Message-ID: <2799@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-Jun-83 09:12:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.2799
Posted: Tue Jun 28 09:12:00 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 9-Jul-83 20:29:12 EDT
Lines: 23

I wonder if anyone else has noted the analogy between "Return of The
Jedi" and "The Ring of the Niebelungen?"  Among many parallels are the
twin brother and sister protagonists (Luke and Leia = Siegmund and
Sieglinde) -- saved from the Ring's incest only by the fortunate
intervention by Han Solo (for a while it was not certain who Leia
preferred).  The magic sword of Siegfried was formerly the property of
his father and could only be repaired by the son after it was broken by
the bad guy (Wotan).  Clearly an analogy to the light sabre which was
repaired by Luke -- actually he made a new one.  Siegmunde and Sieglinde
were members of the "master race," the Volsung, who had super powers for
good (the Force/Jedi).  Although ROTJ borrows a lot from Lewis Carrol
("Alice") and the "Oz" books, the influence of Wagner's quadric cycle,
including Gotterdammerung and the destruction of Valhalla ("Death Star",
where the bad Emperor rules the world by force of his spear - Force) is
very clear.  Has anyone else noted these analogies?

On another topic, I haven't noticed anyone else (not even Jerry
Pournelle) objecting to the computer setup owned by the kid freak in
"War Games."  He had at least 10,000 bucks worth of hardware in his
bedroom -- obviously a custom job and not your run of the mill Apple or
Artari.

Cheers -- Bob Bibbero at HI-Multics  (Bibbero.PMSDMKT)