Rereading a novel by Poul Anderson, we notice not macro-features like the plot but micro-features like anything interesting in the text and we always find the latter although we must remember to check whether we have posted about any particular detail before. Thus, we appreciate a troll woman's summary of life, beginning:
"'Hurry and hurry...'" (p. 22)
See:
She says that:
autumn leaves hurry on rainy wind;
snow hurries out of the sky;
life hurries to death;
gods hurry to oblivion.
Autumn leaves mean change and death. Snow symbolizes transience. ("Where are the snows of yesteryear?") Gods personify life. It is all about life and the imminence of death.
Our old friend, the wind, is ever present. When Imric rides to change the child, a storm is mountainous, lightning is runes and:
"Wind hooted and howled." (p. 23)
What else was it going to do?
9 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Ominous, menacing, tumultuous!
Ad astra! Sean
Note that Norse religion was functionally unique, because the Gods were headed for an inevitable end.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I would also note that Nordic paganism was grim, bleak, and dour. It's no surprise the Scandinavians eventually converted to Christianity. Catholic Christianity can be stern and unflinching--but it also offers hope, thru the atoning sacrifice of Christ.
I know you are at least doubtful of that, but it was what the Scandinavians came to believe.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: well, Norse religion matched the climate... 8-).
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Ha! Living in a part of the world where it was dark, cold, and generally wretched for half a year would make me grim, bleak, and dour! (Laughs)
Ad astra! Sean
Note that there are a lot more descendants of Scandinavians living outside Scandinavia than inside it...
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
You did have some of them, like the Havels of your Emberverse books, ending up in other places almost as cold, dark, and generally wretched as Scandinavia! (Smiles)
Ad astra! Sean
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan had the supreme advantage of not being ruled by the Czar... 8-).
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
True, but to be fair, the Grand Duchy of Finland was rule fairly mildly by the Tsars. Think of how bad it would have been if Finland had fallen into Lenin's clutches!
Ad astra! Sean
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