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The Importance of the Prisoner

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Joined: 06/19/2013

I was looking through some old Elder Scrolls stuff, and I noticed that the idea of a prisoner seems to be important throughout Tamriel, but (as far as I know) there isn't really anything official about it.

So, anyways here is what I've noticed:

The heroes of Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim started out as prisoners

Many Altmer believe that Mundus is their prison

Lorkhan is described as a prisoner a few times throughout the series

(sorry this is all kind of just a spew of random thoughts, I'm no where close to being any kind of expert, I just thought it was kind of weird that this was such a prominent theme that doesn't seem to be talked about)

cpt.Od's picture
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Joined: 07/02/2010

The Prisoner motif's important, because its the attitude many have about life. They're prisoners to this, that, and the other.

Take from me the lessons as a punishment for being mortal. To be made of dirt is to be treated as such by your jailers. This is the key and the lock of the Daedra.

The Aldmer created demon-jailors by their endless geneologies of ancestors and not-our-ancestors. Death is "punishment for being mortal." The fear of death is mechanism between mortal and immortal, and the demon-jailors guard against.

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Joined: 06/19/2013

But is there any reason that the player character in the last three TES games was a prisoner?  Maybe like it shows how Nerevar was still a prisoner of the mortal world (because he was still on Nirn as the Nerevarine), or am I just making things up that don't actually mean anything?

Sotha Chill's picture
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Joined: 10/24/2013

Perhaps the fact that Bethesda made you a prisoner in the last three games has some deep meaning, like the fact that you can rise up from nothingness to greatness. Or perhaps it doesn't have any special meaning at all. Maybe we'll never know.

cpt.Od's picture
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Joined: 07/02/2010

Kirkbride's asked us what we thought the significance was. I don't believe we can separate the anomalous "prisoner" from the Prisoner - it isn't a motif local to Tamriel. As Mannimarco said, "As below so above."

KnightMatthew's picture
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Joined: 01/23/2014

food wrote:

The Prisoner motif's important, because its the attitude many have about life. They're prisoners to this, that, and the other.

Take from me the lessons as a punishment for being mortal. To be made of dirt is to be treated as such by your jailers. This is the key and the lock of the Daedra.

The Aldmer created demon-jailors by their endless geneologies of ancestors and not-our-ancestors. Death is "punishment for being mortal." The fear of death is mechanism between mortal and immortal, and the demon-jailors guard against.

Not exactly, to be mortal is only to age and deteriorate over time: (from the monomyth)

 

"Some Aedra were disappointed and bitter in their loss, and angry with Shezarr, and with all creation, for they felt Shezarr had lied and tricked them. These Aedra, the Gods of the Aldmer, led by Auri-El, were disgusted by their enfeebled selves, and by what they had created. 'Everything is spoiled, for now, and for all time, and the most we can do is teach the Elven Races to suffer nobly, with dignity, and chastise ourselves for our folly, and avenge ourselves upon Shezarr and his allies.' Thus are the Gods of the Elves dark and brooding, and thus are the Elves ever dissatisfied with mortality, and always proud and stoic despite the harshness of this cruel and indifferent world."

 

 

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Joined: 06/21/2012

Edgzoi wrote:

I was looking through some old Elder Scrolls stuff, and I noticed that the idea of a prisoner seems to be important throughout Tamriel, but (as far as I know) there isn't really anything official about it.

So, anyways here is what I've noticed:

The heroes of Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim started out as prisoners

Many Altmer believe that Mundus is their prison

Lorkhan is described as a prisoner a few times throughout the series

(sorry this is all kind of just a spew of random thoughts, I'm no where close to being any kind of expert, I just thought it was kind of weird that this was such a prominent theme that doesn't seem to be talked about)

That is extremely perceptive. Well done.