Short Sun blog review

Gerry Quinn · 23 Sep 2010, 13:44 · from 2010-September.txt.gz

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From: gerryq at indigo.ie (Gerry Quinn)
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:44:23 +0100
Subject: (urth) Short Sun blog review
References: <SNT123-W5770AB61E0BF088A4C42BACF610 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <C419CDF2F189423EAEA2551DB8AC2A09@jill>

From: "Lee Berman" <severiansola at hotmail.com>

>>Gerry Quinn: I don't see anything in that story to suggest that Spring 
>>Wind was Typhon...
>>typhoons ae not particularly associated with Spring

> I don't think typhoons are at all relevant. The Greek monster Typhon was 
> mostly
> characterized by being multi-headed and dragon/snake-like. But his 
> Egyptian
> cognate, Typhon-Set was not quite as monstrous and very explicitly 
> associated
> with hot desert winds and drought.  Sirocco storms are most frequent in 
> spring and
> autumn.

Not a strong 'Spring' association.  And if we lose the 'typhoon' 
association, the wind connection is even weaker.

> I note that drought and hot winds are a part of the Long Sun story and 
> perhaps
> serve a Pas/Typhon purpose.

The drought (as well as any unexpectedly hot winds) is a consequence of the 
blockage of some of the Whorl's ventilation tunnels over time; it is an 
indication of the decrepitude of the Whorl.  The Whorl as built by 
Pas/Typhon did not suffer from drought.

> The Naviscaput story is explicitly associated by Severian with Abaia. By 
> parallel I could
> see the possibility that Spring Wind is a benign name and story associated 
> with Typhon
> and his origin. Gets a solid "maybe" in my book.

Certainly, Wolfe is inclined to put in such references.  If there were 
strong associations between Spring Wind and Typhon, such as a suggestion of 
two heads, I'd credit it.  But I think it's a stretch to read an 
identification into what we see here.

- Gerry Quinn

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