The Ring and the Claw

With respect to the recent discussion on Tolkien's influence on Wolfe, I'd like to propose that the Claw of the Conciliator is, in some respects, a Wolfean reversal of the One Ring: The Ring is the lingering talisman of evil; the Claw is a talisman of good. The Ring weighs Frodo down; the Claw sometimes presses Severian onward. The Ring enslaves; the Claw heals. The Ring makes invisible; the Claw gives light. Frodo wants to conceal the Ring from its owner and destroy it; Severian wants to restore the Claw to its (perceived) owners and preserve it. The Ring is secret; the Claw is (presumably) displayed on the altar of the Pelerines. There are also similarities: Both objects are accidentally acquired by the respective protagonists. Both objects are a burden to their bearers. I'm not sure that this list shows anything more than a shared "ancient talisman" motif, but I've always at least found Severian's sense of pressure from the Claw reminiscent of Frodo's experience with the Ring. -- Dan Rabin