Flight of the Heron read-along: Part V chapter 5 and Epilogue

[regshoe]

Better loved ye cannae be...

The final chapter.

I'm planning to do a sort of wrap-up post in a couple of days' time for any last thoughts, and to recommend some Flight of the Heron fic and some other books that may be of interest. I will say goodbye and thank you properly then!

Comments

Re: My Thoughts on the Ending

[luzula]

Another way to slice it is that for an 18th century gentleman, personal honour was paramount, and more important than military duty. If Keith's honour would be better served by saving Ewen, which it might be, since Ewen let him go in Edinburgh, then he might let Ewen go...of course, Keith would suspect this line of thinking as probably being influenced by his emotions.

Then again, I can't pretend that I understand their sense of honour; it's really very alien to me. I keep coming back to this Duffy quote, which expresses both aspects: Having encountered so much that was bizarre or selfish about the cult of honour, it is impossible for us to withhold our admiration for the importance that the 18th century attached to the primacy of the individual conscience [in potentially refusing to follow orders].

Re: My Thoughts on the Ending

[regshoe]

If Keith's honour would be better served by saving Ewen, which it might be, since Ewen let him go in Edinburgh, then he might let Ewen go...of course, Keith would suspect this line of thinking as probably being influenced by his emotions.

Heh, very true!

Yes, the 'cult of honour' as Duffy puts it is a fascinating cultural Thing—one that certainly makes for good stories and emotional dynamics, but I don't really understand it either.