a huge green coolness;
flitting shapes;
tides pulsing like music;
songs;
plucked strings;
shivering silver pipes -
- or sea birds or a dream.
Because of her earliest experiences, her dreams are unlike anyone else's. Imagine having early memories that you had never learned words for.
Skuld and Dahut are in some ways similar. Skuld tries to destroy her brother, King Hrolf, as Dahut tries to destroy her father, King Gratillonius. Both express the revenge of personified natural forces against the encroachments of civilization. The Gods of Ys tolerated a city as long as they retained the power to destroy it. With rising sea levels, maybe they will destroy London and New York?
9 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I have to disagree, I don't think either Dahut or Skuld were merely "natural forces" opposing the advances of human civilization and technology. They both had very THIS worldly or pragmatic motives for their actions.
Sean
Sean,
They were not natural forces but were allied with them. Dahut, after her death, became the agent of the vengeance of Lir. Skuld allied herself with the brotherhood of Beasts, Tree and Waters threatened by man.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
True, what you said about Dahut. But I don't remember Skuld allying herself to this "Brotherhood." What I recall was she making a deal with an elf or supernatural being for obtaining knowledge and assistance in return for Skuld doing what was demanded of her. I also recall her being told near the end of the Saga that Odin was striking down King Hrolf lest his policies and actions would come to civilize the Scandinavians.
Sean
Sean,
pp. 232-233.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Thanks! I will look this up in my copy of HROLF KRAKI'S SAGA.
And one point I forgot to address before was to express my skepticism about either New York City or London being submerged by the sea in any thing like a historically short time from now. My view is that so called global warming has been grossly exaggerated and hyped up.
Sean
Sean,
Exaggerated? I hope so but those ice caps are disappearing and almost all scientists agree human intervention is changing the climate.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And OTHER sources I've seen says the ice caps are either holding stead or actually increasing in size. Plus, things like the Climategate scandal in the UK has shown how global warmists can lie and cheat about the evidence, or alleged evidence.
Jerry Pournelle has discussed this issue in massive detail at his own blog, Chaos Manor, and is not convinced we know enough to even define how serious a problem this might be. And that obviously means, if true, we know even less about what can or should be done.
I'm reminded of Jerry Pournelle, Larry Niven, and Michael Flynn's novel FALLEN ANGELS. That book takes the view we are at greater risk of enduring a disastrous Ice Age than of calamitous global warming. Esp. from the damage caused by bone headed, unscientific policies favored by many global warmists.
Sean
Sean,
OK. I thought I'd seen TV images of an ice gap progressively shrinking and a massive % of scientists agreeing that this was caused by human intervention but it is always interesting to read different views.
It is intriguing that the Andersons' books about Ys can lead us straight into discussion of a current ecological issue. Fantasy and reality all in one package.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Problem is, images can be tampered with, so I'm not convinced by mere pictures alone. Or, you have to allow for SEASONAL changes in the size of ice caps. Select pictures where the ice naturally lessens AND ignore the times of year when it increases.
And, many, many scientists don't agree with the global warmists. But they get shouted down or COWED for being unPC!
I agree with what you said about Anderson's books, and how they can lead to unforeseen discussions.
And I hope you look up the Pournelle/Niven/Flynn book I cited. It was a very good read!
Sean
Post a Comment