Rhian Merris wrote:
>
> Paksenarrion is an interesting case. I agree with placing her in this
> category, but it's a little more complicated, or subtle, or something.
> Most of the strong characters in the Deed are male, the gods tend to be
> male - in fact, the only goddess I can recall at the moment was very
> evil. The Duke, who is one of the main characters looked-up-to in the
> book is male, and he is almost a father-figure to Paksenarrion, at the
> same time that he is a potential lover.
>
> Anyway, the dominant/superior/patriarchal relationships are of course
> subverted by Paksenarrion's completely surpassing them. In a way, she
> ends up being all the more powerful character for that, but the long
> stretches through which she doesn't believe in herself, and all the
> powerful folks being male just makes the feminist reading a little more
> complex.
I certainly agree that Paksenarrion is a strong and indepentant woman,
but I would disagree that most of the strong characters are men. It's
true that the Gods were largely male, but Alyana, Lady of Peace and
healing was part of Paksenarrion's calling to be a paladin, so there was
a good Goddess, even if she was predictalby the patron of peace.
Another very strong immortal was the Lady of the Ladysforrest. She did
not get into the action very much because she never left the
Ladysforrest, but she was certainly a power to be recconned with.
Among the mortal women there was Arianya, Marshal-General of Gird, who
was certainly a match for Duke Phelan, and also a parental figure for
Paks. Canna, one of her companions on the run from Dwarfwatch was a
woman, more experienced and a teacher for Paks. One of the Duke's
Captains was female. Even the minor female characters, like Kolya
Ministiera and Estil Halveric were strong and independant.
One aspect of the character that did bother me was Paksenarion's total
lack of sexuality. Was this true of all paladins? Something to make
them less entangled in personal affairs and better servants of their
Gods? Or just Paks, because she was special, a kind of Galahad?
Peggy Hamilton
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu May 25 2000 - 19:07:33 PDT