In Poul Anderson, The Avatar, XXV, Ira Quick projects a moving picture of the Minster, with a Gregorian chant on the sound track, onto a giant screen. This "...loveliest of medieval churches..." (p. 215) reminds Quick of Terrestrial achievements that are now threatened by interstellar contact - as he sees it. Extra-solar intelligences are merely "inhuman..."
In XXIV, Frieda von Moltke says that the Others, who constructed the T machines, haunt the extra-solar Betans "'...more than Christ haunted Europe...'" (p. 213)
More than that? Have the Betans focused systems of belief, hope and even architecture on the Others? Europeans now have access to every tradition. They can either ignore Christianity or locate it in a wider context, e.g., see Teachings.
Which significant political tract opens by stating that a specter is haunting Europe?
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I remember York Minister with great respect and admiration. I agree it was one of the most beautiful churches built during the Medieval era. And we both know of how much Poul Anderson admired York Minster. I esp. remember Anderson's description of the Minster in GENESIS. I was very glad to have visited that cathedral during one of my visits to the UK.
Another, much more recently built church I admired was Westminster Cathedral (NOT the Abbey). I wondered if Poul Anderson ever visited that church?
Other commentators have praised Chartres Cathedral as also being a wonder and great work of art. I've not read it, but Henry Adams discussed Chartres in MONT ST. MICHEL AND CHARTRES.
And we see churches mentioned in quite a few of Anderson's stories. Such as the church of St. Clement on Dennitza, and; even more the cathedral seen on Freehold. That church was very "science fictional," built entirely of colored material as transparent as glass but as strong as stone.
And "Kyrie" has an abbey church built on the Moon where Mass is celebrated in Latin and (I think) Gregorian chant is sung. Anderson's comments to "Kyrie" states that he PREFERS Mass in Latin.
And I emphatically disagree with Ira Quick's fearful reaction to extra-Solar and non-human contacts! Yes, there will be costs and dangers, but also benefits. Benefits which I believe will at least counterbalance the risks.
Yes, I agree Frieda von Moltke (an EVOCATIVE name!) overstated how the Others "haunted" the Betans. If the Others did not inspire the Betans to create systems of belief, philosophy, faith, arts, architecture, etc., then von Moltke's use of "More" in this context was overstated.
And I know where the line about specters haunting Europe came from, the opening sentence of the main text of Marx and Engels THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO. My copy of CM has Engels preface to the 1888 English translation.
Sean
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