Gottfried & Blicero

[David Morris]

Very nice post, jbor.

As you note, this decision point is reached at the end of a long progression 
which begins with Geli awaiting Pan in the woods, and slides into the scene 
with that other witch and his boy-lover.  Also, as you note, there is a 
contrast between these two scenes which might be characterized as Green 
Witch/Black Witch.  The only difference I have with your reading is where 
this "changing of the guard" happens in the text.  From what I see, Geli in 
the woods changes into Gottfried in the woods "sneaked away" from the camp, 
worrying that Blicero might awake and find he's missing.  From thence all of 
the text is Blicero's monologue as remembered by Gottfried.  So, imo, the 
"extended reverie about the 'steaming fumaroles' of Nature" is all from 
Blicero's mouth.

This inclusion into his monologue further informs us of Blicero's worldview 
and the nature of his goal of transcendance.  He knows he is of Death's 
realm via human consciousness' inability to face the wild nature of Life 
(the realm of thr Titans), but he doesn't want to remain there.  He knows 
he's in a trap.  He seeks a "synthesis" of Death and Life, Victim & 
Destroyer.  It would seem this means the extascy of annihilation, back into 
a pre-conscious state.  But how this might be brought about by the launching 
of Gottfried is beyond me at the moment.  It might have something to do with 
Rilke...

David Morris

>From: "jbor"
>
>Just after that scene of Geli's vigil, the young visionary witch seeking in 
>the "golden" twilight omens of her lover's return (719-20), comes the last 
>goodnight of the old "myopic" witch, Blicero, and his own young lover, 
>Gottfried ('God's peace'). It is an inversion, or changing of the guard. 
>Between the two scenes, linking them together in fact, is an extended 
>reverie about the "steaming fumaroles" of Nature before "human 
>consciousness", a time of "Titans" [SNIP]
>Blicero's scathing monologue, his vision of the Deathkingdom of man, is 
>both an echo of the previous passage about the Titans and a relinquishment 
>of the control which he has aspired to and wielded, a renunciation in fact 
>of the type of witchery Geli seeks to invoke. It is also an admission of 
>his love for Gottfried, or, even more poignantly, an acknowledgement that 
>he is loved by the youth.
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