The opinions of a character are not necessarily those of the author but sometimes they are, sometimes it is reasonably clear that they are and they definitely are when the author himself expresses that same opinion elsewhere. Thus -
Max Abrams (a character):
"'I say [Aknhaton's pacifism] stinks.'"
-see here.
Thoas (a character):
"'Cities stood ablaze for want of the troops [Akhnaton] could have sent.'"
-see here.
Poul Anderson (the author):
"Sometimes we are disillusioned, of course. Akhnaton, the Egyptian Pharaoh who preached monotheism, turns out to have been a dreadful wimp and a disaster to his country..."
-Poul Anderson, "The Discovery of the Past" IN Anderson, Past Times (New York, November 1984), pp. 182-206 AT p. 201.
We remember a favourable reference to the monotheist Pharaoh in a book by CS Lewis, a man strong on theology, less so on politics.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Anderson and his characters were right! Akhenaten's obsession with the Aten and his efforts at casting down the cults of Amon-Ra and the other gods led him to betraying his real duties as King and Pharaoh. One of the most fascinating discoveries of archeology in Egypt was discovery of the archives of the of the foreign ministry at Akhet-Aten (Tell el-Amarna). They are replete with increasingly desperate pleas from the vassals and allies of Egypt, imploring Pharaoh to send an army to their help, increasingly pressed as they were by the attacks and inroads of the Hittites and wild desert tribes. Best of all they wanted Pharaoh himself to come in command of such an army--to rally the loyal and dismay their common enemies.
Ad astra! Sean
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