[EVA] Re: Eva and the Ring

[Rocco Agostino]

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>Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 12:14:56 -0500
>To: evangelion at evangelion.ml.org
>From: Charles King <king at axon.rutgers.edu>
>Subject: [EVA] Re: Eva and the Ring
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>At 16:41 31/03/98 +0000, you wrote:
>>     PY @ TOKYO
>>
>>## Well, judged from what you said, I have a feeling that perhaps
>>## the author is one of those relgious (read Christian) person who 
likes 
>>## anime and would jump at the first hint of religious symbolism in an 
>>## anime to link it with Christianity. EVA presents a golden chance
>>## because there are so many Christian symbols around waiting to be
>>## interpreted. 
>>
>OK, Here's an alternate set of religious symbols. I posted this once to
>raam, but didn't get much response. See what you make of it.
>
>I can see an extensive correlation between the charatcers and plot of
>Eva and Richard Wagner's Ring of the Nibelungs cycle. This is a series 
of 
>three "festival plays" or operas, together with a prologue and is 
heavily 
>based on Nordic mythology. I'm not going to describe the operas here, 
as 
>the storyline is both long and complex. There are many books and web 
>pages to which you can turn for further information (for instance, try 
>http://www.users.interport.net/~wotan/ring1.html )
>
>To start with the plot:
>Both epics start with a prologue, in which an object of terrible power 
is
>uncovered and changed into a form which allows that power to be wielded
>(Rheingold/the Ring, Adam/Eva). Related to this, a home is created
>for the main charatcers (Valhalla, the Geofront). Both end with the 
ultimate
>overthrow of this palace.
>
>More importantly, both end in a state of fundamental, transcendental 
change,
>in which the relations between humanity and the "gods" (or whatever) 
are
>utterly changed (I know a little about what goes on in EoE, but don't 
want to
>be spoiled further, so I may be wrong here).
>
>The charatcers:
>Most of these actually fit quite well:
>Seele = The Giants (the ultimate enemy)
>Gendou = Wotan (obvious :)
>Ritsuko = Hera (goddess of Law = science)
>Misato = Freya (goddess of youth, rescued during the prologue)
>Shinji = Siegfried (son of Wotan, who's scared witless rather than 
poncing 
>	around not knowing the meaning of fear :)
>Rei = Brunnhilde (again pretty obvious, note that she is rescued by 
Siegfried
>	and saved by Shinji from having to face the 3rd Angel)
>Asuka = Gutrune, though this is a bit tougher
>Kaji = Loki
>
>Which leaves the question: who is Alberich? 
>
>Of course, the three Norns turn up a couple of times in Eva:
>the three Magi - Ritsuko expressly refers to them as the
>three aspects of her mother. The three Norns are supposed
>to represent the three aspects of woman;
>the three women (Misato, Asuka and Rei) who appear to
>Shinji in episode 20.
>
>
>>## On the contrary, in EOE Yui stated that EVA was built because 
>>## human could become sort of like God, and it is hinted that such
>>## attempt did succeeed to a certain extent -- EVA01 at least has
>>## unlimited lifespan. 
>>
>A major theme of Der Ring des Nibelungen is the passing of the old gods
>and the upliftment of humanity.
>
>Of course, Richard Wagner was a disgusting anti-semite, albeit an 
excellent
>composer, which makes it interesting to reflect on the fact that Gendou
>appears obsessed with Quaballic lore, as reflected by the Sephiroth 
emblazoned
>all over his office. The Quabllah is, as you may know, a major strain 
of
>Jewish mysticism. Here is the Holocaust theme rendered in a manner that 
is
>unlikely ever to appear openly in the West.
>
>BTW, since Gendou is so concerned with the Quaballah, it is logical to
>assume that the Evas are *not* robots, but golems, an entrenched 
feature
>of Quaballistic lore. This would explain why they bleed.
>
>
>>## I agree 100% of  your words, particularly the last sentence.
>>## STAMP OUT THE HERESY *NOW* !!!
>
>"Are you now, or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?"
>(Obscure American McCarthy-era joke)
>
>
>I don't think the correspondances I pointed out should be taken too 
literally,
>but they are quite striking.
>
>Charles King
>
>


^--- replying to the above

you are a god!

you are absolutely right!  i am surprised it took this long for someone 
to realize that after all, the underlying meanings in EVA just might not 
be totally catholic, but based on another medium (such as Norse 
Mythology).


sincerely,
flaming pringle

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