The myths in The Left Hand of Darkness acts as a model for some of the historical events that have occurred in Gethenian society. Ursula K. Le Guin uses contrary images - heat and cold, home and exile, murder and sex, etc. The myths serve for exploring exchange by incorporating contradictories and later reconciling them. Estraven's unwillingness to pursue Karhide's interest in the Shinoath border dispute repeats the same action of his ancestor "Estraven the Traitor," who gave half of disputed land to Stok.
In "The Place Inside the Blizzard" two brothers vow kemmering for life, which is illegal. When the Lord of Shath commands them to break their vow, one of the brothers commits suicide, a great public shame. Getheren (the brother who is alive) is blamed for his brother's death and is exiled. As he is wandering on the Pering ice, he meets his brother who committed suicide. The brother asks him to stay with him and keep their vow. However, Getheren refuses, saying when he chose death he broke the vow. The brother tries to grasp Getheren by the left hand but fails to make him stay. In this chapter I see the contrary images between life and death that Le Guin uses.
The framework set up in the myths guide and define the behavior of characters in regards to a historical matter. For example, when Estraven learns of his exile from Karhide, he considers returning home to Estre, but he doesn't. Instead he decides he was born to live in exile and the only way he will return home is by eventually dying. Shortly after we learn that his self-exile may have more to do with his guilt over incestuous vows than with a political charge that he is a traitor. When Estraven is confronted by his kemmering he remarks that their vows were false because his true vow of faithfulness was made to his brother. Estraven judges himself guilty and enforces the penalty of exile.
To keep to oneself in Gethenian society is an impossible fantasy.
I don't know about you, but the chapters about mythical tales are my favorite ones in Left Hand of Darkness. I like that the author introduces these tales on the side before they're actually incorporated into the story line. Once they're introduced in the story, there is a familiarity that helps me understand it. Otherwise, if they weren't introduced before hand, it would just be another part of the plot that I didn't understand.
ReplyDeleteHi Annalise! I got some insight or two from this post. From reading that detail you wrote about the Hode trying to grab Getheren with his "left hand", I was enlightened when I realized this is half the title of this book! In the title The Left Hand of Darkness, I thought of "Darkness" meaning the flaws of Gethenian culture.
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