Part IV: The Book of Surcharge explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• The Illusion of Success

  Manuel's creation of flawed gods suggests that even his attempts to control or sanctify his life are imperfect, hinting at the hollowness of his achievements.

• The Search for Meaning and Immortality

  By making gods to oversee his life, Manuel seeks to impose order and perhaps achieve a form of immortality through these crafted deities.

Characters to notice

• Dom Manuel

  Manuel is the craftsman who carves gods and idols to preside over the subjections of his lifetime, deliberately including a blemish in each.

Key passages

• “Soe Manuel made all the Goddes that we call mamettes and ydolles , that were sett ouer the Subiection of his lyfe tyme: and euery of the goddes that Manuel wolde carue toilesomelie hadde in hys Bodie a Blemmishe; and in the mydle of the godes made he one god of the Philistines.”

  Manuel laboriously carved all the gods—called idols or mamettes—that were placed over the various domains of his life; each god he made had a flaw in its body, and in the center he created a god of the Philistines.

  This passage describes Manuel's deliberate creation of imperfect deities to govern his life, including a central god representing the Philistines.