tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post8694124078247038672..comments2024-01-14T15:52:43.644-05:00Comments on The Thirteenth Depository - A Wheel of Time Blog: Character Parallels : RandDominichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610557134981958201noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-29076311930574210132024-01-07T08:22:57.689-05:002024-01-07T08:22:57.689-05:00I have some uncanny associations with Aiel. So, he...I have some uncanny associations with Aiel. So, here goes my warped train of thought:<br />1) They are not only white, but also even "Celtic" phenotype traits.<br />2) They live in harsh arid region, that isn't their ancestral home.<br />3) They are heavily militarized, and known for being fierce and effective light infantry. <br />4) And their traditional costume is, in fact, rather modern camouflaged battledress (especially evident when books mention that patches of green were added to its coloration). <br />So I feel some Rhodesian vibe... As for veil, British army issued scrim nets to use as veils and headdress from 1942, and most former imperial territories, Rhodesia included, used them as as very practical item. <br />Well, at least I can't unsee it. <br /><br />Also, have you ever noticed that in WoT red often is the color of internal security? Red Ajah, Aiel Red Shields, even in Mat' Band. And as far I know, red is the color of military police only in UK and Commonwealth. Tk421https://www.blogger.com/profile/06645840837262580080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-59002713250928534542024-01-07T08:06:14.295-05:002024-01-07T08:06:14.295-05:00have you ever thought of "Apocalypse Now"...have you ever thought of "Apocalypse Now"? I noticed, that story of Col. Kurtz going native is very nice parralel to Rand succumbing to his darkness. In particular, his "diamond bullet" monologue sounds almost like Rand convincing himself that he need to be harder.Tk421https://www.blogger.com/profile/06645840837262580080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-26163786841604254222021-08-25T20:53:01.173-04:002021-08-25T20:53:01.173-04:00Thank you, that is a good suggestion. He might wel...Thank you, that is a good suggestion. He might well. I will look into it.Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14767984732078916662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-87190627263323763492021-08-25T19:27:42.777-04:002021-08-25T19:27:42.777-04:00Sun god in hindu epics and puranas is surya. He mi...Sun god in hindu epics and puranas is surya. He might have some parallels with surya or aditya.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-75585318676970683692015-06-27T15:40:00.610-04:002015-06-27T15:40:00.610-04:00Ghenghis Khan was also described to have had red h...Ghenghis Khan was also described to have had red hair and green eyes by a Persian scholar, unfortunately I can't remember the name. I think this is quite believable as if you go north from Ulaan Bataar and into Russia, the people over there pretty much look Caucasian. Another Persian chronicler, Minhaj al-Siraj Juzjani described him as having a "tall stature". Which is pretty much Rand al'thor. You have to remember during his lifetime, Khan did not allow any drawings of him to have been taken, and of the countries he conquered all depicted him in the likeness of their people. <br /><br />Another striking similarity between Rand and Khan is where they grew up. Khan grew up around Mount Burkhan Khaldun, from which flowed three rivers. And of course, Rand grew up in the Three Rivers area. And then there are all the similarities you mention in your post. So I think it is almost certain Rand al'thor was inspired by, or at least heavily influenced by the character of Ghenghis Khan.<br />Randomguynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-22853688780025631262012-02-02T14:07:12.383-05:002012-02-02T14:07:12.383-05:00Hi Linda,
I'm new to your blog, but I have be...Hi Linda,<br /><br />I'm new to your blog, but I have been enjoying your wonderful essays immensely. <br /><br />I offer a small correction in regards to the following paragraph:<br /><br />"Then there is the resurrection of Christ three days after death, and also Christ reviving Lazarus, who had been dead for three days. There is some foreshadowing in the series that someone will be Healed three days after death. The period of three days is important because it was believed in earlier times that the soul hovered around the body for three days after death and that a person could revive in that time. (Even these days people come round in the morgue occasionally). Hence the custom of laying out the body for three days in case the person revived. Christ healed someone who had been dead for three days so that no one could say that the person just came round of their own accord."<br /><br />Lazarus was in fact dead for four days (John 11:17). There might be an alternate parallel as well to the Two Witnesses in the Book of Revelation, who lie dead in the street for three days and are then resurrected/revived (Rev 11:9-11).<br /><br />Cheers,<br />VinceVince Cancillahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15229298363083614929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-30271261116143115472011-12-18T17:41:00.485-05:002011-12-18T17:41:00.485-05:00This is a great article. I just wanted to point ou...This is a great article. I just wanted to point out that most epic fantasy begins the quest with an ignorant protagonist in an isolated area (e.g. on a farm) with various companions, including a magic-user guide and uncrowned or disguised ruler. Two examples of this that easily come to mind are David and Leigh Eddings's _Belgariad_ and Lloyd Alexander's _Chronicles of Prydain_.Serryninoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-8102556847886294522011-07-19T01:56:26.755-04:002011-07-19T01:56:26.755-04:00I seem to remember that in possibly The Gathering ...I seem to remember that in possibly The Gathering Storm or the Towers of Midnight that there are rumors going around that Rand was born to a woman who was touched by no man.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-26404574594510330922011-06-14T14:56:09.637-04:002011-06-14T14:56:09.637-04:00I've always thought that Rand is Freyr in Nors...I've always thought that Rand is Freyr in Norse Mythology.<br /><br />It seems that as he is a Sun, and Tyr , and half the Thur, it make him half a week exactly.pilpilonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16521675570433370990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-36471748821982978192011-02-18T00:48:54.530-05:002011-02-18T00:48:54.530-05:00In the Christ parallels you need to add the Mount ...In the Christ parallels you need to add the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Transfiguration" rel="nofollow">Mount of Transfiguration</a> Where Christ was "was transfigured before [Peter James and John]: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." This event happened relatively close to the end of Christs ministry. In Rands case we have Perrin and the wolves(like the Disciples) witnessing him transformed in to an image of light, and this happens close to but not immediate to his sacrifice.<br /><br />Additionally, in Jewish and early Christian symbolism, Mountain top encounters with the Divine are seen as analogs to the Temple(a major Masonic theme). The liturgy of which enacts an ascent into the havens to retrieve divine knowledge. Which is used in the proper ordering of creation. Recent research indicates that the concept of the Messiah goes back to the First Temple Period, where the King would Officiate as a High Priest and Representative of Yahweh to the people, in much the same way Rand acts as both a King(Emperor) and a Priest(Aes Sedai). See the work of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Barker" rel="nofollow">Margaret Barker</a>Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07636740926033505057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-204376246886994692010-06-04T20:00:33.468-04:002010-06-04T20:00:33.468-04:00The Hindu parallel of Rand killing Rahvin is descr...The Hindu parallel of Rand killing Rahvin is described under Names of the Shadow, as is the Beowulf killing Grendal parallel for Rand killing Graendal. As you point out, this essay is long enough already.Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14767984732078916662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-68507112041110510242010-06-04T14:51:31.461-04:002010-06-04T14:51:31.461-04:00Hindu Mythology : 8th avatar of Vishnu is Prince R...Hindu Mythology : 8th avatar of Vishnu is Prince Ram/Rama (Rand) who kills the Demon King Ravana/Ravan (Rahvin).<br /><br />This essay is very good, Linda. Exhaustive, in two meanings of the word.Dr J J Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02178479327761284070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-48133561136649629952010-01-25T16:22:36.146-05:002010-01-25T16:22:36.146-05:00Thanks. That was just supposed to have been delete...Thanks. That was just supposed to have been deleted but I missed it when editing.Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14767984732078916662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-66001138863138643532010-01-25T07:53:39.150-05:002010-01-25T07:53:39.150-05:00Great work, as usual :)
Maybe you could update th...Great work, as usual :)<br /><br />Maybe you could update the following paragraph with TGS information, as you did with others ? <br /><br />"Since there are so many similarities, it is likely that more will occur. Christ wandered alone for some time in the wilderness. Min had a viewing of a beggar’s staff around Rand, and furthermore, Perrin saw Rand in the Wolfdream wearing rags and a rough cloak, and a bandage covering his eyes (The Shadow Rising, To the Tower of Ghenjei), so it is quite possible he will spend a period wandering alone. "<br /><br />Bye !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-38070825300693845882010-01-24T16:07:25.035-05:002010-01-24T16:07:25.035-05:00I'm happy that this could help you.
As for t...I'm happy that this could help you. <br /><br />As for the dice: I've mentioned it with the same thought in mind :))SEAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15060696209466728812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-21807475830782796352010-01-22T21:51:49.934-05:002010-01-22T21:51:49.934-05:00Thanks for that Eszter. I happen to be updating th...Thanks for that Eszter. I happen to be updating this essay right now, and this fits in with what I want to say.<br /><br />Interesting about the dice; double ones are described as the Dark One's eyes!Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14767984732078916662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-83134536072878915002010-01-22T19:02:43.401-05:002010-01-22T19:02:43.401-05:00One small point to your brilliant essay: The demon...One small point to your brilliant essay: The demon Kali is not identical with the goddess Kali. In English these words may look the same, but in Sanskrit they are not: Kali the demon is the ruling lord of our age. He is the personification of quarrel or discord. His name originally means the one dot side of a dice, that is the losing side, he is also the personification of this losing side of the dice, see the story of Nala: <a rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nala</a>). See also: <a rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_(Demon)</a><br /><br />The name of the goddess Kali is Kālī, with heavy a and i, the name means 'black woman' which Kali is, as you have collected it in your Semirhage essay. <br /><br />It is easy to confuse the two if you look up only English sources :-)SEAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15060696209466728812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-57209210106968143202009-11-26T05:26:30.558-05:002009-11-26T05:26:30.558-05:00so basically what these essays are telling us is t...so basically what these essays are telling us is that Jordan used history, mythology and JRR Tolkien to great this obese literary work, foregoing such elementary concepts such a originality? The man seems to have ripped off every fairy tale ever told.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-25737838176570324932009-09-18T01:02:48.062-04:002009-09-18T01:02:48.062-04:00very well done and interestingvery well done and interestingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-19456335384933763212009-05-06T20:45:00.000-04:002009-05-06T20:45:00.000-04:00Longer than the Wheel of Time itself and just as i...Longer than the Wheel of Time itself and just as interesting. Marvelous essay.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com