Thursday 21 July 2016

Incest II

"...boulders and sparse worts..." (The Merman's Children, Book Four, Chapter II, p. 200)

Poul Anderson sets the scene before recounting an incident between Tauno and Eyjan. I said here that the issue of incest arises at least three times in Anderson's fantasies. (See also here.) There is a fourth, in The Merman's Children.

Merpeople have no incest taboo. However, Tauno and Eyjan, brother and sister, are merfolk-human hybrids whose Christian mother did impress this taboo on them. However, alone together for a long stretch, they overcome the taboo and attempt sex. However, the taboo is stronger than them and they can't do it. Is there any right or wrong here? I have a strong distaste for the idea of brother-sister incest but that is not a moral judgment.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

And I believe the "taboo" against incest is based on more than mere distaste. That it is simply WRONG for too closely related persons to marry or have sex.

Sean