(urth) Dr. Talos

[Dan'l Danehy-Oakes]

On 9/6/06, b sharp <bsharporflat at hotmail.com> wrote:
> A cane-sword seems like a unique enough item to merit some sort of
> connection but I don't see it either.  Talos acquires his gold headed
> cane as a "dropsie" after one of Baldanders' scary rampages during
> the play.  A nervous exultant in the audience?  Hard to believe it is
> Vodalus.

No, I don't think it's hard at all -- we know that Vodalus's people have
been watching Severian and the krew; we know that Vodalus visits
the city occasionally. As a spot check, we can look when we get to
the appropriate part of Book II and see if there's any mention of
Vodalus's swordcane, but I'll bet there isn't.

> Also, Talos loves whacking the heads off flowers with his cane.
> What's up with that?

Channeling Seinfeld, B? 8*)

We know that flowers in general are significant in the Book, and that
roses in particular signify the Conciliator. And Talos works for (& was
created by) someone who opposes the return of the Conciliator/New
Sun. H'mmm.

> And what's up with him in general?  A homunculus?  Name from a
> mythical bronze man?  Hot dry skin.  No sex, sleep or food needed?

"Very little" food or sleep; it's certainly possible that this is a code for
"none," but then we have to ask what his energy source is. He clearly
doesn't burn fossil fuels! But "hot dry skin" implies to me that perhaps
he does use some heat-producing power plant.  A mininuke perhaps?

> He seems to understand Urth to Ushas better than anyone else.

Including (interestingly enough)  Baldanders. He has surpassed
his maker in some significant ways; this might itself be something of
a "theme" in tBotNS, given the history of the Hiero-foos. But when
he deliberately evokes Frankenstein, I'm forcefully reminded of the
most chilling line in Shelley's book: "You are my creator, but I am
your master. Obey!"

-- 
Dan'l Danehy-Oakes, writer, trainer, bon vivant
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