(urth) More on Juturna
b sharp
bsharporflat at hotmail.com
Fri Apr 28 04:34:04 PDT 2006
I think it is a mistake to assume the desires of Juturna are (in all times)
the same as those of Abaia. Abaia is not interested in the physical
domination of Urth but rather the acquisition of slaves. I suspect Abaia's
harem of brides/daughters may not be happy with their roles but rather
forced into compliance in some manner.
Some evidence for this exists in the quasi-Theseus story that Severian tells
Jonas. If the naviscaput leviathan in that story is a reference to Abaia
then could the Corn Maidens, taken against their will, be the analog to the
undines?
Or perhaps even closer, for Juturna, would be the monster's daughter (can't
remember her name). She helps the hero defeat the naviscaput because she is
the product of her father raping her mother. Perhaps some of Juturna's
actions in helping Severian can be seen in this light.
To me the undines (Juturna, Idas) project a sense of unhappy desperation in
their direct dealings with Severian until the final scene where Juturna is
happily munching on fish and seems calmly pleased to help Severian with no
strings attached. Perhaps in some unexplained manner the New Sun has freed
the undines.
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