at times it is disturbing to do so.  Silk is the better man by modern standards - sexually and behaviorally he is certainly more in tune with our modern definitions of morality.  However, Severian is able to spare his enemies in an astonishing way (Agia and others escape death) while Silk kicks Jahlee to death in wrath as one of his last recorded actions (certainly NOT Horn by then).  This is problematic to some degree but I would certainly maintain Silk is still the better man.

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