Thesis: Domesticity.
Antithesis: Drama.
Synthesis: Domestic Drama.
A fictional narrative can begin dramatically by hastening "into the midst of things" See Rogue Sword.
After a double layer of introductory passages, a dialogue between Morruchan Long-Ax, the Hand of the Vach Dathyr, and Master Merchant David Falkayan begins:
"'No.'"
-Poul Anderson, "Day of Burning" IN Anderson, David Falkayn: Star Trader (Riverdale, NY, January 2009), pp. 149-194 AT p. 152.
Falkayn must wonder what he has said wrong now. Consecutive readers recognize Falkayn but must begin to learn about Merseians.
The Peregrine, CHAPTER V, begins even more emphatically:
"'NO!'" (p. 31)
- in the middle of an argument, and this is where the drama becomes domestic.
Dramatis Personae
Peregrine Captain Joachim Henry
Peregrine Thorkild Sean
Peregrine Thorkild Elof, Sean's father
Ilaloa, a female Lorinyan (non-human but humanoid)
Landlouper MacTeague Nicki, widow of Sean's brother, thus Peregrine and Thorkild by marriage
The Domestic Drama
Sean and Lorinya want her to accompany him as his wife, against Nomad law.
Elof : "'NO!'"
Nicki, sharing quarters with her brother-in-law, welcomes Ilaloa.
Elof appeals to Henry who rules that Sean can keep a pet!
Domestic life in the Psychotechnic History as in a couple of Technic History instalments.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Ha! I first learned about the Merseians years before I read "Day of Burning" when I first read the Chilton Books edition of AGENT OF THE TERRAN EMPIRE far too many years ago. Way back in the 1960's.
Ad astra! Sean
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