The Curse of Chalion
Encyclopedia
The Curse of Chalion is a 2001 fantasy
novel by Lois McMaster Bujold
. In 2002 it won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature and was nominated for the Hugo
, World Fantasy, and Locus Awards in 2002.
Both The Curse of Chalion and its sequel Paladin of Souls
(2003) are set in the landlocked medieval kingdom of Chalion. The Hallowed Hunt
(2005) is a prequel taking place in the Weald, a land to the south of Chalion, several hundred years before.
or minor baron
), returns home to the Royacy (Kingdom) of Chalion a broken man, though he is only in his mid-thirties. "Caz", as he is known to his friends, had defended a castle during a long siege, only to be ordered to surrender it. Afterward, a jealous enemy had seen to it that he was not ransomed (as were the rest of his men), but sold into slavery, spending 19 months as a galley slave
before finally escaping.
His old noble patroness finds a use for him as a tutor for her granddaughter, the Royesse (Princess) Iselle, half-sister to the king, and her companion, Lady Betriz. Despite his ardent desire to live a safely low-profile, peaceful life, Caz finds himself drawn into a strange journey of dangers both spiritual and temporal as he seeks to dispel the debilitating curse that hangs over the royal family of Chalion.
, fate
, and divine intervention
.
The five gods of the Chalion world
are developed original characters that follow strict rules rather than abstract entities with nebulous powers. Because the Gods can work only through the will of a consenting human there is a complex consideration of the problems of free will.
, and the novel is loosely based on the lives of Isabella I of Castile
and Ferdinand II of Aragon
, the unifiers of Spain
.
However, the story of The Curse of Chalion is not simply a retelling of the lives of Isabella and Ferdinand, and Chalion is not simply Castile. The story takes quite a different path from the historical one, and the major characters are distinct personalities, not simply versions of historical people.
Iselle's mother Ista, heroine of the sequel Paladin of Souls
, is based on
Isabella of Portugal.
Iselle's father Roya (King) Ias is based on John II of Castile
, whose favorite Alvaro de Luna
inspired Bujold's Arvol dy Lutez. Iselle's half-brother Orico represents Henry IV of Castile
, who was called "the Impotent", and her full brother Teidez corresponds to Alfonso de las Asturias. The geography is likewise based on that of the Iberian Peninsula
in the 15th century—but mirrored, north for south. Chalion is Castile
; Ibra is Aragon
and Valencia
; South Ibra is Catalonia
; Brajar is Portugal
; the Roknari princedoms are Al-Andalus
; and Darthaca is France
.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel by Lois McMaster Bujold
Lois McMaster Bujold
Lois McMaster Bujold is an American author of science fiction and fantasy works. Bujold is one of the most acclaimed writers in her field, having won the prestigious Hugo Award for best novel four times, matching Robert A. Heinlein's record. Her novella The Mountains of Mourning won both the Hugo...
. In 2002 it won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature and was nominated for the Hugo
Hugo Award for Best Novel
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
, World Fantasy, and Locus Awards in 2002.
Both The Curse of Chalion and its sequel Paladin of Souls
Paladin of Souls
- Synopsis :Paladin of Souls is a sequel to The Curse of Chalion and is set some three years after the events of that novel. It follows Ista, mother of the girl who became Royina in that book and a minor character in it...
(2003) are set in the landlocked medieval kingdom of Chalion. The Hallowed Hunt
The Hallowed Hunt
The Hallowed Hunt is a fantasy novel by Lois McMaster Bujold, published in 2005. It placed fourth in the annual Locus Poll for best fantasy novel.- Plot introduction :...
(2005) is a prequel taking place in the Weald, a land to the south of Chalion, several hundred years before.
Plot summary
Lupe dy Cazaril, a castillar (a knightKnight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
or minor baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
), returns home to the Royacy (Kingdom) of Chalion a broken man, though he is only in his mid-thirties. "Caz", as he is known to his friends, had defended a castle during a long siege, only to be ordered to surrender it. Afterward, a jealous enemy had seen to it that he was not ransomed (as were the rest of his men), but sold into slavery, spending 19 months as a galley slave
Galley slave
A galley slave was a slave rowing in a galley. The expression has two distinct meanings: it can refer either to a convicted criminal sentenced to work at the oar , or to a kind of human chattel, often a prisoner of war, assigned to his duty of rowing.-Antiquity:Contrary to the popular image of the...
before finally escaping.
His old noble patroness finds a use for him as a tutor for her granddaughter, the Royesse (Princess) Iselle, half-sister to the king, and her companion, Lady Betriz. Despite his ardent desire to live a safely low-profile, peaceful life, Caz finds himself drawn into a strange journey of dangers both spiritual and temporal as he seeks to dispel the debilitating curse that hangs over the royal family of Chalion.
Major themes
The Curse of Chalion is noted for its focus on religion and metaphysics. This is not only a novel about self-sacrifice and redemption, but also a piece of speculative theological fiction which closely examines the relationship between free willFree will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
, fate
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
, and divine intervention
Divine Intervention
Divine intervention is a term for a miracle caused by God's/a god's active involvement in the human world.Divine Intervention may also refer to:*"Divine Intervention", a 1991 song on Matthew Sweet's album Girlfriend....
.
The five gods of the Chalion world
The Fivefold Pathway of the Soul
The Fivefold Pathway of the Soul, written by Ordol, is one of the primary religious texts of orthodox cultures in Lois McMaster Bujold's fantasy novels The Curse of Chalion , Paladin of Souls , and The Hallowed Hunt . This entry outlines that book based on background from Bujold's three books in...
are developed original characters that follow strict rules rather than abstract entities with nebulous powers. Because the Gods can work only through the will of a consenting human there is a complex consideration of the problems of free will.
Allusions/references to actual history and geography
Chalion is a looking-glass version of the kingdom of Castile and LeonCrown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
, and the novel is loosely based on the lives of Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
and Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
, the unifiers of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
However, the story of The Curse of Chalion is not simply a retelling of the lives of Isabella and Ferdinand, and Chalion is not simply Castile. The story takes quite a different path from the historical one, and the major characters are distinct personalities, not simply versions of historical people.
Iselle's mother Ista, heroine of the sequel Paladin of Souls
Paladin of Souls
- Synopsis :Paladin of Souls is a sequel to The Curse of Chalion and is set some three years after the events of that novel. It follows Ista, mother of the girl who became Royina in that book and a minor character in it...
, is based on
Isabella of Portugal.
Iselle's father Roya (King) Ias is based on John II of Castile
John II of Castile
John II was King of Castile from 1406 to 1454.He was the son of Henry III of Castile and his wife Catherine of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster by Constance of Castile, daughter of King Peter of Castile.-Regency:He succeeded his father on 25 December 1406, at the age of...
, whose favorite Alvaro de Luna
Álvaro de Luna
Álvaro de Luna y Jarana , Duke of Trujillo, 1st Count of San Esteban de Gormaz, was a Spanish politician...
inspired Bujold's Arvol dy Lutez. Iselle's half-brother Orico represents Henry IV of Castile
Henry IV of Castile
Henry IV , King of the Crown of Castile, nicknamed the Impotent , was the last of the weak late medieval kings of Castile...
, who was called "the Impotent", and her full brother Teidez corresponds to Alfonso de las Asturias. The geography is likewise based on that of the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
in the 15th century—but mirrored, north for south. Chalion is Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
; Ibra is Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
and Valencia
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
; South Ibra is Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
; Brajar is Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
; the Roknari princedoms are Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
; and Darthaca is France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
External links
- Publisher's page for The Curse of Chalion
- Bujold Nexus's Chalion index; includes link to map of Ibran Peninsula
- The Curse of Chalion at Worlds Without End