Really funny and insightful at the same time.
LOL, so true. Not that most other WoT romances are much better, but these are definitely some of the worst and most ridiculous.
Let's not forget that the only reason Egwene noticed Gawyn at all was that Elayne told her he'd be better for her than Galad. Before that he didn't exist for her, she had eyes for Galad only. After that, first she thought something like "Oh, really, that's nice", forgot about the two brothers totally for months, and then after a few dreams was suddenly was so much in love with Gawyn that they defied the TAR rules as it's only possible for legendary love to do. This whole romance is so contrived even by WoT standards.
Apart from what you explained so nicely, what bugs me about Egwene's thought and behaviour towards Gawyn, is that not once she has acknowledged the sacrifices he had made and has to make from now on to be with her as Warder and future husband. He ignored his sworn duty to get back to his sister ASAP and instead went to save Egwene in TGS and then stayed in Tar Valon trying to guard her until she forbid it. He betrayed the Elaida side in the Tower war which he had chosen previously. He's giving up all the prestige, power and glory of being Andor's First Prince of the Sword and commander of its armies, to be an Amyrlin's Warder, a position with no formal power (and given Egwene's attitude, he can't expected much informal power too, since she's always convinced she knows better than him and thus would ignore his suggestions) and not much prestige.
The Sylviana letters were just so terrible. Egwene thinks so little of Gawyn that it doesn't bother her a bit to order her assistant to communicate with him on purely personal matters after they have had a major argument, even though she knew Sylviana doesn't like him and as a Red, dislike men in general. As Egwene should've expected (and admitted as much later), Sylviana wrote a horribly insulting and patronising letter, which straight out ordered Gawyn to return and to stop idling in Caemlyn (even though he came back to his home, sister and sworn duty) as if he's one of the servants in the White Tower and not someone who the Tower had no authority over at the time and a high ranked noble to boot. It's a shame that due to yet another plot contrivance this didn't lead to Egwene's death, would've served her right for treating the supposed love of her life as dirt.
The sex part is pretty funny. I don't necessary agree, though, I think Egwene's just a prude and also still follows seems to be the Two Rivers customs in this respect (IIRC they only accept premarital sex if the mother gives permission to the girl, and she didn't have it) though it's strange that this is is about the only Two Rivers custom she has kept. It's clear that the Aes Sedai don't care whether one of them sleeps with her Warder or with whoever she wants.
This is one of the more absurd developments of affection over the course of the series. One is tempted to conclude that there is some sort of communicable mental affliction for which the Trakand family are carriers, which causes people to fall in love with them for absolutely inexplicable reasons, without even any interaction or observation of the Trakand in question.
LOL, so true. Not that most other WoT romances are much better, but these are definitely some of the worst and most ridiculous.
Let's not forget that the only reason Egwene noticed Gawyn at all was that Elayne told her he'd be better for her than Galad. Before that he didn't exist for her, she had eyes for Galad only. After that, first she thought something like "Oh, really, that's nice", forgot about the two brothers totally for months, and then after a few dreams was suddenly was so much in love with Gawyn that they defied the TAR rules as it's only possible for legendary love to do. This whole romance is so contrived even by WoT standards.
Apart from what you explained so nicely, what bugs me about Egwene's thought and behaviour towards Gawyn, is that not once she has acknowledged the sacrifices he had made and has to make from now on to be with her as Warder and future husband. He ignored his sworn duty to get back to his sister ASAP and instead went to save Egwene in TGS and then stayed in Tar Valon trying to guard her until she forbid it. He betrayed the Elaida side in the Tower war which he had chosen previously. He's giving up all the prestige, power and glory of being Andor's First Prince of the Sword and commander of its armies, to be an Amyrlin's Warder, a position with no formal power (and given Egwene's attitude, he can't expected much informal power too, since she's always convinced she knows better than him and thus would ignore his suggestions) and not much prestige.
The Sylviana letters were just so terrible. Egwene thinks so little of Gawyn that it doesn't bother her a bit to order her assistant to communicate with him on purely personal matters after they have had a major argument, even though she knew Sylviana doesn't like him and as a Red, dislike men in general. As Egwene should've expected (and admitted as much later), Sylviana wrote a horribly insulting and patronising letter, which straight out ordered Gawyn to return and to stop idling in Caemlyn (even though he came back to his home, sister and sworn duty) as if he's one of the servants in the White Tower and not someone who the Tower had no authority over at the time and a high ranked noble to boot. It's a shame that due to yet another plot contrivance this didn't lead to Egwene's death, would've served her right for treating the supposed love of her life as dirt.
The sex part is pretty funny. I don't necessary agree, though, I think Egwene's just a prude and also still follows seems to be the Two Rivers customs in this respect (IIRC they only accept premarital sex if the mother gives permission to the girl, and she didn't have it) though it's strange that this is is about the only Two Rivers custom she has kept. It's clear that the Aes Sedai don't care whether one of them sleeps with her Warder or with whoever she wants.
Egwene vs. Gawyn (ToM spoilers of course)
28/04/2011 05:01:46 AM
- 3979 Views
There's fifty feet of crap between rock bottom and your post... *NM*
28/04/2011 07:40:04 AM
- 474 Views
Almost three days since the last post...at least I'm trying.
28/04/2011 12:17:59 PM
- 943 Views
What is to discuss here? You hate Egwene and will spin anything to put her in a negative light
28/04/2011 12:59:58 PM
- 1003 Views
But he's so good at it. all the pieces are in there and close to the right place... like a picasso.
03/05/2011 12:51:54 AM
- 965 Views
I'd say there's no need to take it so seriously when there's so few posts lately. You should see
28/04/2011 05:59:19 PM
- 909 Views
Great work, Cannoli
28/04/2011 02:09:28 PM
- 957 Views
while i agree with you on most of this
28/04/2011 04:53:06 PM
- 1087 Views
hmpf, i post a good point and nothing
28/04/2011 11:09:53 PM
- 865 Views
you could say the same about a lot of the relationships in this series
28/04/2011 04:59:19 PM
- 1037 Views
I agree there are plenty of underdeveloped and somewhat one-sided relationships in the series
28/04/2011 08:15:52 PM
- 1082 Views
Re: I agree there are plenty of underdeveloped and somewhat one-sided relationships in the series
29/04/2011 06:55:14 PM
- 923 Views
In regards to the letters...
28/04/2011 05:28:13 PM
- 1133 Views
But Gawyn was not Egwene's subject
28/04/2011 06:09:31 PM
- 944 Views
Which was why I thought it was appropriate, since he meant to act as Egwene's Warder.
28/04/2011 06:19:53 PM
- 904 Views
The only issue is that Warders are not minions - they are honored junior partners.
28/04/2011 07:39:18 PM
- 1063 Views
No, the junior partners are Accepted. Warders are essentially personal bodyguards and/or assistants.
28/04/2011 08:00:17 PM
- 860 Views
Accepted are not anything, let alone junior partners. Don't think N&E's experience was typical
28/04/2011 09:32:22 PM
- 1092 Views
Here's the thing though...
28/04/2011 11:20:32 PM
- 913 Views
No, but it's cute and quirky when Faile does it.
29/04/2011 03:06:50 PM
- 1080 Views
But...
29/04/2011 10:52:03 PM
- 876 Views
That's not really clear
29/04/2011 11:41:20 PM
- 1006 Views
Actually, it is...
30/04/2011 06:37:42 PM
- 1022 Views
Re: Actually, it is...
30/04/2011 11:17:21 PM
- 899 Views
Didn't Siuan, Gareth and Gawyn tell her about the Bloodknife they encountered?
02/05/2011 02:33:08 PM
- 907 Views
Re: Accepted are not anything, let alone junior partners. Don't think N&E's experience was typical
28/04/2011 11:36:24 PM
- 926 Views
My two cents: yes, a little, maybe, and possibly not.
28/04/2011 06:05:09 PM
- 1046 Views
Regarding your reference to another Emond's Fielder: What are you talking about?
28/04/2011 09:06:13 PM
- 908 Views
both together, couldn't separate them in my mind - perrin's evasiveness or nyn's trickiness *NM*
28/04/2011 10:16:57 PM
- 478 Views
It isn't the worst romance in WoT
28/04/2011 08:10:23 PM
- 1212 Views
Galad is a great option for a political marriage
28/04/2011 09:04:46 PM
- 896 Views
Yes, but...
28/04/2011 09:40:39 PM
- 942 Views
but galad knew nothing of berelain's closeness to rand, so that couldn't have affected anything
28/04/2011 10:12:23 PM
- 976 Views
Yes. An often overlooked point is that ELAYNE, not Egwene, gains the most power in ToM
28/04/2011 09:42:43 PM
- 1278 Views
Except they're both really hot.
28/04/2011 10:01:46 PM
- 1071 Views
I can only quibble; Egwene became so insufferable in ToM I'm convinced her fate will be unpleasant.
04/05/2011 12:41:53 AM
- 1045 Views
Siuan...
04/05/2011 05:42:59 AM
- 1045 Views
Re: Siuan screwed up big time.
07/05/2011 03:35:46 AM
- 914 Views
Good points all round (do you switch brains when getting into real world politics? ) & re: the Talk
12/05/2011 02:04:06 PM
- 862 Views
Thanks, (and no, you just become less and less astute as we move farther from fiction. )
15/05/2011 11:46:41 PM
- 1214 Views