Sunday, 9 September 2018

Ahasuerus The Wanderer

The Wandering Jew is mentioned in Poul Anderson's The Boat Of A Million Years, a novel about immortals. I said here that I knew of three other fictional references to this legendary figure, one in sf and two in comics. In fact, as David Birr commented, there is a further reference in another work by Anderson:

"...the humans took to calling the Sigman Ahasuerus."
-Poul Anderson, The Byworlder, XIII, p. 154.

They do not know whether the Sigmans attach a sound to an individual. Yvonne guesses that instead they reproduce an entire identity "'...in a cluster of symbolic acts...'" (p. 155) However:

"...Ahasuerus the Wanderer quickly learned to utter a special sound that meant a particular guest." (ibid.)

Communication has been established. The Sigman came to learn about art but does he come to understand the significance of the name that his passengers have bestowed on him?

For other blog references to the Wandering Jew, see here (scroll down).

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I doubt the Sigman knew or understood the significance of the name "Ahasuerus." The alien would have needed more time and a deeper knowledge of human history and culture before he/she understood the name.

And we see the Wandering Jew in Walter Miller's A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ.

Sean