Hyperion Series by D. Simmons -- Why no name for the Consul?

[Ibram]

Maybe so. But the same treatment could have been given any of the other characters and that theme would have translated. What about the Consul in particular, or his story, makes Simmons render him nameless?

Probably because he couldnt think of a good name

He was
a) well known... so he does have a recognizeable name.

I'd question how well known he was, he always seemed to be more of a backroom dealer then a front line tyep (remember how he was the one who sold New Bessad the torchships so they could provoke the Ousters. Not even the Col. knew about that). Plus with the use of the hawking drive the events he had the most influence on were decades old.

b) well respected... even by the people he "betrays".

which is why they called him by his title rather then "Hey Bob!"

c) he might have thought he was betraying people, but they knew what he was going to do, and that's why he was chosen for those missions. He didn't betray the CEO's or the Ousters' ends... he furthered them.

yes, but he didnt learn this until near the end of the second book.

So forget the "rogue agent" title; that implies he's working for no one besides himself. He was used by the CEO and the Ousters for the specific purpose to do exactly what he did to "open" the Time Tombs.

It was his perception that he was a rogue agent, even though he was a quadruple agent in reality.

 

[Felix]

Probably because he couldnt think of a good name

I'd question how well known he was, he always seemed to be more of a backroom dealer then a front line type.

Well known by the Senate, the CEO, everyone on Hebron he convinced to join the WorldWeb, his former aide on Hyperion. Meaning that he was well known by many of the other characters we run into in the books.

which is why they called him by his title rather then "Hey Bob!"

You explain it as a term of respect? So you always call him "Ambassador" and not "Ambassador Brown"? Would a last name reduce the respect?

It was his perception that he was a rogue agent

Ok, but how does his perception make everyone else not say his name?

 

[Krieg]

You explain it as a term of respect? So you always call him "Ambassador" and not "Ambassador Brown"? Would a last name reduce the respect?

It refers to the Consul being respected, but not particularly liked.

Using his name would denote familliarity which people are loathe to do with folks they aren't fond of, even if the are forced to respect them.

 

[Ibram]

Well known by the Senate, the CEO, everyone on Hebron he convinced to join the WorldWeb, his former aide on Hyperion. Meaning that he was well known by many of the other characters we run into in the books.

remember that where he went was always outside the WorldWeb, so he had to travle by hawking drive. He had a lot of time debt (though not as much as the poet), I dont remember how long it was exactly but i think it was over 20 years. Thus he was probably not that well known by the current political structure, though some might remember him.

You explain it as a term of respect? So you always call him "Ambassador" and not "Ambassador Brown"? Would a last name reduce the respect?

because they didnt like him. just about everyone knew that he was a turncoat, so they wernt lacking in the loathing department.

Ok, but how does his perception make everyone else not say his name?

because when he "wrote it down" he'd be more likely to say "They called me over" rather then "The templar said 'hey Mr Smith come over here'"

 

[Felix]

It refers to the Consul being respected, but not particularly liked.

because they didnt like him.

Ok, so you're saying the signifigance of not saying his name... the conspicuous absence of any name whatsoever... is because people "didn't like him"?

Hid aide on Hyperion didn't like him?
His grandfather didn't like him?

There should be a better reason than that for not mentioning his name. Ever. It seems to me too big an absence in the books for it to be explained away with that.

If it's drawing a comparison with Canterbury Tales, Ok, gotcha. But what does it mean?

because when he "wrote it down" he'd be more likely to say "They called me over" rather then "The templar said 'hey Mr Smith come over here'

When he "wrote what down"? He didn't write anything down... He didn't even tell Merin Aspic's part of the story... that was on the data chip, and recorded by Merin. And even if the book focuses on him more than others, he's still not the narrator.

 

[Ibram]

Ok, so you're saying the signifigance of not saying his name... the conspicuous absence of any name whatsoever... is because people "didn't like him"?

Hid aide on Hyperion didn't like him?
His grandfather didn't like him?

His grandfather never refered to him in the book, and his aide always called him Sir.

There should be a better reason than that for not mentioning his name. Ever. It seems to me too big an absence in the books for it to be explained away with that.

If it's drawing a comparison with Canterbury Tales, Ok, gotcha. But what does it mean?

I dont know what it means, and franlkly I never thought about it much.

When he "wrote what down"? He didn't write anything down... He didn't even tell Merin Aspic's part of the story... that was on the data chip, and recorded by Merin. And even if the book focuses on him more than others, he's still not the narrator.

but its through his eyes that the interludes between the tales is seen.

 

[Felix]

His grandfather never refered to him in the book

His grandfather does refer to him. He says "[Merin's surviving son's name], his daughter Liri, and her brother." That brother is the Consul at 10 years old.

and his aide always called him Sir.

Yeah, everybody calls him something other than his name. That's why I'm asking the question.

but its through his eyes that the interludes between the tales is seen.

The Prelude is the only time when the consul is alone. And in most other interludes no one is not present, so it's hard to say it's from his own eyes.

But even if he were the reader's eyes, don't you think that's signifigant in some way for that particular character to be nameless beyond "they didn't like him"? The complete lack of a name was done on purpose by Simmons. What is that purpose?