(urth) Gideon

[Dave Tallman]

Mythic patterns from the *The Golden Bough* seem to recur in many Wolfe
works. There is a conflict between a man representing Spring and a man
representing Winter over a woman/Goddess. One man causes the death of the
other, but there is a cycle of resurrection in view. This is like the mythic
pattern of Venus and Adonis, among many others. (Graves elaborates on this a
great deal in *The White Goddess*, but Wolfe is known to consider that a
crackpot theory).

In An Evil Guest, I associate Reis with Spring because he calls Cassie a
green goddess and rules a tropical island. Chase is Winter because of his
association with the darkness and cold of space (which is linked to the
Frost Giants and Old Night in *The Wizard Knight*). In most of these books,
the winning side can be predicted by the season. In *An Evil Guest *the year
is turning to winter, and Winter wins. But Cassie, like Venus, seems to be
on a quest to bring Wally back.


*Work**Spring**Winter**Goddess**Winner**Cycle* *New Sun*Severianold Autarch
TheclaSpringSeverian loops back in time *Short Sun/Long Sun*HornSilk
Hyacinth/SeawrackWinterSilk seeks new worlds *Castleview*Shields/Green Man
Madadh/GeimreadhViviane MorganWinterWrangler/sleeping Shields *There are
Doors*GreenNorthLaraSpringGreen goes west *Wizard Knight*AbleArnthorMorcaine
SpringAble taken away *Pirate Freedom*ChrisIgnacioNoviaWinterTime cycle
repeats *An Evil Guest*Bill ReisGideon ChaseCassie CaseyWinterRian/Cassie's
quest
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