Re: Well, RJ dated two women at once - and they were cool with it - but there's more
DomA Send a noteboard - 01/09/2010 03:22:18 AM
Other posters, like DomA and Cannoli, have touched on the mythological allusions - and rightly so. But they didn't mention that the ladies also bear a resemblance (in that way) to the Norse 3 Sisters.
Not specifically, but they're a norse example of a goddesses triad I was speaking of.
That's not the only allusion to that in the story, and perhaps not the most proper, actually. Those three Fates/sisters in Greek myth are the Moira, after which Moiraine, the herald who announces to Rand his fate, is obviously named.
This is more significantly represented by Moiraine (past), who announces to Rand he is the rebirth of Lews Therin and sets him on his path, Cadsuane who shatters his image as Dragon and seeks to make him remember Rand al'Thor, and Alivia who will "help him die" and so is the one who "cuts his thread".
The ties to the sisters/Fates in Min/Elayne/Aviendha is a lot more secondary, and it's not as clear cut as you presented it, I think. Min is the one who is the first to show him his path, Elayne he meets afterward and she is "his present" in the sense that she is the Queen and mate of the Dragon as "King" while he thought he should be a King (and she's the one who began to make him understand a warleader isn't a ruler and he had to stay out of her business as Queen, while it's most likely Aviendha who is the herald of what he must finally become, how the future and the past come together at the end for the LB. Notice it's the relationship to the Wise One Aviendha Jordan has least developped and kept for the finale. When Rand slept with her, she was still a warrior struggling to give up her weapons, and he was struggling to be a warrior and a chief. He's not had any relationship to Aviendha the Wise One yet. With Min plenty, with Elayne he went to her palace and produced children there - but Aviendha remains "unfinished business". Elayne is clearly Queen too, but as Crone, Aviendha the Wise One and Min the Seer are a little interchangeable and shifting. Min began as the Crone and Aviendha the maiden/warrior, but lately Min also played the role of protectress/fighter at Rand's side (that's one reason Jordan made her train as a fighter too, very good with knives) while Aviendha had to give up her role as maiden/warrior to become a Crone, a Wise One at the very end (who is likely about to bridge the past and future of the Aiel by what she'll see in Rhuidean, and unlike Rand, she will understand what it means for the future). Aviendha/Min alternate in a way in the two roles of warrior/crone.
Why does Rand have 3 wives?
31/08/2010 05:26:04 PM
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Re: Why does Rand have 3 wives?
31/08/2010 07:18:42 PM
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I actually like Aviendha, but I also think her role could be combined or minimized
31/08/2010 08:02:52 PM
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I am approaching this from the angle of the overall story and structure
31/08/2010 07:32:54 PM
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I think it must have to do with the Arthurian legends.
01/09/2010 01:26:31 AM
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Isn't one in some versions actually named Elayne? Also say Egwene al'Vere really fast and you get... *NM*
01/09/2010 02:19:38 AM
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There are Elaines in Arthurian legends, yeah, but they're involved with Lancelot more than Arthur.
01/09/2010 02:24:56 PM
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Yeah...
01/09/2010 02:58:36 AM
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You're right that Moiraine, Nynaeve and Cadsuane would make a better fit.
01/09/2010 02:28:04 PM
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Huh?
02/09/2010 06:18:08 AM
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I think you misunderstand.
02/09/2010 02:44:16 PM
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He does
03/09/2010 03:03:17 AM
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Re: He does
03/09/2010 12:48:02 PM
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Re: He does
04/09/2010 12:16:34 AM
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I think you need another edit to clean up the double-post-within-a-post a bit. Very interesting! *NM*
04/09/2010 01:45:45 PM
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Morgan le Fay = Meirin IMO, not Min. *NM*
01/09/2010 05:05:25 AM
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Yeah, I meant if I had to pick from those three. Otherwise, there are better candidates. *NM*
01/09/2010 02:23:50 PM
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Well, RJ dated two women at once - and they were cool with it - but there's more
01/09/2010 02:57:38 AM
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Re: Well, RJ dated two women at once - and they were cool with it - but there's more
01/09/2010 03:22:18 AM
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