Figures of Earth · Chapter
XL: Colophon explained
In the final chapter, Dom Manuel rides with Grandfather Death to the river Lethe, where his memories are washed away.
What happens
In the final chapter, Dom Manuel rides with Grandfather Death to the river Lethe, where his memories are washed away. He sees the faces and symbols of his past life submerged in the water, and as his memories fade, he is transformed into a young boy. The chapter ends with the unfinished image beside the pool of Haranton, suggesting a cyclical return to the beginning.
Themes in this chapter
The Inevitability of Misery
Manuel's journey with Grandfather Death and the washing away of his memories underscore the inescapable end of all human striving and the ultimate dissolution of identity.
The Loss of Youth and Idealism
Manuel sees his past life as a young boy reflected in the water, contrasting with his current dilapidated state, highlighting the loss of youth and the idealism that once drove him.
The Search for Meaning and Immortality
The unfinished image beside the pool of Haranton symbolizes Manuel's lifelong struggle to create something lasting and meaningful, even as his memories fade and his identity dissolves.
Characters to notice
- Dom Manuel
Manuel rides with Grandfather Death to the river Lethe, where his memories are washed away, and he is transformed into a young boy.
- Grandfather Death
Grandfather Death accompanies Manuel to the river Lethe, untethers the swine of Eubouleus, and speaks of destiny and the washing away of memories.
- Niafer
Niafer's eyes appear among the memories submerged in Lethe, showing her mildly wondering disapproval for the last time.
- Alianora
The golden loveliness of Alianora appears briefly among the drowned memories in Lethe.
- Freydis
The dark splendor of Freydis appears momentarily among the memories in Lethe.
- Sesphra of the Dreams
The immortal young smile of Sesphra appears derisively among the memories in Lethe.
Key passages
“Now we must ford these shadowy waters, said Grandfather Death, in part because your destiny is on the other side, and in part because by the contact of these waters all your memories will be washed away from you.”
Grandfather Death tells Manuel they must cross the dark river Lethe, where his memories will be erased as part of his destiny.
This passage introduces the central action of the chapter: the crossing of Lethe and the loss of memory.
“So this, he said, this is the preposterous end of him who was everywhere esteemed the most lucky and the least scrupulous rogue of his day!”
Manuel reflects on the absurdity of his end, having been considered the luckiest and most unscrupulous rogue.
Manuel's self-assessment highlights the irony of his life's conclusion.
“It is the figure of a man, said Manuel, which I have modeled and remodeled, and cannot get exactly to my liking. So it is necessary that I keep laboring at it, until the figure is to my thinking and my desire.”
Manuel explains that the unfinished image is a figure he has repeatedly tried to perfect, and he must continue working until it satisfies him.
This final line underscores the theme of the artist's endless striving for perfection.