Here is another pathetic fallacy: Daniel Holm's clarity and realism about the military situation are matched by "...a clear winter's day..." (p. 584) with, incidentally, yet another scenic view of Falkayn Bay.
Holm acknowledges that a total bombardment would overwhelm Avalonian defenses:
"'We depend on the Empire's reluctance to ruin a a lot of first-class real estate...and, yes, on that man's personal distaste for megadeaths." (p. 584)
The winter's day in Gray:
Gray does not get the snow that does fall in the mountains and further north;
its susin stays green all year;
cold wind whoops;
whitecaps dance;
human beings wear streaming, fluttering cloaks;
Ythrians swoop in the changing air patterns.
For Dornford Yates whom I am reading in parallel, see here.
12 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
One minor point I've sometimes puzzled over is why Poul Anderson so often has his human characters wearing CLOAKS instead of COATS. Wouldn't the latter piece of apparel be more practical? I can see cloaks being used for ceremonial or formal occasions, but I've thought jackets and coats are more likely to keep you warm!
Sean
Sean,
How often do characters wear cloaks?
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Very often, both in stories set in the Polesotechnic League era and the Empire. I suppose I could whomp up a list of such cases and examples.
Seam
Sean,
Yet another exercise in Andersonian scholarship.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And a thought I will keep in mind! Despite it seeming to be rather a small matter.
Sean
Sean,
I love every detail in PA's works, especially when they form discernible patterns.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And I am glad you do! Your blog has given me great pleasure! And I'm glad you have posted guest articles by myself and others on matters relating to Anderson's works.
Sean
Paul and Sean:
Regarding cloaks and capes, two possibilities, which may both be in play. First, Dominic Flandry told Cerdic, toward the end of "Tiger by the Tail," that archaism accompanies decadence. He was talking about why he learned swordsmanship, but it may also apply to why use a cloak when a coat is more efficient.
Second, a quote from the site "All the Tropes" (forked off from TV Tropes in a dispute about censorship):
"Capes have the obvious effect of making the wearer look larger and more imposing.... Just look at Batman.... He just wouldn't look half as awesome without his cape.
"The reasons for this are many.... In the right conditions they can wave in the wind and look dramatic and striking. Lack of wind can be accommodated with a Cape Swish."
So if the civilization has gone decadent enough to favor the cool-looking archaic over the more-efficient modern, the cape or cloak looks magnificent, billowing behind the wearer as he strides menacingly along a starship corridor, John Williams' Imperial March thundering on the soundtrack....
That is it.
Kaor, DAVID!
I partly agree with your comments. Archaicism in things like fencing and apparel often does accompanies decline or decadence. As Flandry himself said as regards skill with swords in "Tiger by the Tail." But, "decadence" doesn't explain the frequent use of cloaks in the vigorous, expansionist era of the Polesotechnic League. For that, I think we have to explain the use of cloaks for reasons of vanity and fashion (viz. your comments about Batman).
Sean
History is full of garments worn only because people think they look cool. In the muzzle-loader era, there was no reason not to make uniforms look dramatic -- ordinary soldiers didn't try to hide, they fought standing up in lines, and being instantly identifiable was a genuine military need, often at a distance or in dense clouds of powder-smoke.
Looking intimidating was also a legitimate requirement - hence the cloaks, tall shakos and bearskins and so forth, mostly designed to give the soldier added height and bulk.
For that matter, unless carefully watched even camouflage uniforms tend to become more and more stylized.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree. I even recall mention in your BLACK CHAMBER books of how, as late as the beginning of WW I in 1914, the fondness of the French for having bright colors and shiny bits of metal on their uniforms made it easy for the Germans to devastate them with accurately aimed fire. It wasn't long before all the armies of the contending powers adopted various forms of drab colored uniforms for field and front line use. Colorful uniforms were now a DANGER.
Sean
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