Hyacinth

Lee Berman · 03 Nov 2011, 18:48 · from 2011-November.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2011 14:48:35 -0400
Subject: (urth) Hyacinth
Message-ID: <SNT123-W14A3444AD83F6A58E47560CFD50 at phx.gbl>

>Marc Aramini: There is also a fair amount of ambiguously creepy same sex molestation
>in Wolfe for an author considered so heterodox in his morality system, even extending
>to a Catholic priest being raped at one point. The gay warrior who likes young men in
>the Soldier series is actually likeable and manly.
>I actually don't like reading that stuff into his texts, to be honest, as I sometimes do
>tend to be the heterodox fellow with a slant toward benevolent fascism that Wolfe is
>misconstrued as being, but some of the undercurrents tend to point at times to things
>I don't like (suicidal Silk, for example)

Sigh, well, this cuts to the heart of the matter for me. We are willing to discuss the
ramifications of Wolfe being Catholic on his work. If he were openly gay, would that not
similarly impact our interpretation of his work? Should we assume that Wolfe's long
marriage and multiple children define him as a 100% red-blooded heterosexual?

I get the sense that bisexuality (and perhaps pedophilia) are masked in Severian's story.
And Silk- he is so likable and good, he has such strength in his faith and such skill in
his social interactions and combat/military situations...yet, the author clearly intends
to show him as a flawed figure; his own self-loathing is his downfall. Is it fair to suggest
that all failure in regard to Silk may be traced to Hyacinth? What might Wolfe be
trying to say with that?

>James Wynn: I believe Hyacinth is Fava

Ah yes! I have encountered this theory in a different context. Thanks for reviewing it for
us James. As you say, there is some conflicting evidence to be found, but it is worth
thinking about.

One connection I see clearly is the aspect of sexual unwholesomeness that radiates from
Hyacinth and seems to be shared by male and female inhumi. Add Severian's passion for Agia
and Juturna to that same assessment.

I find this in direct contrast with the more pure and innocent passion felt by our narrator
for Dorcas, Pia and perhaps Bugundofora (while the feelings toward Seawrack are a very
interesting mix of these two types).

A further contrast can be seen to whore and nymph, in the prim, practical connection our narrator
feels for Valeria and Nettle. Surely Wolfe is not the only man who has felt that no one woman
could ever be all things a man needs. For me, Wolfe short answer to James Jordan speaks volumes:

JJ: Is Valeria the ideal love for him?

GW: No.

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