Assignment of Roles in Dr. Talos's _Eschatology and Genesis_

Dan Rabin · 23 Nov 1997, 17:13 · from urth-v0005.mbox · original

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From: Dan Rabin <danrabin at a.crl.com>
Subject: (urth) Assignment of Roles in Dr. Talos's _Eschatology and Genesis_
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 17:13:24
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[Posted from URTH, a mailing list about Gene Wolfe's New Sun and other work=
s]

Here's my deduction of who played whom in Dr. Talos's play, based on
explicit statements, physical characteristics, and the constraint that no
actor can appear in more than one role simultaneously.  I'm sure many
readers of this list have already worked this out, but others may welcome
it as a useful reference for the present discussion.  I will gladly receive
additions and corrections.

  -- Dan Rabin

Gabriel - Dr. Talos
The Giant Nod - Baldanders
Meschia, the First Man - Severian
Meschiane, the First Woman - Dorcas
Jahi - Jolenta
The Autarch - Dr. Talos
The Contessa - Jolenta
Her Maid - Dorcas
Two Soldiers - Dr. Talos and Severian [note 1]
A Statue - Baldanders
A Prophet - Severian
The Generalissimo - Severian
Two Demons (disguised) - Severian and Dorcas
The Inquisitor - Dr. Talos
His Familiar - Severian
Angelic Beings [note 2]
The New Sun
The Old Sun
The Moon

[note 1] Dr. Talos must be First Soldier and Severian Second Soldier,
because First Soldier and Familiar appear together in a scene.  Also,
Second Soldier's role requires physical strength (carrying Jahi/Jolenta),
which we know Dr. Talos does not possess (see _The Sword of the Lictor_).

[note 2] I don't think it obvious who plays which demon.  Both demons
appear simultaneously with Autarch/Talos, and Second Demon appears
simultaneously with Nod/Baldanders and Jahi/Jolenta.  The pair must thus be
Severian and Dorcas, but which is which?  I favor Severian as Second Demon
because 1) his prophecies in the first demon-scene include the line about
natural resources cited in an Epilogue by Wolfe, and 2) Second Demon adopts
the stance of a soldier (one of Severian's roles) in the second demon-scene.

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