Prince of Thorns
Chapter 39
by Mark, Lawrence,The chapter opens with a wounded protagonist lying near death in his mother’s tomb, overhearing a conversation between two Teuton women, Katherine and Hanna. The older woman, Hanna, advocates for ending his suffering with a pillow, while Katherine, though harboring resentment for his past actions, hesitates. The protagonist, barely conscious, recognizes Katherine’s voice and recalls her striking features, revealing a complex history between them. The dialogue underscores the tension between mercy and vengeance, as Hanna’s harsh words contrast with Katherine’s conflicted emotions.
The setting shifts to the tomb, where the protagonist’s mother, a queen, lies in repose, her marble likeness a silent witness. Katherine admires the queen’s strength, hinting at her own aspirations, while Hanna dismissively compares her to the current queen, Sareth. The protagonist reflects on his last visit four years prior, when he vowed never to return, linking his past grief to his present vulnerability. The tomb becomes a symbol of legacy and loss, with the protagonist’s fate hanging in the balance.
Hanna’s hostility escalates as she attempts to strangle the protagonist, her rough hands tightening around his throat. Katherine intervenes, revealing a shift in her perspective: while she once desired his bloody demise, his prolonged struggle has softened her stance. She argues for letting him die naturally, acknowledging the inevitability of his fate. This moment highlights Katherine’s internal conflict between vengeance and compassion, as well as the protagonist’s tenuous grip on life.
The chapter concludes with Hanna relenting under Katherine’s command, leaving the protagonist’s fate unresolved. The tension between the women’s opposing views—Hanna’s brutal pragmatism and Katherine’s evolving empathy—drives the narrative. The protagonist, caught between life and death, remains a passive observer, his survival uncertain. The tomb, a place of familial and political significance, serves as a poignant backdrop for this struggle, emphasizing themes of power, legacy, and mortality.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of the setting being the protagonist’s mother’s tomb, and how does this location contribute to the emotional weight of the scene?
Answer:
The mother’s tomb serves as a powerful symbolic setting that heightens the scene’s emotional intensity. It represents both familial legacy and mortality, as the protagonist lies near his deceased mother and brother, foreshadowing his potential death. The dust-covered chamber, previously untouched (“unmarked by footprints”), emphasizes abandonment and isolation. Katherine’s observation of the mother’s carved likeness (“strength makes a queen”) contrasts with Hanna’s disrespect (“lay the whelps with the bitch”), creating tension between reverence and resentment. This setting also mirrors the protagonist’s psychological state—trapped between life and death, surrounded by remnants of his fractured family.2. Analyze the conflicting motivations between Katherine and Hanna regarding the protagonist’s fate. What does this reveal about their characters?
Answer:
Katherine initially desired vengeance (“I would have watched him die… and been glad”) but develops reluctant compassion after witnessing his prolonged suffering (“Let him choose his own time”). This shift reveals her capacity for empathy and moral complexity. Hanna, however, advocates for active euthanasia (“Put a pillow over his face”), reflecting utilitarian brutality and class resentment (her “servant’s tone… grown bitter”). Their conflict underscores themes of mercy versus justice: Katherine’s hesitation suggests respect for individual agency, while Hanna’s insistence on ending his life mirrors societal disregard for the protagonist’s humanity, emphasizing her role as a voice of harsh pragmatism.3. How does the protagonist’s internal narration shape the reader’s understanding of his character despite his near-death state?
Answer:
His vivid internal monologue reveals resilience, dark humor, and emotional depth. Though physically helpless, his imagined violence (“hands around the crone’s neck”) and sharp observations (Hanna’s “sharkskin” hands) demonstrate an unbroken will. The memory of his mother’s tomb (“my last tear”) exposes unresolved grief, contrasting with his current vulnerability. His awareness of Katherine’s actions—noting her touch and dialogue—shows acute perception. This narration humanizes him amid others’ dehumanizing remarks (Hanna calling him “the boy” or “whelp”), reinforcing his identity as a complex figure rather than a mere victim.4. What thematic role does blood play in this chapter, both literally and symbolically?
Answer:
Blood functions as a multifaceted symbol: Katherine’s remark (“I didn’t know men had so much blood”) literalizes his physical trauma while foreshadowing mortality. It represents violence (“his blood running down the throne steps”) and familial ties (his father’s failed filicide). The “white and cold” description of his body contrasts with earlier blood imagery, emphasizing life draining away. Blood also ties to inheritance disputes (“Sareth carries your nephew… due inheritance”), linking bodily vulnerability to political power struggles. This motif underscores the chapter’s exploration of brutality, legacy, and the thin boundary between life and death.5. Evaluate the chapter’s use of sensory details to create tension. Provide specific examples.
Answer:
The chapter employs visceral sensory cues to amplify tension:- Touch: Katherine’s cold fingers on his wrist versus Hanna’s coarse grip (“sharkskin”) create a tactile contrast between care and threat.
- Sound: The Teuton accents and Hanna’s “honeyed” voice juxtaposed with harsh dialogue (“seal the room”) heighten unease.
- Sight: Visual contrasts like the marble tomb’s “strength” versus the protagonist’s pallor (“so white”) reinforce mortality.
- Implied smell/taste: References to dust and blood evoke sensory memories.
These details immerse the reader in the protagonist’s liminal state, making Hanna’s attempted suffocation feel disturbingly immediate.
- Touch: Katherine’s cold fingers on his wrist versus Hanna’s coarse grip (“sharkskin”) create a tactile contrast between care and threat.
Quotes
1. “It’s not natural to linger so long. And so white. He looks dead to me.”
This quote from the older woman, Hanna, underscores the unnatural state of the protagonist’s near-death condition, setting the eerie and tense tone of the chapter. It also reflects the characters’ discomfort with his prolonged suffering and their moral ambiguity about whether to end it.
2. “I would have watched him die on the steps of the throne, with all that blood running down, one step after the next, and been glad.”
Katherine’s visceral hatred for the protagonist is laid bare here, revealing the depth of her anger over past events (likely involving Galen). This quote is pivotal in understanding the emotional stakes and the protagonist’s fraught relationships.
3. “Strength makes a queen.”
Katherine’s remark about the protagonist’s mother contrasts with Hanna’s superficial judgment of beauty. This line highlights the chapter’s exploration of power, legacy, and what truly defines leadership—a recurring theme in the narrative.
4. “Let him fall when he’s ready. It’s not a wound that can be survived. Let him choose his own time.”
Katherine’s shift from wanting the protagonist’s death to allowing him agency in dying marks a key turning point. This quote reflects themes of mercy, autonomy, and the unpredictability of human emotions.
5. “She set her hand to my throat, fingers coarse like sharkskin.”
This chilling moment, where Hanna attempts to suffocate the protagonist, encapsulates the chapter’s tension and brutality. The simile (“sharkskin”) emphasizes the predatory nature of the act, reinforcing the danger lurking even in quiet scenes.