(urth) Severian's sister/ancestry - query.
Jane Delawney
jane_delawney at sky.com
Thu Aug 5 18:16:06 PDT 2010
Just wondered if any more knowledgeable person on the list had any
suggestions about this query, which has bugged me for years.
Severian speculates early in *Shadow* that the elders and masters of his
Guild must have information on the ancestry / antecedents of newly
recruited apprentices. Indeed this is highly likely given the
recruitment methods of the Guild which takes its apprentices solely from
amongst the children of their 'clients' (victims). We get only brief
insights throughout the four volumes of BOTNS into the bureaucracy of
the Commonwealth, and less than that into the records kept by the
Seekers of Truth and Penitence; but there *are* records, and we are not
given any reason to doubt that early speculation on Sev's part.
So - well, when Severian becomes Autarch, he has, effectively, total
command of the Commonweath and its various bureaucracies. He has the
Words and he has the authority. After ten very, very successful and
popular years in power (he is by that time 'Severian the Great' after
all) he has likely won over many early hold-outs who may have
disapproved of his succession or of the Autarchy in general (though I
doubt he's won over the 'Agiatii' or whatever they are called after
Vodalus's unlamented demise ... what wouldn't I give to hear more about
this no doubt epic struggle!). So one may assume that most if not all of
the Commonwealth's bureaucracies are his to command.
He has 'reformed' but not abolished his old Guild; also of note, since
there would have been no need for a wholesale destruction of records
during a mere 'reformation'. One would hope indeed that the Autarch's
representatives would have been able to prevent such a thing had it been
thought of.
So ... why on Urth, with the power and authority invested in him as
Autarch, does Severian not require access to the records of the Seekers
of Truth and Penitence, and thus learn beyond any doubt just who are his
parents, his grandparents, and his sister? The flip answer is of course
'because GW does not want us to know', but I hope for more than that.
Sev could have asked, and he would have been obeyed. He doesn't ask.
Why? Any ideas?
jd
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