Just Noticed Something

[Lok Enkee]

Warning: Spoilers

I'm partway through book 11 at the moment, and I've begun to realize something.

Now, we learned that the seal of the Dark One's prison was flawed, because it was made purely by Saidin, with no Saidar being used. Now, at one point Lews Therin rants that women refused to help him seal the Dark One, leaving only him and the hundred companions. Why they refused hasn't been given (if it is revealed, I'm not up to that part yet).

Also, I remember at one point shortly after Rand went to Ruidhan (forgive my spelling), that it was a female Aes Sedai that accidently opened the bore and released the Dark One in the first place.

Does anyone else see the hypocrisy when men are condemmed for the actions of insane men in the past, when the actions (and lack of action) of sane women led up to that disaster?

I'm curious what others have to say on this.

 

[Aran Cherubim]

Warning: Spoilers

I'm partway through book 11 at the moment, and I've begun to realize something.

Now, we learned that the seal of the Dark One's prison was flawed, because it was made purely by Saidin, with no Saidar being used. Now, at one point Lews Therin rants that women refused to help him seal the Dark One, leaving only him and the hundred companions. Why they refused hasn't been given (if it is revealed, I'm not up to that part yet).

The female Aes Sedai refused to go along with Lews Therin's plan because they wanted to use the Choedan Kal to defeat the Shadow, even after one of the controlling ter-angreal had been lost, iirc.

Also, I remember at one point shortly after Rand went to Ruidhan (forgive my spelling), that it was a female Aes Sedai that accidently opened the bore and released the Dark One in the first place.

Does anyone else see the hypocrisy when men are condemmed for the actions of insane men in the past, when the actions (and lack of action) of sane women led up to that disaster?

I'm curious what others have to say on this.

The bore was actually opened by men and women working in unison, although the most famous of the Aes Sedai who created it later became Lanfear.

 

[Lok Enkee]

Ah, ok. My mistake then. Sorry.

 

[Aran Cherubim]

Hey, there's of course more to say on the matter. I mean, the unwillingness of the female Aes Sedai is for example someone that's worthy of looking into. Was it just a matter of diverging views of strategy, or were there political matters lying underneath? I seem to recall somewhere that denying Lews Therin the support was as much an act of defiance against his growing prestige as much as anything - although I haven't found any sources (also I jsut came back from a walk, so I'm a but woozy. :P )

 

[Eluial Aldaran]

The women's refusal to help Lews Therin is definitely an interesting area of speculation. I definitely don't want to give spoilers, but it's something that gets addressed at least one more time later on, so I'd keep it in the back of your mind.

Does anyone else see the hypocrisy when men are condemmed for the actions of insane men in the past, when the actions (and lack of action) of sane women led up to that disaster?

Just curious, here when you say condemned, do you mean how male channelers are currently treated, or something more like the general negative attitudes about men that a lot of women in the books have, or something else entirely?

 

[Elya Trimrode]

I think this is in a way related to the relationship between men and woman in WoT in general. And that's my biggest dislike in the series, the way men are treated unfairly pretty much all the time

 

[Aran Cherubim]

I think I've said it before, but I think it's quite clever, actually - the reversal of the Original Sin story that has in part influenced the view of women IRL.

I mean, frustrating, yes - but well-founded.

EDIT: That's not to say that the gender roles are reversed, but certain attitudes and philosophical themes are. And to some degree political and economical power.

 

[Lok Enkee]

Just curious, here when you say condemned, do you mean how male channelers are currently treated, or something more like the general negative attitudes about men that a lot of women in the books have, or something else entirely?

I was more thinking about how male channelers are treated like they're worse than darkfriends, but what you're saying also applies as well. I remember in Egwene's vision of Rand being gentled they said this:

This man, abandoned of the Light, has touched saidin, the male half of the True Source. Thus do we hold him. Most abominably has this man channeled the One Power, knowing that saidin is tainted by the Dark One, tainted for men's pride, tainted for men's sin. Thus do we chain him.

Bad enough that you're about to severe them and most likely leave them to die, but that's just mean.

This also comes to a point in AMoL as well (BEWARE. SPOILERS)

Spoiler

During the discussion of the Dragon's Peace, when Rand proposes to destroy the Dark One, Egwene wants him to simply reseal it in a shoddy fashion, even though Rand points out it wont be effective and will most likely result in the taint resurfacing. She barely seems to care. This just outright infuriated me, as she was more than willing to risk execution to protect the White Tower, yet was scared to take a risk in possibly ridding the world of the Dark One forever.