different sev's and silk as seeker

maa32 · 10 Jul 2003, 05:57 · from urth-v0307.mbox · original

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From: maa32 <maa32 at dana.ucc.nau.edu>
Subject: (urth) different sev's and silk as seeker
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 22:57:55 -0700
Message-ID: <urth-v0307-3620 at digest.urth.net>
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Two brief points:

I believe Nutria asked me to clarify why I stated that the author of Urth o=
f=20
the New Sun was different than the Severian of Book of the New Sun.  Note t=
hat=20
the old Severian copies out the Book of the New Sun again and then dies=20
falling down a shaft, after which point another physical body is created, t=
hen=20
yet another one is made before that eidolon writes Urth of the New Sun: a c=
opy=20
of a copy.  It isn't the same human hand - that's all I meant, and there ma=
y=20
be other differences (since the hierodules aren't really God, after all - t=
hey=20
just approximate him as best they can)

As far as I know, Wolfe was not specific about Silk being the only member o=
f=20
the Seekers for Truth and Penitence.  Here is my take: the Matachine Tower =
is=20
the last refuge of a distorted Catholic church: all male, in black, seeking=
 to=20
serve a greater justice beyond their ability to judge.  They obey.  They ha=
ve=20
ceremonies of religious import, but the church has ultimately fractured int=
o=20
the female Pelerines and the more sedentary torturers, who have adapted a b=
it=20
of a secular role in punishment - bringing hell to Urth a bit before death,=20
but still serving a higher power.  Purgatory, if you will.
Silk is a member of a distorted church that seeks truth and penitence as we=
ll,=20
but since the traditions have been muddled with by Typhon, it is even more=20
corrupted by polytheism.  They still wear black and even have the sign of=20
addition and confession and other DISTINCTLY Catholic sacraments (Silk even=20
knows about the eucharist, but I think sacrifice has taken the place of tha=
t=20
in their masses).  So here is my take: the torturer's are very corrupt=20
priests, and Silk is a priest of a polytheistic syncretic Catholicism (hell=
,=20
there's even a pope).

I don't think we can use that interview statement to say that Silk is a clo=
ne=20
of Ymar or Severian .... BUT on the other hand everyone and their brother=20
thinks that Silk is a ghost of Malrubius, which STILL blows my mind.  So ..=
.=20
Silk as clone of Malrubius, anyone?  And where the hell would Typhon get a=20
clone of a man born more than a thousand years after him to put on a ship,=20
unless that "original" man (Malrubius) was a clone from an earlier source?

Any explanations for why Silk (possibly with some small fragments of Horn l=
eft=20
inside him and blurring his astral appearance) looks like Malrubius?  Could=20
this be an explanation for why he needs to meet Severian?

Marc Aramini

--=20

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