(FWD) Re: (urth) Why Garvaon killed Gilling

[James Wynn]

>I think the killing was motivated mainly by bitterness;

Although I agree with much that Nathan says on this subject, I think this
statement goes too far.

Garvaon seems to see Idnn's marriage in the same way Idnn saw it as they
were approaching Utgard. (In the same way Adam Stephanides described on this
list IIRC). I don't think he saw it as any different from rescuing a "fair
maiden" from a dragon. Killing such a creature in that circumstance would be
knightly in any circumstance...even if it were asleep. Humans and Giants are
not the same and the same rules of knightly killing do not apply. Able
doesn't refuse to rescue Idnn earlier because the act would be "unkightly".
He does it because the act would be impractical for both he *and* Idnn. Able
refers to it as equivalent to 'running away to live in Fairyland". Although
it appears that he eventually does that, it does not seem that at the time
he saw that as easily within his grasp.

Garvaon on the other hand seems to have seen Idnn the way Able saw Disiri.
Able would have committed any murder for her sake (and offers to). Was that
unknightly behavior? Not as I recall the requirements of medieval "courtly
love".

It is true that Idnn would not have thanked Garvaon for his act, but that is
because she saw things differently after her marriage. She seems to see
marriage -- even one to King Gilling -- as more than a formality. Idnn's and
Garvaon's separate viewpoints on this are simply among the paradoxes of the
knightly code.

~ Crush