[Split] Egwene/Moiraine?

[Marie 73]

You can accuse me of having bizarre thoughts' date=' but I kind of got the notion sometimes that there might be some sexual tension between Egwene and Moiraine. Maybe it was just all the time they spent hanging around with the Aiel, but for some reason, it just seemed to me Moiraine let her in in a way she hadn't seemed to with other characters. Or maybe its just a sense that Egwene maybe had a bit of a crush on Moiraine. Whatever, I just got the sense something was up there between those two.

 

Hg[/quote']

 

I think Egwene did have a crush, and if Moiraine had made a move would have went in full steam. But I'm not sure Moiraine would have felt that way for Egwene.

[FortyFiveAuto 1]

To me it seemed Egwene was just excited to learn something new and exotic, and encouraged by Moiraine in that respect, with good reason other than prurient interest.

 

IF there was sexual tension between Moiraine and Egwene in this context, one must also ask if there was any between Nynaeve and Egwene, whose relationship also fell into a teacher-apprentice arrangement. Nynaeve doesn't seem like a person who would indulge a homosexual fantasy. She seems quite reserved about all aspects of her life, except when it comes to Lan. I didn't feel that way with Egwene. Furthermore, I tend to think that perhaps even Egwene and Halima have crosssed the line in some way.

[Marie 73]

I think Cerendrallion has corrupted me when it comes to Aes Sedai relations in general. At this point, I'll believe anything about those gals.

[jan 14]

I just have trouble imagining anyone being attracted to Egwene... sorry!

[Mea 0]

I like this ida! Egwene did seem to be very intrested in Moiraine, but I don't think she felt the same way. And, honestly, who doesn't have a crush on Moiraine? What!? Being in love whith a fictional caracter isn't crasy!

[Mercury30x 0]

Well--I would never argue that Moiraine & Egwene are going to be picking

out china patterns any time soon. And I definitely agree there was a

mentor/mentee aspect to their interaction. But I did sense a change in

the dynamic of their relationship somewhere towards the end of Shadow

Rising...I think when Egwene notes that Moiraine spoke to her as an equal.

It was that change that made me wonder and think that if something

happened between those two, it wouldn't be a complete surprise (to me, at

least).

 

As a side note, I don't think Jordan writes relationships well in general.

To me, they always seem to have a bit of a juvenile quality to them. But the

M/E interaction just seemed more like what I was used to seeing in terms of

how relationships are developed in other books. With the Moiraine/Egwene

interaction, particularly in SR, they actually seem to talk to one another,

without all the blather about being used and all that. They also seem

considerably less adversarial than some other pairings. Mentor/mentee?

Probably. Maybe its partly they could only really talk to one another

because there really was no one else around (except the Aiel & Rand). I'm

not sure, but I did sense character development at play.

 

Granted, I'm only just starting the 5th book...so consider that a caveat

when evaluating my comments.

 

Hg

[jan 14]

As a side note' date=' I don't think Jordan writes relationships well in general.

To me, they always seem to have a bit of a juvenile quality to them. [/quote']

 

I agree with you on that one. All his relationships seem to be sort of similar, if you know what I mean, and that rarely happens in real life!! I also find he handles female/female relationships better than male/female ones.

 

Now that you point it out, yes it does seem possible that Moiraine held Egwene in a little more regard than others. It's also possible that she thought of her as no different from Nynaeve -- two promising village girls picked up on her travels, etc., etc. -- but Nynaeve made it more difficult to be likeable! Another idea that just struck me: what are the chances that Moiraine had some idea of what Egwene was going to do in the future (you've only read till book 5, so I won't elaborate!) and so automatically treated her with respect? How did she know? Maybe... this is total conjecture, mind you, Min had a viewing?

 

EDIT: Oops, where are my manners?! Welcome to Moiraine's World, Mercury30x!

[Cerendrallion 32]

I love it when people share my views.

 

Anyway, if there was homosexual tension between Egwene/Moiraine, I'd say it was probably a crush-on-a-teacher upon Egwene's part.

 

I mean, what girl hasn't had a crush on a teacher? I know I have. And other people I know.

 

*looks at Jan*

 

Right?

[Marie 73]

Actually, I doubt Min had a viewing and told it to Moiraine. However, Moiraine did say in Book two (so no chance of a spoiler) that Egwene might make Amyrlin one day.

[jan 14]

*looks at Jan*

 

*pretends not to notice*

 

Actually, I doubt Min had a viewing and told it to Moiraine.

 

But we can't know that for sure, can we?

[FortyFiveAuto 1]

I just have trouble imagining anyone being attracted to Egwene... sorry!

 

What's so unattractive about Egwene? She sounds hot, in an innocent way.

[Mercury30x 0]

First, I need to correct a mistake I made in an earlier post. It was not in Shadow Rising that Egwene said Moiraine talked to her as an equal, but in The Fires of Heaven

 

Now, I am not posting this so much as a 'debate' type thing because frankly, I don't have a solid position, nor do I necessarily disagree with what anyone else has posted. I do this merely to illustrate that little 'something' that made me go 'hmm' with regard to the interaction between Moiraine and Egwene and to solicit some other interpretations. Once again, I reference Chapter 15 of The Fires of Heaven. This is the scene where Egwene is going to tell Moiraine that Siuan is no longer the Amyrlin.

 

HMM#1: Egwene asked Moiraine if she may enter her tent. To which Moiraine replied "Of course". Egwene then entered and 'settled herself beside the other woman.' She then proceeds to challenge Moiraine with regard to her spying on Rand.

 

Significance: A) Admittedly weak in terms of an arguement, "Of course" is a much stronger response that Moiraine gives to Egwene than she does to most other characters. The only other character I can recall her being nearly so cordial with is Perrin when he interrupted her. But, perhaps it is because both Egwene and Perrin have been more deferential and well mannered around her then other characters. Moiraine does not get all up in arms about nor does she deflect Egwene's challenge. Instead, she simply explains herself. That does not seem to be the way things 'normally' play out. C) Egwene had a whole tent to sit in, she decides to cozy herself up to Moiraine. This suggests that they are friendly enough where personal space is not an issue. (of course, after all the naked time in SR, what's a little personal space?)

 

Hmm#2: Egwene has delivered the news about Siuan. Moiraine appears to take it in stride. This upsets Egwene. She says "Is that all you can say? I think Siuan was your friend once, Moiraine. Can't you shed a tear for her?"

 

Significance: I don't attribute much to the fact that Egwene has stopped using honorifics with Moiraine like Sedai; it seems other characters have as well. But I would say that this does add to a sense of familiarity there. What I found odd was Egwene mentioning that she thought Moiraine and Siuan were friends once. I'm not sure how Egwene would have come to that conclusion. Tower gossip? Knowing (during the Great Hunt) that Moiraine seemed to have an 'in' with the Amyrlin? I'm just not sure how Egwene came about that knowledge (Which she admits here is something of an educated guess) but, to me it illustrates that Egwene keeps some kind of tabs on Moiraine. Moiraine reacts a bit more strongly to this challenge than the previous one, but again, she doesn't really do much else besides say that she and Siuan were friends and then go on to explain her reaction. I can easily hear her tell some one else to just mind their own business.

 

Hmm#3: The two chat/discuss back and forth the split in the Tower, the Grand Plan with Rand, Lanfear (I take some of this to be foreshadowing of the dock scene--especially when Moiraine just repeats the name 'Lanfear'), etc.

 

Significance: As Egwene says later, they talk back and forth as equals. Egwene even very nearly discharges an order to Moiraine by telling her she will leave it to her to tell Rand about Siuan. This is very reminscent to me of the way she allowed Siuan to lead in NS. Another important thing is that Moiraine says "You and I must keep as close a watch as we can." Granted, Moiraine is short on resources out in the middle of nowhere, but this shows she has some trust in Egwene

 

Hmm#4: The final thing that made me go 'hmm..' was this: "Moiraine leaned over to put a hand on her arm, a look of affection on her face."

 

Significance: Yes, I know...not that big a deal. But outside of New Spring, Moiraine is rarely, if ever described as being particularly touchy-feely. Nor does she typically have a look of affection on her face for anyone in the Emond's Field crowd she's been traveling with. Again, not really such a big deal, but a bit atypical of her character to date and so something that just made me rethink the text.

 

And so, that concludes my hyper-analysis of just one of the scenes between Moiraine and Egwene that made me wonder about what exactly was the dynamic between the two. I still remain undecided and would certainly say that I have yet to disagree with any one else's suggestions regarding the nature of it (mentor/mentee, crusher/crushee, etc). And yes, before anyone asks, I really do have way too much time on my hands.

 

Hg

[Marie 73]

Wow! Hmm #2 was a scene that made me go "huh?" because it seems most Aes Sedai (except Elaida of course) have forgotten all about Moiraine/Siuan, so I was never clear how Egwene figured it out.

 

Personally, I think sitting in a sweat tent with a naked Moiraine made Egwene notice her in ways she hadn't before.

[Mercury30x 0]

Personally, I think sitting in a sweat tent with a naked Moiraine made Egwene notice her in ways she hadn't before.

 

Sure...where was that inner monologue!?!? Curse you Robert Jordan!! Next time, leave out 45 pages of Rand whinning about his lot in life and give us some sweat tent insight!!

[FortyFiveAuto 1]

Sure...where was that[/i'] inner monologue!?!? Curse you Robert Jordan!! Next time, leave out 45 pages of Rand whinning about his lot in life and give us some sweat tent insight!!

 

Yeah, but you can skip all that stuff about Bair or Sorilea