Flight of the Heron read-along: Part IV chapters 3-4

[regshoe]

Farewell even to our Scottish name, so famed in martial story...

Another pivotal set of chapters. It's all coming together now...

Next week we'll read Part IV chapters 5 and 6.

Comments

[sanguinity]

And only now I remember what I wanted to say during this chapter. Note this juxtaposition of "Achilles" with Ewen's injury:

“I have so much to be forgiven myself,” answered Keith, looking down unhappily at the dirty, haggard wreck of his ‘young Achilles’, “that I can scarce resent what you, of all people, have thought of me. Oh, Ardroy, what a curst tangle it has been!—Are you well like that—your wounded leg . . . ?”

In the Iliad, Achilles' principal epithet is "swift-running" -- and indeed, very nearly the first physical description we are ever given of Ewen points out that he is very likely a swift runner.

And how is he wounded at Culloden? With a wound to his leg that may well lame him for life. I have so many feelings about the symbolism inherent in that.

[regshoe]

Oh, that is interesting! The call-back to 'Achilles' struck me as a good tragic detail, but I wasn't aware of that, which certainly adds an extra layer of significance.

[hyarrowen]

Those meanings simply hadn't occurred to me. Wheels within wheels.

Also, there's the whole Achilles and Patroclus thing!