Father Inire as Dionysus

Sergei SOLOVIEV · 25 Oct 2011, 16:33 · from 2011-October.txt.gz

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From: soloviev at irit.fr (Sergei SOLOVIEV)
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:33:12 +0200
Subject: (urth) Father Inire as Dionysus
In-Reply-To: <SNT123-W14F07DFB3BB990B5700A10CFEC0 at phx.gbl>
References: <SNT123-W14F07DFB3BB990B5700A10CFEC0 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <4EA6E4C8.9010104 at irit.fr>

I disagree with your disagreement -
>  
>   
>> Sergei Soloviev: I said that in the BoTNSand UoTNS (in the text!) no discernible human emotions 
>> are attributed to the personages who are presented as aliens - first of all, Ossipago, Barbatus 
>> ... (who are "explicitly" presented as aliens), but also to sea monsters, to walking statues, to 
>> Cumaean - and to Inire, and Tzadkiel - (in its version of Zak as well) - and Apheta -
>>     
>
> I disagree. Well, I supposed the walking statues don't show any human emotion and we never see Abaia. 
> But all the others do seem to have feelings. In many ways they are more "normal" human-like in their 
> emotions than crazy Hethor. B and F are calm, serene people but I think emotion is shown when they bend 
> their knee to Severian. Also they always express joy to see him. Inire shows some emotion in the 
> episode with Domnina and his letter to Severian expresses great joviality. Tzadkiel shows less emotion
> with each successive incarnation, but he/she still has some. And as Zak he demonstrates fear, anger and
> affection. Apeheta is pretty calm and serene like B and F but in contrast she finds Severian to be 
> disgusting and horrible. Quite beneath her, though she gains enough respect for him by the end of their
> encounter to admit her disgust to him.
>   
What you tell about their emotions are only guesses - like Odilo may 
guess something
about Inire. Very abstract, very approximative, like emotions of a 
picture on the wall,
because we need to interpret in some way facial expressions and behaviour.
I disagree that psychopath Hethor is exceptional, I would say, many of 
us even met
somebody like this, maybe to lesser degree. And Severian can place his 
emotions
(and of other human personages) without difficulty.

>  
>   
>> Jeff Wilson: by the way, the "old name" corresponding to Hethor I think is just 
>> "Hector".
>>     
>
>   
>> David Stockhoff I.e. - reference to Earth and its culture. A VERY old name. I wonder if some attributes 
>> are shared ....
>>     
>
> I don't get this. What resemblance does Hethor have to the Trojan Hector who was a brave and noble prince
> and warror? I don't think WOlfe would pick this name just for the heck of it. 
>  
> (I did find one obscure reference to a Hethor who was sort of a demonic magistrate called an "Astra". his 
> term started around 50 B.C. and lasted 140 years. Not especially interesting though. 
> Switch to Plain Text to make this legible: http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA270&lpg=PA270&dq=hethor%20astra&sig=4KjPWjyps4WuczUPJ9WdvDltEoc&ei=ycCmTr-8BafL0QH1_92oDg&ct=result&sqi=2&id=zqcXAAAAYAAJ&ots=WmkyCYgzfz&output=text)
>   
I think you are trying to associate symbolic significance with every 
name in BoTNS. I think that
(like "kimleesong") it is just reference to our time and our culture. 
Hector is sufficiently
common name. Maybe there is also some irony. (Not very heroic he is, 
Hethor.)

Sergei

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