Belit, the heroine of Poul Anderson's Conan novel, was a Robert E. Howard character.
I saw a scene from Conan the Barbarian where Conan played by Arnold Schwarzenegger asked his god, Crom, for help and added "But, if not, to Hell with you!" My attitude to the gods is: "We ask your help but, if not, we'll do it ourselves."
According to Anderson, Crom bestows, on those that he favours, strength and heart but nothing else. We are pleased to learn that Crom Cruach was an Irish pagan god who ran afoul of St. Patrick, of course.
I was pleased to find Crom in Conan The Rebel because Mitra seems too civilized a god for Conan. With some gods, the message basically is that we are on our own and that it is up to us what we do.
10 comments:
That's Howard's outlook, too.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
It's all very well to be strong and self-reliant, and I agree those are good qualities. But it comes with limits. Howard was so grieved when his mother was dying that he committed suicide. I like to that if he had believed in something bigger than himself that faith would have enabled not to despair and to continue living.
Ad astra! Sean
Well, I was sorry when my parents died, but I didn't feel any impulse to suicide. Howard was... well, compared to Lovecraft he was normal, but that's not much of a comparison!
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I'm glad you had no such suicidal impulses. Yes, some writers do have unfortunate problems.
Ad astra! Sean
Howard was too reluctant to break free of his parents -- neither of whom was a very good parent.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
We all inevitably lose our parents. We have to cope as best we can, not commit suicide.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: Yes, we should. Howard never moved out of his parents' house, though. He had an unhealthy degree of attachment to them, particularly his mother.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
And, even during the Depression, Howard had the means for moving out, since he was making more money from writing than most in his town.
Ad astra! Sean
Yup, he was one of the most affluent people in 1930's Cross Plains, Texas. Which isn't saying much...
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
During the worse years of the Depression anyone who managed to make $1,225 a year would be thought very well off!
I also thought of H. Beam Piper, another tragic writer who committed suicide.
Ad astra! Sean
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