(urth) Eyes of Thecla

[Andy Robertson]

b sharp writes: 

> I don't know of any other characters who are described as having very large 
> violet or purple eyes, so it is difficult to call the similarity a 
> coincidence, especially since both descriptions first appear in Shadow. But 
> what connection can there be between these two?  I have some vague thoughts 
> involving the kaibit process but I'm interested in any ideas others might 
> have.
 


"Violet eyes" is just a poetic way of saying dark blue eyes. 

Blue eyes are not found among animals, only among humans. 

But "blue-eyed" also has poetic connotations of outdoorsy, healthy, 
sunburned, blonde, natural, happy, which Wolfe does not want to bring up in 
connection with the paramours of the Autarch, who should be surpassingly 
beautiful but sick, like the dying Urth. 

 


This isn't complex, but in this case I **think** it's the whole story. 

 

Wolfe has a wonderful way of implying much in a few words, and if you pick 
those words apart you won't always find a conscious construction under them.