Black Sun

James Jordan · 10 Sep 2003, 14:42 · from urth-v0309.mbox · original

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From: James Jordan <jbjordan4 at cox.net>
Subject: Re: (urth) Black Sun
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 09:42:43 -0500
Message-ID: <urth-v0309-4095 at digest.urth.net>
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At 02:13 AM 9/10/2003, Thomas Bates wrote:
>In all this talk of the different suns, what about the Black Sun?
>In _The Sword of the Lictor_, when Severian is in Thrax with the sick
>children, he says that the Conciliator is the Black Sun.
>
>"That night in the jacal it [the Claw] was not brilliant, but it
>glowed with so deep a blue that the light itself seemed almost a
>clearer darkness.  Of all the names of the Conciliator, the one that
>is, I believe, least used, and which has always seemed the most
>puzzling to me, is that of the Black Sun.  Since that night, I have
>felt myself almost to comprehend it."  (Volume III, Chapter VIII,
>TBotNS)
>
>"Black Sun" makes me think of a black hole, but I don't see what that
>has to do with the Conciliator.  Maybe someone else does?
>
>The only thing I can think of is the darkness at the crucifixion of
>Christ, which is thought to have resulted from an eclipse:
>
>Luke 23:44-45
>And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all
>the earth until the ninth hour.
>And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the
>midst.
>
>Mat 27:45
>Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the
>ninth hour.

         Is Odin symbolism is already at work in the Severian books? There=20
is Ragnarok, so I guess Wolfe was already employing a bit of Norse imagery.=20
The chapter does not seem to be trading in Norse myth, however, but in the=20
gospel, where Jesus enters the room of the dead girl and raises her.
         Some quick notes/thoughts:
         1. The darkness on Calvary cannot be intended as an eclipse since=20
it lasts three hours. Rather, it refers back to the three days of darkness=20
of the 9th Egyptian Plague that preceded the 10th, which entailed the death=20
of the Passover Lamb as a way of escaping it. The gospels intend us to=20
understand this as miraculous event.
         2. This chapter (3:8) emphasizes Sev's black robe, which appears=20
bright to the girl. Also the darkened shining of the claw. Sev as=20
Conciliator is both black and white sun.
         3. Speculating, I would think of hell as outer darkness, the place=20
of judgment, judgment that comes from God just as much as the light of=20
grace comes from Him. Sev. is clearly mostly the judgment side, as a=20
Torturer. But he manifests the grace-light side also. If the dark Claw=20
somehow signifies judgment, one would see this as a judgment unto=20
resurrection in this chapter, since that, in essence, is what happens. This=20
does fit with the overall narrative: Sev as Black Sun bringing judgment to=20
Urth, and resurrection as New Sun afterwards.
         But I don't know if that's entirely right, or even on the map.

Nutria


--=20

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