Captive Prince trilogy (long) analysis and obviously Spoilers
I vaguely remembered some imagery described in tapestries in the book. This re-read I tried to pay attention to it.
1st in the 1st book at the end when Laurent is defending Damen after he ran. Damen is pushed into the audience chamber.
2nd in the 2nd book when Damen walks into the bedchamber in Chastillon where, back in the day, Regent and Laurent used to come after Marlas.
These are the only times any tapestry imagery of this kind has been mentioned. (Unless i missed something).
So, let's get to the basics
Heavy pomegranate tree is the Regent/Regency
Both tapestries are meant to visualize, as Jord put it, "This is a killing game".
Now we will into go more symbolism because I really want to.
Why Pomegranates? Pomegranates apparently symbolize many different thing, even contrasting at times. They represent fertility, power, sexuality and death. I will divide it into three parts.
1. Fertility, Power, Eternal life and Beauty;
All the things Regency is/hopes to be/believes it to be. This is our enemy, what we and our protagonist are fighting against. But Its more than that.
I think this symbolism is specifically *Laurent's* perspective of Regency. Because by the end of third book we know that even though he fought tooth and nail, victory wasn't something Laurent thought possible.
And realistically, it wasn't, Laurent was too well groomed. That is, untill Damen came along.
2. Permanent marriage/sexual bond;
In Greek Mythology. Persophone eats 6 pomegranate seeds offered from Hades binding her for six months of a year into the underworld.
Laurent is forced to consume the Regent binding him permanently to his uncle. Laurent considers himself just as much "tainted"(his words not mine) as the Regent.
Pomegranates with it's blood red color also represents, at times, death.
It forshadows Regency standing upon the murder of Aleron.
Pomegranate represent fertility and death. Regency cannot be all powerful on it own, it came to be that way because of the blood on the hand of the Regent.
Blood of Aleron, Langren and later Nacaise. And many more that we won't know about.
Now the Boar. Why is Laurent the Boar.
A Boar symbolizes courage, strength and ferocity. It is considered a worthy opponent for a hunter. But I couldn't find more than that.
I didn't need to, because the reason is written in the book itself.
In book 1, Veretian court goes Boar hunting with the Patran delegation. Look at this:
A boar is not a deer or even a hare.
What does it mean to be deer or a hare? I'm glad you asked.
A deer represents aristocracy,nobility, gentleness and determination. Ring any bells? Yeah, that's Aimeric defined to the tea.
(you know what's coming next then)
A hare represents fertility, lust, sexual desire, cunning and trickery.
They also appear in art consistently in hunting imageries.
That's Nicaise. He represents fertility and lust through his public association with the Regent/Regency at the court unlike Aimeric.
Laurent is neither Aimeric nor Nicaise. They have many parallels (which is a conversation for a different post) but those parallels always only exist in relation to the Regency. The way they responded to their abuse is a clear distinction between the three of them.
Laurent is neither Aimeric not Nicaise. He is a Boar.
A Boar is intelligent than both deer and hare.
A Boar is fearsome, furious and aggressive.
A Boar can decide to turn around and fight.
What is interesting also, is the difference in the two descriptions.
In the first one, we know the Boar is pierced but we don't know where, only that it's been hit. Laurent has agreed to the border duty. He knows he's fallen into the trap, he knows it's a death sentence. But he doesn't know how, yet.
What we do know is, the Boar is pierced under the Pomegranate tree. We know who is responsible and who wants to set this trap.
The Regency. With the pomegranate we are hinted the what history-of blood and murder- the Regency might have. The history that we don't find out till the end of the third book.
Damen is also represented with red just like the Regency. And there's a blend there.
For Laurent, the Regency and Damianos stand there in that fine line of *their* prosperity and *his* death. They both celebrate their successes with their hands painted with the blood of Laurent's family, delivering him the spear that pinned him down.
Furthermore, it's public. In Arles, in the audience chamber. Unlike, the second image in the second book.
In Chastillon, In the bedchamber.
the Boar is speared through right in the neck. The heart of what lies in this convoluted mess that Laurent has become the spectacle off, somehow the heart of which is still private.
The bed is in the center engulfed by the room covered in "Blood Red".
"No sign of blue or starburst"
"since the age of 13 there had been no rescuer, for his brother was dead"
What is interesting is that there is no imagery like this after.
And then I realized it's because from that moment forward Damen is there with Laurent. Laurent is no longer stuck inside the court pinned under his uncles ministrations.
And he is with a friend and healing. Laurent behaves better and better the farther he gets from his Uncle.
It is no longer a hunt but a fight.
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