Rand, Perrin and Mat

[Ilyena]

Rand's Similarities to:

 

To Paul Atreides

Rand al'Thor is similar to Paul Atreides in Frank Herbert's Dune in that they are both men who possess powers usually wielded by women.

The Aiel, who become Rand's most loyal fighting force, are similar in habit and style to the Fremen of Dune.

 

To Tiwaz, Tyr, Zeus, and Jupiter

Over the course of the story, Rand has been shown to have many similarities to Tiwaz, the prototypical deity from which was developed Tyr, Zeus and Jupiter.

Tyr's hand was bitten off by the wolf Fenrisulfr. Rand recently lost his left hand fighting the Forsaken Semirhage.

Rand's love for three women (Elayne Trakand, the mother of his two children; Aviendha, an Aiel and former Maiden of the Spear; and Min Farshaw, who has the ability to see the future, is similar to Jupiter of Roman mythology, who loved three mortal women with similar traits (all of whom are now referenced among the moons of the planet Jupiter).

Finally, Tyr, Jupiter and Zeus were all gods of justice. This ties in with Rand uniting most of the world under his rule, breaking some traditions and starting new ones.

 

To Wiccan archetypes

Rand's "three women" also echo the Wiccan tradition of the triple goddess (Maiden(Avi)-Mother(Elayne)-Crone(Sees beyond-Min)). This would make Rand the equivalent of the Celtic deity Cernunnos, a point which is reinforced by a prophecy which speaks of him singing "that the fields will bring forth lambs and green things".

 

To Jesus

Rand al'Thor, like Jesus Christ, is considered to be as a savior, sent by a supernatural force (the Wheel of Time itself in Rand's case, and the Christian God in Jesus's case) to save all of humanity from the forces of darkness.

It has been suggested, several times, that Rand will die in the process of saving the world. Unlike Jesus, however, no one has yet forecast his resurrection(In Knife of Dreams Rand revealed one part of a answer he had from the Aelfinn: 'To live, you must die.').

Rand, like Jesus, has a habit of striking down unfair laws and reforming societies to benefit all, instead of only the powerful few. Both were seen by many of their contemporaries as being agents of chaos and disorder.

When Rand dies, it is said that his body will be watched over by three women (his lovers, Elayne, Min and Aviendha); when Jesus died, his body was watched over by three women (generally reported as Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James the Less).

Many of the markings on Rand's body are similar to the wounds inflicted on Jesus during the crucifixion: His hands were nailed to the cross, he was stabbing in the side by a spear, and wore a crown of thorns. Both of Rand's hands have been branded with the heron mark, he was stabbed in the side by Ba'alzamon's staff, and he wears the Crown of Swords, similar to the crown of thorns Jesus wore.

 

Perrin's Similarities to:

Perun

Perun is associated with weapons of stone and metal. Perrin is a blacksmith.

Perun was often accompanied by wolves, and sometimes sent them to do battle for him. Perrin can speak to wolves, and has asked them to join him in battle.

Perun was a god for the common man. Perrin, a common man if ever there was one, became a leader and lord only because his people made him one.

Perun's weapons were the axe, the hammer, and the arrow. Perrin's weapon is his half-moon axe, he was a blacksmith at one time (thus he used a hammer), and, like most people in the Two Rivers, he is skilled with a longbow.

Perun is associated with the bellow of the bull. Perrin's wolf name is Young Bull.

Perun's name, in Christianized versions of the slavic mythology, is usually replaced with St. Elias. Elyas Machera, like Perrin, can speak with wolves.

Perun's eye was the sun. Perrin's eyes, like the sun, are yellow.

 

 

Mat's Similartities to:

Odin

According to prophecy, Mat will give up "half the light of the world to save the world", and in Egwene al'Vere's dreams has been seen to place his eye on a balance scale. Odin was half-blind, giving up his eye for knowledge.

Mat was hanged after bargaining to replace the holes in his memory; he says he was, "hanged for knowledge". Odin did the same to gain the knowledge of death.

Mat is a general, and one of Odin's divine domains is war.

The Aelfinn called Mat "Gambler" and "Son of Battles." Odin was known as the Gambler and was called Father of Battles.

Written on Mat's ashandarei is a poem bracketed by two ravens; the poem includes the line " ...thought is the arrow of time, memory never fades." Odin had two ravens, named Hugin and Munin: Thought and Memory.

Odin was often portrayed as wearing a wide brimmed hat, and carrying a spear, the same as Mat.

Odin's hall of Valhalla was filled with honored dead heroes who waited there to fight for him in the last battle, Ragnarok; Mat is the sounder of the Horn of Valere, which calls long dead heroes back to fight for him at the Last Battle, Tarmon Gai'Don.

Odin's battle horse, Sleipnir, had, depending on the translation, six or eight legs. Mat's horse is named Pips (after the dots on a die), which could refer to a high roll of six or eight pips.

 

These are just similarities I've found , and decided to list. Has Anyone else seen any interesting similarities? (other than Rand/LUKE SKYWALKER...hate that one)

[Ilyena]

I would like to say that I tried to add Jesus to the poll, but he was one to many. Sorry. :?

 

Also: This info came directly from the webpages at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki They did an amazing job on these lists. (to find, go to this site, then type in Rand Al'thor, Mat Cauthon or Perrin Aybara in the search box.)

[Sweet 666]

Nice, i like ur enthusiasm, I award you 1000 points. 8) It almost looks like you are attempting to take over the entire forum.

[SinisterDeath]

Wow, that was a nice condensed list!

That one about perrin was just uncanny though, didn't even know about "perun".

[Gelroos]

Succintly and Well put.

 

I've wondered though, as Tyr lost his hand to Fenris, who is bound till Ragnarok whence upon he will eat Odin, will Semi be bound (even the description of a a'dam matches what Gleipnir looks like, a plain silken ribbon) till Tarmon Gai'Don, then be destined to kill some incarnation Rand/LTT/Ishamel?

 

Tiwaz also was often given tribute in the form of hanged men.

[Guest Majsju]

Well, you missed Perrin - Thor.

 

The overall theme is that RJ borrows from every myth he sees, Norse, christian, Greek, etc, and then uses what he needs to make a good story.

[Ilyena]

Exactly, And that is what, in my opinion, makes him a great writer. While other writers focus on one particular myth, RJ goes a little bit of all 8)

[Siswaiaman]

a literary pot-luck, so to speak :)