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<font size=3>Theological allegory part II. <br><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Wolfe's
novels are always polyphonic. I'll leave the noir and Lovecraft threads
to others, and try and do my duty by pointing to the theological/Biblical
ones. Or at least contributing to that aspect.<br><br>
I. From the book of Revelation:<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>In
Revelation 12, the woman is attacked by the Dragon. Cassie plays
missionary daughter Mariah (Mary). Reis is out to poison dragons
throughout the world with poison gold. <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>With the
Dragon's initial defeat, he goes after the new form of the woman, who is
given wings of a great eagle and taken to a wilderness (12:14). I assume
it is clear how this happens to Cassie at the end of the novel. Also,
while a good interpretation of Revelation sees the Dragon cast out of
heaven with the ascension of Jesus Christ, traditional misunderstanding
(a la Milton) sees this as the Dragon cast down to earth at the time of
the initial rebellion of Lucifer. Wolfe may be using this motif in
connection with the "arrival" on earth "before the
Flood" of Satan/Squiddie.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>The Sky
Dragon, fallen to humanity, manifests himself through Sea Beast, Land
Beast, and Beast Image (Rev. 13). All this seems to be in AEG. Read the
chapter and see how Wolfe puts a SF/Fantasy spin on it all. Squiddie is
located in the water now, but he has powers on the land (the ATF, etc.).
People worship the Sea Beast/Squiddie. It enlists people to make war on
the "saints" all over the earth. The Sea Beast's servant, the
Land Beast, seeks to control the economy (gold) (13:17). <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>The
Dragon, as Sea Beast, also manifests as an evil city, Babylon, a city
seeking to control the economy (ch. 17-18). This city is thrown into the
sea in 18:21. <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Revelation
22:20 ends, "Come, Lord Jesus." This is exactly how AEG
ends.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Of course,
Lovecraft uses Revelation's evils also, and is concerned with society as
Wolfe is. How much of Wolfe's read if Revelation is here influence by HPL
I'll leave to those with more Lovecraftian experties to say.<br><br>
II. Foot would and head wound. <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>In Genesis
3, the deliverer will suffer a foot wound while crushing the head of the
Ur-Serpent. So, it might seem that Gideon Chase is the deliverer and Reis
the serpent. Yet, Christ is head of the Church, the Bride, and so the
bashing in of Reis's head, in context, is a crucifixion.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>So, who is
Gideon Chase who is also Gilbert Corby?<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>First, he
would seem to be the offspring of the sons of God (angels / Wolder men)
and the daughters of men. Such men became nephilim, strong ones, men of
renown (Gen. 6). [Note: though this is a common read of Genesis 6, it
does not hold water in the text. Anyway...] The Wolder men try to seduce
human women. ("Aliens want our women!!") Woldercan is a
dangerous and possibly evil place. Fish talk and try to mess you up
(agents of Squiddie?). The forests are evil, period. Women's periods, the
"distress of women," sometimes called "the curse" by
women, seems to be a multiplied factor on Woldercan. <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>As an
offspring of "angels/demons," it's no surprise that Chase has a
black heavenly chariot. Voices inside the chariot tempt Cassie. She's not
bright enough to perceive that, but Chase feared it, which is why he did
not want her to drive it. Cassie is not real bright, but she's pretty
innocent, and in her exalted semi-angelic status is even more so.
<br><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Second,
Gil-Bert means "bright pledge/hostage," with the Gil part as
"hostage."<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Corby, in
English/Scandavian means "Dweller in Cor's Land," but in French
it's a diminutive of "crow." This is Wolfe. I vote for
Crow.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Gideon, of
course, was a warrior messiah of the book of Judges. He fought the
followers of Baal, beginning by tearing down an image of Baal. Judges
6ff. <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Chase
means "Dweller of the Wood/Huntingground."<br><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>So: Gideon
of the Forest = A Hostage Crow<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>I'm not
getting a BFO or AHA moment here. Given the evil forests of Woldercan,
Gideon of the Forest might indicate a mixture of good and evil in him.
Gil Corby is more mysterious, if I've translated aright, and I'm not sure
of that. <br><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Third,
however, at the moment (and I've only read the book once), Gideon Chase
seems like an Old Testament leader who initially is enlisted by the
ruling powers to oppose Reis (think of "The Detective of
Dreams") but eventually comes to support him, and eventually to turn
over the Bride to him. At one point Cassie, speaking of his being
pursued, calls him Gideon Chased, but is that not also Gideon Chaste? The
footwound of Gideon (so common and so multivalent in Wolfe) could be that
of Jacob, something that both humbles him and also enables him to enter a
new and more saintly life.<br><br>
III. Transformations:<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>It's been
pointed out that Reis seems mainly a power seeker initially, but then
becomes messianic and sacrificial. I think also that Chase has a mixed
past, but becomes a new man. Reis dies for Cassie, but in a way Chase has
already done so, by letting her go.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Big guess,
and I have no way to know, but I think that, inspired by Reis, Chase
returns to Woldercan to begin some housecleaning. Cassie, who desired to
"be somebody and do something" goes to help him.<br><br>
FWIW. <br><br>
Nutria<br><br>
<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
James B. Jordan<br>
Director, Biblical Horizons<br>
Box 1096<br>
Niceville, FL 32588<br>
<a href="http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.biblicalhorizons.com</a></font></body>
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