Why did Eugenides NOT want to be king?
Nov. 22nd, 2006 07:23 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
myng.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
queensthiefThis being the main plot point of KOA, I've always wondered this: What was the actual reason that Gen did not want to be the true King of Attolia? I mean, he spent the entire book resisting being king. Why?
As far as I can see:
1. He already is king in name and there's no turning back and he knows that.
2. He cannot NOT be king as he wants to stay married to the queen. And he acknowledges this too (as stated when he told Costis that he's afraid that the gods will take it away from him if they knew how much he hated to be king).
3. He is already doing all that an actual king would do, albeit behind the scenes e.g. ridding Attolia of Baron Erondites, reducing the Guard etc etc.
So why? Is he:
1. Afraid of the power, afraid that he'd take away her sovereignty, as the queen said (to Ornon, I think)? But if Ornon, Eddis, Irene, EVERYONE ...could see that it is in Attolia's (and even Eddis') best interest to have a true and powerful King of Attolia, then why can't Gen see it? That cannot be the true reason. Unless of course he sees things differently from the rest of them. Which cannot be true either for, ultimately, he DID finally accept being king.
2. Thinking that if he pretends to be inept, he has more leeway to manipulate behind the scenes because the whole of Attolia underestimates him? But this cannot be entirely true either as we know from the book that he truly is resisting being king and being unhappy about having to be king.
This all leads me to the final question: Why did he ultimately accept being king?
Was the Guard's loyalty and respect all it took to turn him around? Was he waiting to be accepted to be a true king before he wanted to become one? That was the reason he manipulated Costis? To gain the respect of Costis, then Teleus, then the Guard etc. before he sits on the throne proper? Then why was he rueful about his acceptance? And as mentioned earlier, we do get the indication that he truly resisted being king, despite pursuasion from all quarters.
I thought I knew what was going on but after reading KOA at least 5-6 times now, frankly, I just don't get it anymore. I think this book is fascinating, it actually got MORE complicated the more times I read it. Love it love it love it.
I hope someone could help me out with their theories as I just can't seem to figure it out. Maybe I'm making things more complicated, who knows.
:)
As far as I can see:
1. He already is king in name and there's no turning back and he knows that.
2. He cannot NOT be king as he wants to stay married to the queen. And he acknowledges this too (as stated when he told Costis that he's afraid that the gods will take it away from him if they knew how much he hated to be king).
3. He is already doing all that an actual king would do, albeit behind the scenes e.g. ridding Attolia of Baron Erondites, reducing the Guard etc etc.
So why? Is he:
1. Afraid of the power, afraid that he'd take away her sovereignty, as the queen said (to Ornon, I think)? But if Ornon, Eddis, Irene, EVERYONE ...could see that it is in Attolia's (and even Eddis') best interest to have a true and powerful King of Attolia, then why can't Gen see it? That cannot be the true reason. Unless of course he sees things differently from the rest of them. Which cannot be true either for, ultimately, he DID finally accept being king.
2. Thinking that if he pretends to be inept, he has more leeway to manipulate behind the scenes because the whole of Attolia underestimates him? But this cannot be entirely true either as we know from the book that he truly is resisting being king and being unhappy about having to be king.
This all leads me to the final question: Why did he ultimately accept being king?
Was the Guard's loyalty and respect all it took to turn him around? Was he waiting to be accepted to be a true king before he wanted to become one? That was the reason he manipulated Costis? To gain the respect of Costis, then Teleus, then the Guard etc. before he sits on the throne proper? Then why was he rueful about his acceptance? And as mentioned earlier, we do get the indication that he truly resisted being king, despite pursuasion from all quarters.
I thought I knew what was going on but after reading KOA at least 5-6 times now, frankly, I just don't get it anymore. I think this book is fascinating, it actually got MORE complicated the more times I read it. Love it love it love it.
I hope someone could help me out with their theories as I just can't seem to figure it out. Maybe I'm making things more complicated, who knows.
:)
