The Ring & The Claw

Dan'l Danehy-Oakes · 07 Jan 2002, 19:59 · from urth-v0031.mbox · original

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From: "Dan'l Danehy-Oakes" <ddanehy at siebel.com>
Subject: Re: The Ring & The Claw
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2002 11:59:07 -0800
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Dan Rabin wrote:

> With respect to the recent discussion on Tolkien's influence on=20
> Wolfe, I'd like to propose that the Claw of the Conciliator is, in=20
> some respects, a Wolfean reversal of the One Ring:

Well, while I don't think I would go so far as this (in the sense of
Wolfe deliberately doing so), I think you make (the beginnings of) an
interesting case for a comparative discussion of the books, especially
wrt a structuralist/poststructuralist discussion of the similar &=20
different ways the two objects fill the paradigm of "ancient,=20
powerful talisman."

Let's add to your list of similarities:
Both objects come into the protagonist's hands by seeming chance.
Both objects give the possessor power "according to his stature."
Both objects are ultimately destroyed during a battle with an enemy=20
    who seeks to take it from the protagonist.=20
Neither object looks extraordinary to a casual viewer.

And to the reversal list:=20
The Ring is destroyed by seeming chance; the Claw is destroyed by=20
    petty malice.
Frodo finds himself unable to give up the Ring; Severian finds
    that the "owners" will not accept (the remains of) the Claw.

--Blattid

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