New Article Released: Lanfear Parallels

By Linda

At the end of The Great Hunt, Lanfear appears to openly claim Rand as hers. She also probably Healed him when she drew the dragon fang on his forehead in Falme. At least someone Healed him and it wasn’t Nynaeve.

Lanfear is based on many mythological and historic characters, even a literary character – that of the arch villain in Alexander Dumas’ novel The Three Musketeers. Cairhien too has the flavour of Dumas about it: it was meant to resemble the court of the Sun King Louis XIV in France. I think Lanfear is the better piece of work. She's brilliantly drawn.

As part of The Great Hunt Read Through, my essay on Lanfear's parallels originally written for Wotmania is being republished here in the Forsaken Parallels series of the Reference Library, indexed and illustrated. It details all the different figures that may have gone into creating this dangerous woman. Lanfear was the first character I dissected in this way, back in 2004. This essay is also memorable because Dominic kindly made some very useful suggestions to me about Lilith and Lanfear, the first of very many discussions between us about The Wheel of Time, and which has led to our inspiring, productive and most enjoyable collaboration at wotmania and now here at the Thirteenth Depository.

So do go and read about 'er ladyship - or as Dumas called her: Milady. She's a dangerous woman to reject!