Book II, Chapter 1: Old and weak, Orual takes up her book again. She says she must add to it. "I know so much more then I did about the woman who wrote it." It was the process of writing her book, and examining her passions and thoughts, that made her realize that "the past which I wrote down was not the past that I thought I had been remembering." Does this make sense to you?
An embassy from the Great King who lives to the South and East came to call. The chief man, a hugely fat eunuch, turns out to be Tarin, who was made a eunuch ("two cuts of a razor") by Orual's father back in Chapter three after Tarin and Redival were caught kissing.
Tarin says in regard to Redival, "I took pity on her. She was lonely." Redival had said that after the Fox and Psyche had come, Orual didn't love her any more. Orual realizes that she had never before thought about that aspect of her relationship with Redival. "It had been settled in my mind that from the very beginning I was the pitiable and ill-used one. She had her gold curls, hadn't she?"
Shortly thereafter Bardia dies and Orual, going to comfort Ansit, learns from her that Bardia's loyalty to the Queen's service had exhausted him and deprived his wife of his company. Ansit said, "The mines are not the only place where a man can be worked to death." Later she said, "When you had used him, you would let him steal home to me; until you needed him again." Orual was stunned to realize that Ansit was jealous of her.
Ansit realized that Orual had also loved Bardia and they were reconciled. Said Orual, "It was the strangest thing that our hatred should die out at the very moment she first knew her husband was the man I loved." But the softness did not last.
Orual learns that her love for Bardia had to Ansit seemed very much like the love of the Shadowbrute for its victim: a loving that was also a devouring. Ansit said, "I know that your queenship drank up his blood year by year and ate out his life." Later she said to Orual, "You're full fed. Gorged with other men's lives, women's too: Bardia's, mine, the Fox's, your sister's -- both your sisters."
What are your thoughts about Orual's relationship with Bardia?
Chapter 2: Orual visits the temple of Ungit on the day of the Year's birth, a great holy day. What are your reactions to this service?
Back in her room in the palace, Orual has a vision stronger than an ordinary dream. Her father the King returns and takes her underground with him. "Who is Ungit?" he asks. Looking in the mirror, Orual knows that she is Ungit.
What do make of this very detailed vision?
Upon waking she thinks to kill herself, but has no strength to wield the sword. She then goes for a walk without her veil and tries to drown herself in the river, but the voice of a god tells her NO.
Book II, Chapter 1: Old and weak, Orual takes up her book again. She says she must add to it. "I know so much more then I did about the woman who wrote it." It was the process of writing her book, and examining her passions and thoughts, that made her realize that "the past which I wrote down was not the past that I thought I had been remembering." Does this make sense to you?
An embassy from the Great King who lives to the South and East came to call. The chief man, a hugely fat eunuch, turns out to be Tarin, who was made a eunuch ("two cuts of a razor") by Orual's father back in Chapter three after Tarin and Redival were caught kissing.
Tarin says in regard to Redival, "I took pity on her. She was lonely." Redival had said that after the Fox and Psyche had come, Orual didn't love her any more. Orual realizes that she had never before thought about that aspect of her relationship with Redival. "It had been settled in my mind that from the very beginning I was the pitiable and ill-used one. She had her gold curls, hadn't she?"
Shortly thereafter Bardia dies and Orual, going to comfort Ansit, learns from her that Bardia's loyalty to the Queen's service had exhausted him and deprived his wife of his company. Ansit said, "The mines are not the only place where a man can be worked to death." Later she said, "When you had used him, you would let him steal home to me; until you needed him again." Orual was stunned to realize that Ansit was jealous of her.
Ansit realized that Orual had also loved Bardia and they were reconciled. Said Orual, "It was the strangest thing that our hatred should die out at the very moment she first knew her husband was the man I loved." But the softness did not last.
Orual learns that her love for Bardia had to Ansit seemed very much like the love of the Shadowbrute for its victim: a loving that was also a devouring. Ansit said, "I know that your queenship drank up his blood year by year and ate out his life." Later she said to Orual, "You're full fed. Gorged with other men's lives, women's too: Bardia's, mine, the Fox's, your sister's -- both your sisters."
What are your thoughts about Orual's relationship with Bardia?
Chapter 2: Orual visits the temple of Ungit on the day of the Year's birth, a great holy day. What are your reactions to this service?
Back in her room in the palace, Orual has a vision stronger than an ordinary dream. Her father the King returns and takes her underground with him. "Who is Ungit?" he asks. Looking in the mirror, Orual knows that she is Ungit.
What do make of this very detailed vision?
Upon waking she thinks to kill herself, but has no strength to wield the sword. She then goes for a walk without her veil and tries to drown herself in the river, but the voice of a god tells her NO.
Is it true that Orual was Ungit?