Path of Air

Ryan Dunn · 19 Aug 2010, 04:03 · from 2010-August.txt.gz

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From: ryan at liftingfaces.com (Ryan Dunn)
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:03:26 -0400
Subject: (urth) Path of Air
In-Reply-To: <SNT123-W13B13D1AA30E048DFF91C7CF9E0 at phx.gbl>
References: <SNT123-W13B13D1AA30E048DFF91C7CF9E0 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <E90B8D00-5567-4891-B438-A327B68F02C1 at liftingfaces.com>

Has this question been asked...

If Wolfe never intended to write UotNS, did he intend for his reader to deduce that Severian would go on to marry Valeria? If so, what "tells" were there that might lead one to believe that she, above all the other women from this story, would be the one?

...ryan


On Aug 18, 2010, at 11:54 PM, Lee Berman wrote:

>> 
>> Antonio P. Marques- What's Severian's attraction to Valeria? He met her when
>> both were reasonably young.
> 
>> The wife of Roman emperor Valentinianus was named
>> Valeria Severa.
> 
>> This I think is worth exploring
> 
> 
> 
> They are still about the same age when they married I think. I am not interested
> in parsing out exact timelines but I think those who do estimate Severian's journey 
> from graveyard to Autarchy lasted somewhat under two years. Or was it somewhat over...
> I forget.
> 
> Severian doesn't mention Valeria much, if at all, after their first meeting, for 
> three books.  Then, in Citadel of the Autarch he brings her up rather unexpectedly 
> in the first pages, describing her dark, curling hair and dark eyes and milk and 
> pomegranate skin. "really more beautiful than anyone I've ever seen since--more 
> lovely even than Jolenta". Later he describes Valeria's face as one that "tears at 
> his heart". So there is that.
> 
> Another face that Severian finds "tears at his heart" is the woman on the Path of Air.
> She resembles the Holy Katharine maid who many think is Severian's mother. Make of that
> what you will.
> 
> Further exploration of the Roman empress angle might be to check out Valeria's speaking
> Latin phrases to Severian. She may not be the best linguist but she translates "dei"
> to mean "New Sun". Severian has to be a bit pleased with that on more than one level.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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