Archive:The Lesson and The Sword

The Lesson and The Sword

5th Edition (2000) Istani Front Cover
Author	Uram Servan
Original title	Aferu ũs Tell
Country	Istan
Language	Istani Baredan
Genre	Allegorical Satire Bildungsroman Novel of Ideas
Set in	Istan, Szezkia, Settia, Yaina, Sjuu, Jute
Published	1786-89

The Lesson and The Sword (Istani: Aferu ũs Tell /ɛ:.fɪ.ru ũ tɪtɬ/) is a novel, originally published in three volumes, by celebrated Istani writer, lawyer and natural philosopher Uram Servan, first published after Servan's death in 1786; it's publication was proscribed during Servan's lifetime. It is considered the foremost work of literature in all of the Istani corpus, and indeed amongst the greatest works of Baredan fiction ever written; Norjihani author Saddan Verad Larl declared the work "Certainly the most respected work of fiction amongst our great people [The Baredans]... deeply insightful and infinitely playful".

The novel follows a young Istani officer (whose name is never revealed) who follows a mysterious Xhovian fleet to the island of Jute - on the way discovering that they intend to colonise the island - and his attempts to help the Juteans stand up against Xhovian aggression. He eventually leaves the Juteans, believing they are incapable of survival, and it is assumed the Xhovians enslaved and ate the population of the island. Servan began to write the novel after failing to be admitted onto one of the Istani Aristocratic Committies (bodies who offer advice and expertise on matters being put to vote) focusing on law, being blocked by his prominent rival Paren Saer. As such, the work is a satire, indirectly attacking the Istani government of the time on numerous occassions throughout, especially Saer. The novel is often seen as being staunchly anti-interventionist and anti-colonialist, although modern criticism has attacked it for being racist, both towards the Xhovians and to other cultures (in this case, the people of Jute).

Initial Publication

Servan originally planned to release the novel as a standalone work in 1786, having written it in the period 1780-1785 in a number of bursts; it was begun soon after he was refused membership of the Committee of Legal Affairs. However, his attempts to publish the work were opposed by the Pyçaşim (the main legislature of the Istani government, filled by citizens elected via sortition), and after his release of a section of the novel in an Istani periodical caused public outcry, all of his works were proscribed. After his death, however, a group of his friends agreed to publish the novel. It was released in three volumes, the first two consisting of three sections and the final of four; Servan had originally split the book into ten sections, much like the ten years of the Gennist Calendar. Each of them has their own title, derived from the text of the book:

• Volume One | The Pursuit of Nothing: Covers the first three sections, exploring the life of The Officer in Istan and his original pursuit of the Xhovians alongside Vers
• Volume Two | The Endless Night of the Heart: The next three sections, which recount The Officer's journey through Sjuu and across the sea to Jute, where he first comes into contact with the Juteans
• Volume Three | The Call of the Native: The final four sections, in which The Officer tries to group the Juteans into a force to fight off the Xhovians, and how he proceeds to give up on them and returns to Istan. In the final section, he returns to discover his father has died and his siblings have divided the inheritance amongst themselves, leaving The Officer with nothing.

The sections themselves each have the titles given to them by Servan, related to parts of Gennist scripture (see below).

Synopsis

The Pursuit of Nothing

The first section, entitled "On The Birth" - a reference to the birth of Uled (the first human in Gennist mythology) or of Mahadras Mahadrin (an Istani/Norjihani semi-mythic hero) - introduces us to the main character, The Officer, whose name is never revealed. He has just graduated from military school and been assigned to his army group when the book begins. He lives comfortably, the son of a wealthy banker and part of a noble family, and The Officer reflects on his childhood and how easy it was for him. However, he gets caught up in a dispute between two fellow officers, one of whom is a former lover of his. As a result, he ends up being stripped of his command as he prepares to leave to go to his northern posting, and is told that he is to be demoted all the way down to Head of the Guard for the city of Tesan. This section ends with The Officer considering suicide.

The next section, The begins three years later, with The Officer on a naval vessel in the Argeyaz, for reasons unknown; there is a deliberate uncertainty created over whether this is the same Officer as the first section given the change from a land officer to someone with some naval position, whose rank is never revealed either (although the character is still referred to as The Officer). An unusually large fleet is spotted leaving Avdjereg. Curious, he asks for permission to follow the fleet. This is refused, and in a fit of rage The Officer ends up resigning his command. With his friend/manservant Vers, the Officer steals a small boat from the harbour at Tesan soon afterwards, and they find the Xhovian fleet heading to Settia. They follow the fleet to Settia, and proceed to follow the large colonising force that emerges as they begin to cross South Baredina.

Main Characters

• The Officer - The Officer (or Officers), is the main character of the book, and the book follows his journey to and from Istan. The book essentially serves as a subverted Bildungsroman around The Officer; he begins the book having just become an Officer in the Istani army, but it is soon revealed he is not as mature as he thinks; he gets into a brawl and proceeds to be cast down to the lowly position of head of the guard of Myski. The journey to and from Jute then serves as his 'coming of age', as he discovers the world and comes to terms with it. His youthish optimisim is slowly worn down throughout the journey, but he has become a more mature man as a result. However, when he returns, it is discovered he now has nothing, and despite the moral value of his journey he has gained nothing at all. The Officer's name is never revealed, but it is presumed that The Officer is supposed to be Servan himself; taking this view allows us to see the story as an autobiographical text, following his legal and especially political career. This is all of course complicated about the deliberate uncertainty's created by the potential suicide at the beginning of the book.

• Vers

• Talbr