-"Star of the Sea,", I, p. 467.
Now we know: the morning star appears above the sea because it shines on the brow of a goddess who rises early to watch over her sea. Mythological explanations combine beauty with naivety and, in this passage, Poul Anderson imagines an earlier stage of Northern mythology.
In a prayer addressed to "Mary, mother of God...":
"Pure as yourself, your evenstar shines above the sunset. Guide us by your light."
-IV, pp. 639-640.
In this second passage, the feminine supernatural being is not only described but also addressed. Anderson's "Star of the Sea" begins with a goddess who rises early, displaying the morning star, and ends as night overtakes sailors who, seeing the evening star, invoke the Star of the Sea. Thus, Anderson's narrative transports his readers from early paganism to later Christianity.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Anderson was always friendly and respectful of honest religious believers, such as Christians, Jews, and Buddhists (despite me thinking that last is more a philosophy than a religion). But for most of his life he thought of himself as being an agnostic. I think what we are seeing in his later works is Anderson at least wishing he believed in God.
Sean
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