(urth) Tzadkiel's form

Daniel Otto Jack Petersen danielottojackpetersen at gmail.com
Thu Sep 11 11:26:12 PDT 2014


That's a kind of beautiful theory, Lee.  -DOJP

On Thu, Sep 11, 2014 at 5:58 PM, Lee <severiansola at hotmail.com> wrote:

> >Jeff Wilson:
> >Remember Tzadkiel's story that the original exalted human race built his
> >from animals, so an association with animals and beastmen and apes as
> >the most humanlike of animals is not inappropriate for Yesodis.
>
>
> Yet I think it should be remembered that one of the primates Severian
>
> encounters (on the Ship) ends up BEING Tzadkiel.  Does this provide a link
>
> between Inire and Tzadkiel? I think so, along with others links, such as
>
> the type of space-time portals they both use.
>
>
> Biblical angels are often described as having animal characteristics though
>
> fallen angels or demons are even more likely to have bestial features.
>
>
> On the Ship, we see Tzadkiel range in size and form from tiny tinker bell
> and
>
> ball of fur to a giant winged male humanoid and even larger winged female
>
> humanoid. I think the final stage in this progression is  seen by Severian
> in the
>
> mirror book found in the Secret House. This Tzadkiel is so large Severian
> thinks
>
> planet Urth would be like a dust mote caught in the wind of its wings.
>
>
> I think it is clear such a being cannot be biological in the sense we
> understand
>
> it. There are the problems of existing unprotected in the void which have
> been
>
> discussed for Inhumi. We must wonder what it could breathe and maybe even
>
> more fantastically, what such a being could eat. (the amusing topic of
> angel
>
> poop is actually relevant also).
>
>
> Given the lack of traditional biology of that version of Tzadkiel, I have
> recently been
>
> considering that we see him/her in another form also. The first time
> Severian hears
>
> Tzadkiel's voice it seems to emanate from everywhere in the Ship. There is
> the odd
>
> ability for the Ship to adjust portions of its internal conditions to the
> biology of its
>
> current resident.
>
>
> I wondered what the significance of the Ship's unusual seven-sided
> structure might
>
> be. Some random Googling reminded me that there are seven arch-angels,
> Tzadkiel
>
> being one of them.  The Ship's multiple sails might in some way be
> represented in
>
> an angel's multiple sets of wings.
>
>
> I think it is possible that Wolfe meant the Ship to actually be a form of
> Tzadkiel. I
>
> find support for this idea in the story of the Naviscaput, in which
> another very large
>
> being is mistaken for, or actually is partially a ship.
>
>
> I think something similar happens in On Blue's Waters, when Horn sees the
> black "pirate
>
> ship" chasing him which later seems as though it must be the source of
> Seawrack. If this
>
> "ship" were really the gigantic Mother creature in the form of a boat it
> would explain the
>
> loss of Seawrack's arm and demonstrate the relationship between The Mother
> and Seawrack
>
> as the budding process we see elsewhere in the Sun Series.
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-- 
Daniel Otto Jack Petersen
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