Eugenides as a Christ Figure
As a spiritual, non-religious person the divine elements of MWT's Queen's Thief Series have touched me on more levels than I had ever though possible. MWT's fascination with the Greek gods and goddesses flows abundantly off her pages. While these tales of said gods and goddesses I left behind in grade school without much thought beyond their mythology, there is no doubt that her work is channeling Source Love... and it's a desperately needed proclamation that All Gods/Goddesses are One (and there is no difference between the 7 predominant religions of the world or any of the others.. all arrive at one singular goal, and that is that all things can ultimately come from a place of Love. I'm less referring to the consistent interactions that Eugenides has with his gods, and more to the godliness in the man himself, that behind the whining and the complaining and the superficial ungodly, unkingly elements of Gen's personality, he acts in the image of Christ. (and that contrast is what precisely what is fascinating about him).
There is such omnipotence in the essence of Eugenides' character and his Journey to "Love thy greatest enemy." That MWT could channel the Divine without ever saying the words (as she is known for) is simply exponential. Ecstatic.
That Attolia could harm him in the most painful way imaginable, taking from him something that he valued more than life itself (robbing him of the chance to be "safely dead") and he remained steadfast in his Love for her. That he never let his fear of her win over his Love of her. Love trumps Fear.
That he saw the consequences of Attolia's justice. "His mercy to her justice." And insisted on pardoning Relius even as she struck him and raged at him for undermining her power... that he knew she didn't need him to be a hollow archetype-- big and tall and strong and offer her protection solely in the physical sense as she had plenty of guards for that... what she needed was someone to step forward and dare to protect her heart, dare to protect her from herself:
***
"And what if she sacrifices her heart? Giving it up a piece at a time until there is nothing left? What do you have then, Relius, but a heartless ruler? And what becomes of the common good then?"
"The queen could never be heartless."
"No," said the king. "She would die herself, Relius, or lose her mind first and then her heart. Could you not see it happening? Or is your faith in her strength really so blind? Everyone has a breaking point. Yet you never stop demanding more of her." ~Attolis, KofA, p. 288
***
This remains one of my most favorite excerpts throughout all the books. That he saw her near her breaking point, in her belief that she was unworthy of his love, because in cutting off his hand, she pushed him so close to the brink of his. The narrative goes on to say,
"Relius was quiet while he thought. "And yours? I thought we found your breaking point." Eugenides winced, but he responded with a self-deprecating noise. 'Ornon says, Ornon-who-always-has-something-to-say says, the Thieves of Eddis don't have breaking points. We have flash points instead, like gunpowder. That's what makes us dangerous.'" (p. 288)
Does anyone have any interpretation as to what the King is referring to here? I feel like I can understand that literally but I feel like there's more there that I'm not getting.
That's some of what I mean by Christ. Eugenides, a Christ figure. Also, who else was referred to as an Annux, a "King of Kings?" Jesus. The journey and the growth and the grief that we evolve through loving our enemies and receiving and surrendering ourselves to them to the finest and deepest depths of our soul.
There is such omnipotence in the essence of Eugenides' character and his Journey to "Love thy greatest enemy." That MWT could channel the Divine without ever saying the words (as she is known for) is simply exponential. Ecstatic.
That Attolia could harm him in the most painful way imaginable, taking from him something that he valued more than life itself (robbing him of the chance to be "safely dead") and he remained steadfast in his Love for her. That he never let his fear of her win over his Love of her. Love trumps Fear.
That he saw the consequences of Attolia's justice. "His mercy to her justice." And insisted on pardoning Relius even as she struck him and raged at him for undermining her power... that he knew she didn't need him to be a hollow archetype-- big and tall and strong and offer her protection solely in the physical sense as she had plenty of guards for that... what she needed was someone to step forward and dare to protect her heart, dare to protect her from herself:
***
"And what if she sacrifices her heart? Giving it up a piece at a time until there is nothing left? What do you have then, Relius, but a heartless ruler? And what becomes of the common good then?"
"The queen could never be heartless."
"No," said the king. "She would die herself, Relius, or lose her mind first and then her heart. Could you not see it happening? Or is your faith in her strength really so blind? Everyone has a breaking point. Yet you never stop demanding more of her." ~Attolis, KofA, p. 288
***
This remains one of my most favorite excerpts throughout all the books. That he saw her near her breaking point, in her belief that she was unworthy of his love, because in cutting off his hand, she pushed him so close to the brink of his. The narrative goes on to say,
"Relius was quiet while he thought. "And yours? I thought we found your breaking point." Eugenides winced, but he responded with a self-deprecating noise. 'Ornon says, Ornon-who-always-has-something-to-say says, the Thieves of Eddis don't have breaking points. We have flash points instead, like gunpowder. That's what makes us dangerous.'" (p. 288)
Does anyone have any interpretation as to what the King is referring to here? I feel like I can understand that literally but I feel like there's more there that I'm not getting.
That's some of what I mean by Christ. Eugenides, a Christ figure. Also, who else was referred to as an Annux, a "King of Kings?" Jesus. The journey and the growth and the grief that we evolve through loving our enemies and receiving and surrendering ourselves to them to the finest and deepest depths of our soul.