Catherine/Carina

David Stockhoff · 25 Oct 2011, 13:48 · from 2011-October.txt.gz

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From: dstockhoff at verizon.net (David Stockhoff)
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:48:49 -0400
Subject: (urth) Catherine/Carina
In-Reply-To: <SNT123-W59E2331A1BADAAF773FA49CFEC0 at phx.gbl>
References: <SNT123-W59E2331A1BADAAF773FA49CFEC0 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <4EA6BE41.50305 at verizon.net>

On 10/25/2011 8:40 AM, Lee Berman wrote:
>> David Stockhoff:
>> This suggests Sev's mom was a favorite of the Old Autarch's. If so, this
>> confirms for me that Sev only learned/suspected his maternity upon his
>> ascension.
>> (1) He only suppresses his knowledge as he writes the Inn of Lost Loves
>> scenes because he didn't know it at the time they occurred. He can't be
>> accused of hiding it, just of not connecting the dots for his reader.
>> He's being delicate in the narrative because of Dorcas as well and has
>> no wish to be cruel to his father. So he leaves the obvious unsaid, even
>> for the reader.
>> (2) AFAICT, when Sev interrogates Ouen he is only interested in figuring
>> out Dorcas. He already suspects that she is much older than she looks,
>> and that Ouen is her son. He has no idea Ouen is his father. He only
>> inquires about Catherine after he is told he resembles Ouen; he puts 2+2
>> together because the Old Autarch knows Catherine but not Ouen. Nor,
>> presumably, did the Autarch know about Sev or of twins, or else Sev
>> would know about any Severa. This confirms that the Autarch had no hand
>> in any breeding project, but Inire may have.
> Excellent insight in identifying Severian's motivation of going to Ouen
> as one of his first acts after becoming autarch (and acquiring the
> memories). And good catch in noting Contessa Carina as one of the autarch's
> favorites. All in all a great analysis!

I should note (if I didn't) that the Old Autarch would also know of 
Catherine's execution, assuming she was, as he would probably have been 
the one to judge her. I base this on hints that the Autarch judged all 
cases brought at court, including discussion in the audience at Talos' play.

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