Monday, February 6, 2017
Wave 3
The myths in Left Hand of Darkness reveal history about Gethinian culture. For example chapter 2, the "Place Inside the Blizzard", talks about two brothers who vowed kemmer to each other. One brother committed suicide once the other was exiled. We know in Gethenian culture that you aren't allowed to vow kemmer with your sibling, but they are allowed to enter kemmer with their sibling and after having one child they can no longer kemmer together. Also, suicide is a crime that is frowned upon in Gethen. If you commit suicide then you are considered weak. In chapter 6 we find out that Estraven vowed kemmer with his brother before Ashe. Estraven revealed to Ashe that he had vowed kemmer before, but in Gethen culture you aren't allowed to vow kemmer more than once. We know that the brother in the myth was exiled and we know that Estaven was also exiled. It wasn't mentioned what happened to his kemmer partner, but I do feel that he may have committed suicide. Estraven also mentioned that he can still feel his brother's shadow following him. In the myth the brother who was exiled and lost in the blizzard saw his brother's shadow. The ties between the myth and Estraven are spot on, they give us insight to Estraven's character. Gethens believe in shifgrethor and vowing kemmer to your sibling violates that honor and code they have. Therefore, the myth may have been created to discourage those from going into kemmer with their sibling.
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Well said, Chapter 2 was a very blurry and deep chapter to read. Trying to understand their way of life and language was one to figure out. The brother who vowed to kemmer was something I thought of as a opening to seeing religion in the book, just because of how they look down upon suicide.
ReplyDeleteI never thought to connect that tale to being a reason to discourage vowing kemmer with one's sibling, but now that you've brought up the point, it seems extremely possible. This could be a continued popular tale that is most commonly told from parent to child so that they learn the consequences of vowing kemmer with their sibling from early on. I also wonder what occurred with Estravan's brother, and his committing of suicide could be extremely likely seeing as that Estraven eventually vowed kemmer a second time, with Ashe Foreth.
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