Thomas Covenant 8 — The Fatal Revenant
Chapter 5: Part One — 4. A Defense of Revelstone
by Donaldson, Stephen R.Linden Avery emerges from Thomas Covenant’s rooms in Revelstone, emotionally shattered by his and her son Jeremiah’s cold rejection. Stave, a Haruchai, supports her as she struggles to process their altered behavior, which feels manipulative and false. Despite her grief, she clings to the Staff of Law for strength, though Revelstone’s stone walls offer no comfort—only memories of distrust and violence. She allows Stave to guide her to her quarters, recognizing she has nowhere else to go, as a storm brews both outside and within her heart.
Linden grapples with the possibility that Covenant and Jeremiah are being controlled by external forces, their words and actions distorted. She questions whether their strange behavior stems from Jeremiah’s unexplained powers or if both are puppets of greater, unseen entities. Anele’s cryptic warning about Covenant’s son seeking havoc adds to her turmoil. Though devastated, Linden refuses to surrender, drawing on her past experiences to resist despair. She resolves to gather her allies—Stave, Mahrtiir, and Liand—to strategize before Covenant’s planned demonstration the next day.
Returning to her rooms, Linden finds them prepared with firewood, lamps, and food, a small kindness amid Revelstone’s hostility. She drinks springwine for solace and gazes at the encroaching storm, sensing danger in the gathering darkness. Closing the shutters, she builds a fire, but the light cannot dispel the echoes of Covenant and Jeremiah’s painful words. Haunted by their voices, she lies on her bed, clutching the Staff of Law, seeking reassurance in its Earthpower and her own resolve to uncover the truth.
As Linden drifts into sleep, she reflects on the Staff’s origins, comparing it to Berek’s but acknowledging its unique creation through her own desperation and love for the Land. Though exhausted, she trusts it will guide her in confronting the Despiser and rescuing Jeremiah. The chapter closes with her slipping into unconsciousness, still burdened by uncertainty but determined to face the challenges ahead with her allies’ support.
FAQs
1. How does Linden Avery’s emotional state manifest physically and what role does Stave play in supporting her?
Answer:
Linden’s emotional turmoil is vividly depicted through physical manifestations—she struggles to walk without Stave’s support, feels tears “crowding her heart,” and clenches the Staff of Law tightly to maintain composure. Stave acts as her anchor, guiding her through Revelstone’s passages when she might otherwise collapse. His firm grip and silent understanding provide the minimal stability she needs to function amid her grief. The text emphasizes her human fragility contrasted against Revelstone’s imposing granite, highlighting how Stave’s Haruchai strength becomes essential to her momentary survival.2. Analyze the significance of Linden’s Staff of Law in this chapter. How does it symbolize her resilience and connection to the Land?
Answer:
The Staff represents both Linden’s burden and her hope. Unlike Revelstone’s stone, which offers her no solace, the Staff—crafted from her love for the Land—embodies Earthpower and her commitment to preserving beauty. As she clutches it, the Staff’s “cleanliness” becomes a focal point against her emotional chaos, suggesting its role as a tool for truth and resistance. The chapter contrasts her Staff with Berek’s, noting hers was forged through urgency and wild magic, yet both share a purpose: to uphold Law. This duality mirrors Linden’s struggle to balance despair with determination.3. What contradictions does Linden perceive in Covenant and Jeremiah’s behavior, and why do they unsettle her?
Answer:
Linden is disturbed by Covenant’s unnatural speech, which sounds like a “ventriloquist’s dummy” projecting words from an external source, and Jeremiah’s alignment with him. Their rebuff of her touch and emotional distance suggest manipulation—either by unseen forces or their own hidden agendas. Anele’s prophecy about Covenant’s “betrayal” compounds her suspicion. These contradictions (e.g., Covenant’s apparent concern vs. his stilted delivery) force Linden to question whether they are puppets, liars, or trapped in partial truths, amplifying her grief and distrust.4. How does the setting of Revelstone reflect Linden’s internal conflict?
Answer:
Revelstone’s “bluff granite” and history of “distrust, imprisonment, bloodshed” mirror Linden’s isolation and emotional hardness. The storm brewing outside parallels her inner turmoil, while the closed shutters and firelit rooms symbolize her retreat into fragile safety. The Keep’s unwelcoming nature contrasts with her longing for organic comforts like grass and Glimmermere, emphasizing her alienation. Even the servants’ neutral kindness feels overshadowed by the Masters’ hostility, reinforcing her sense of being surrounded by threats she cannot fully grasp.5. Evaluate Linden’s decision to gather her allies (Stave, Mahrtiir, Liand) despite her anguish. What does this reveal about her leadership?
Answer:
Linden’s insistence on convening her friends—despite her near-collapse—demonstrates her pragmatic leadership. She prioritizes collective strategy over personal pain, recognizing their need to confront Covenant’s plans and the Demondim threat. Her acknowledgment that she “needs all of [them]” underscores her reliance on community, contrasting with Covenant’s solitary demeanor. This choice highlights her growth: she leverages vulnerability as a catalyst for action, not paralysis. However, Stave’s reluctance to leave her also reveals the tension between her duty and her fragility.
Quotes
1. “Be cautious of love. There is a glamour upon it which binds the heart to destruction.”
This haunting warning encapsulates Linden’s emotional turmoil as she grapples with the painful realization that Covenant and Jeremiah—the two people she loved most—may now be working against her. It represents the chapter’s central theme of love’s potential to both sustain and betray.
2. “She was not broken. She knew that, even though her distress filled her with unuttered wailing. She was only in pain; only baffled and grieved, flagrantly bereft.”
This powerful declaration shows Linden’s resilience despite her profound suffering. It marks a turning point where she acknowledges her pain while refusing to be defeated by it, demonstrating her growing determination to face the challenges ahead.
3. “Covenant and Jeremiah were the two people whom she had loved most in all the world. Now she felt that they had broken her.”
This poignant statement captures the chapter’s emotional core—Linden’s devastating sense of betrayal by those closest to her. The contrast between past love and present pain highlights the personal stakes of her journey.
4. “Her Staff was a tool of Earthpower… and she had fashioned it in love and yearning to sustain the beauty of the Land. Somehow it would aid her to discover the truth, to rescue her son, and to oppose the Despiser.”
This passage represents Linden’s transition from despair to determination, as she focuses on the Staff of Law as both a symbolic and practical source of strength. It foreshadows her coming struggle while reaffirming her deeper purpose.