for Benjamin - sev as conciliator

maa32 · 19 Aug 2003, 06:25 · from urth-v0308.mbox · original

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From: maa32 <maa32 at dana.ucc.nau.edu>
Subject: (urth) for Benjamin  - sev as conciliator
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 23:25:27 -0700
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Hi Benjamin.
Of course there are plenty of indications that Severian is the conciliator =
all=20
over the place in BOTNS.  First off, there is mention of him as the Dark Su=
n=20
(sev's fuliginous cloak).  Agia emphasizes that he is the master of time as=20
they approach the botanic gardens, that he could be "right around the bend =
of=20
the street", or something similar.  Of course he is - he's right there talk=
ing=20
to her, and it's situational irony, as well as foreshadowing the power of t=
he=20
claw to reverse the passage of time and Severian's own travels.  There's a =
ton=20
more - at the party in Sword of the Lictor where Severian is supposed to th=
row=20
the woman off the cliff, he talks about how the Conciliator could be masked=
 at=20
the party and not even know it, clearly talking about himself.  Wolfe uses =
a=20
lot of that situational irony, which I believe can be attributed to a very=20
knowing Severian trying to hint that he is indeed the conciliator, long bef=
ore=20
we ever get Urth of the New Sun.  The New Sun is the Conciliator, and Sever=
ian=20
compares himself obsesses about light over and over again.  Whatever one=20
believes, Severian, and therefore Wolfe, certainly insinuates that he is th=
e=20
conciliator well before the sequel was written - but most of it relies on a=20
kind of ironic spin.
Marc Aramini

--=20

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