Blades in the WW (Was: Re: No Sex, Please, We're British)

[Iggy McSnurd]

No: HPFGUIDX 83745

> - Caipora
> I think we can agree that the sword is a very potent symbol . . .

*the rest of the letter is snipped*

Iggy here:

I think Godrick's sword will be more important as a symbol than as a blade.
A few examples of the effect a sword can have as a more potent symbol than
weapon:

Excalibur - The importance to the people in the Arthurian legends was less
the fact that it was a sword (albeit an incredibly effective one), and more
in what the sword stood for.  It stood as the symbol of the heir and
rightful King of England.

the Sword of Riva (from the Belgariad) - This sword was mounted, point down,
behind the basalt throne of the Rivan King.  Only the heir of the Rivan King
could remove the sword from the wall with the aid of the Orb of Aldur.  When
the sword was drawn, the orb caused it to burst into blue fire.  This was
the symbol of rulership for the people of Riva, and the blue flame showed
that the Rivan King had joined the battle... a definite morale booster
there...

the Sword of Joan of Arc - Reputed to be from the Church of Saint Catherine
of Fierbois.  Joan told her soldiers where to find it for her, even though
she had never been to this church.  The sword was often seen as a symbol of
her divine guidance by St. Michael (captain-general of the armies of
Heaven), St. Catherine, and St. Margaret (both early Christian martyrs).

the Sword of Truth (from the series of the same name) - Wielded by Richard
Rahl, this sword was the symbol of the Seeker of Truth.  It could utterly
slay those that the Seeker believed to be false or guilty, yet could not
harm those the Seeker believed to be innocent of wrongdoing.  The Sword of
Truth was wielded by many impostors, but could only be *safely* wielded by
the true Seeker, and would only give its full power to that person.  The
Sword itself was a symbol of Truth and the power it wielded over people was
as much from the symbology of the Sword and its Seeker, as from the weapon
itself.


There are just a few examples, and it pretty much defines how I view
Godrick's sword... Its power is greater as a symbol and as the relic of
House Gryffindor than its power as an actual weapon.


Just my two centaurs worth.

Iggy McSnurd