Ubermensches [Digest urth.v024.n004]

John Bishop · 01 Mar 1999, 13:41 · from urth-v0024.mbox · original

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From: John Bishop <jbishop at blkbrd.zko.dec.com>
Subject: (urth) Re: Ubermensches [Digest urth.v024.n004]
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 13:41:12
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re "Ubermenches" (Ubermenschen in German)

I think Latro and Severian, to take the two most obvious
examples, are super because otherwise their stories change
from the ones Wolfe wants to tell.

Consider an ordinary soldier in Latro's situation: he would
find his time and attention fully occupied staying alive,
giving us a quite different type of story.

And thus they must be stronger and quicker. They are handsome
because this means more romance (thematically important for
Serverian), but this analysis doesn't explain why Latro isn't
just "ordinary looking", for example.

As for smart and perceptive: one of the charms of Wolfe's
writing is that he and we both perceive things the protagonist
doesn't.

re Salamander and "things are what they are called"

The "fire spirit" meaning of salamander is very old; it's
at least medieval.  So that still fits.

re Severian

I'm re-reading _Shadow_; there's a definite statement by Severian
that he had sex with Thecla (about the time of the avern duel), which
settles a question which arose here a while ago.

Is the "Robert" he meets in the jungle greenhouse Robert Louis
Stevenson?  Was there a "Marie" in Samoa with him?  I can't help
but think the couple we see is a reference.

	-John Bishop

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