Vodalus & the Old Autarch

Lee Berman · 11 Aug 2010, 18:05 · from 2010-August.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:05:48 -0400
Subject: (urth) Vodalus & the Old Autarch
Message-ID: <SNT123-W296152D62ADF206C72212FCF960 at phx.gbl>



>Dave Gottlieb: In that scene, it is said to be a combination of Thecla's recollections and
>the Autarch's "tone" that leads Severian to finally recognize him. If we
>allow ourselves to emphasize the "tone" part, it may be that the Autarch has
>some power of concealment (hypnosis?), and intentionally casts off the veil
>for some reason at the end of the exchange.
>At the end of Citadel, Severian is privy to some Autarchial knowledge (power
words?) that command instant recognition from a broad swath of servants of
the Commonwealth. Perhaps the Autarch is using similar techniques to control
who does and doesn't recognize his identity.

Interesting idea.  It is a bit weird that Vodalus can suspect the wounded old guy in the 
ziggurat is the Autarch, have the guy's androgynous face on one of his own coins but not 
recognize him.
 
Be careful though...next thing you know, you'll start to consider that Father Inire might be 
a monkey-like shapeshifter ;- ).

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