Posted by Rich Thomas on June 30, 1999 at 09:58:25:
In Reply to: Re: Vance and Politics, Cugel & Namour posted by Gabriele Guenther on June 29, 1999 at 14:09:50:
: Whoops! In my last posting, I meant Rich Thomas' comments
: re Cugel (also perceptive, not Tim Stretton; typing too fast...
: In addition to that, Namour comes over to me as quite believable
: in a sociopathic way --- he just doesn't care about killing at
: all, so long as he isn't caught, while Cugel is more the
: prototypical fictional anti-hero. Still, granted, they're both
: to be avoided....
I think it would be interesting to compare Namour and Cugel in relation to the societies in which they live:
Sociopathic tendencies appear are more starkly contrasted in the society of Araminta station where rank and social status are EVERYTHING, i.e. an S.I. greater than 21 on your 21st birthday and you are ostracised from not only your family but also your society. It is interesting to compare the reactions of Simonetta and Namour in relation to this ostracisation. Simonetta embodies all of the outward anger and hatred to the society which wronged her whilst Namour never outwardly showed his anger. It is realistic to argue that because of this Namour is potentially the more dangerous since he is able to channel this coolness into making others carry out the actual acts.
In the society of Cugel, it is made constantly clear that life is cheap since times are extremely dangerous and than gruesome killings and murder are very much the currency of the times. So, Cugels violence and sociopathic nature are very much less starkly contrasted with the general population.
As I mentioned in an earlier posting, it would be an interesting exercise to swap Namour and Cugel.
Finally, one difference which does intrigue me is that Namour never struck me as vain, i.e. very much the background manipulator but public scion. Everyone thinks that they know exactly what Namour does but, as it turns out, everyone really needed to put all of their pieces together before the picture came out. Cugel however is toweringly vain. Everyone has to know who has robbed them/cheated them etc etc etc. What an ego!!!
Cheers,
Rich