(urth) Severa

[David Stockhoff]

On 12/3/2011 7:57 PM, Lee Berman wrote:
> You are right. The Cumaean even calls her "big red-gold". She says Jolenta's hair
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> was dyed and thickened with colored silk threads. Gold may be a connection to Dorcas
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> and Severian's family (though Catherine is dark-haired). Red seems to me most likely
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> to indicate the self-important Dr. Talos, his own red hair and the injection of his
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> own version of beauty into her.
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>
>
> One thing to consider- if Jolenta is really Severa the ex-witch, then Merryn and the
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> Cumaean are being deceptive in pretending they don't know her. There is evidence they
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> are being deceptive. Firstly, they pretend Hildegrin is not there. Also, they might be
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> pretending they don't recognize Severian as a torturer and that they have arranged this
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> meeting with him on purpose (a coincidence that two witches from the Citadel and
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> Severian's childhood happen to appear in the middle of nowhere to intercept his journey?
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> I don't buy it).
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>
>
> Even after Severian introduces Jolenta by name, the witches do not call her that name.
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> She is just "the sick woman".


Good points.