studentofobjectivism Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 I always had a problem with the fourth rule: "There is magic in forgiveness." I know when Richard slept with Kahlan in TotW he "betrayed" her because she thought she was sleeping with someone else (complicated to explain). Is Goodkind implying that Richard MUST forgive Kahlan for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaloNoble6 Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Well, he thought she betrayed him, actually. I think the fourth rule means to look at the facts of reality when judging someone and to take the entirety of the context of a person into account. Also, to not allow emotions to force one to remain fixated on their views of a particular action. Forgiving someone is not "forgeting" but saying, in essence, "you have done this wrong but considering all the good you've done before and since, I will not choose to hold this action as the thing that defines who you are." Of course saying such a thing depends on the nature of the wrong, and I think Goodkind wants to say: "look at the facts of reality to determine the nature of the wrong." That is my speculation, but I'd have to read TotW again to know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelangelo Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Can you explain to us what particular part of the fourth rule is confusing to you? I'm not sure what you're getting at here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonMaci Posted September 29, 2005 Report Share Posted September 29, 2005 (edited) I think Goodkind wants to say: "look at the facts of reality to determine the nature of the wrong." That's not the way I had viewed it, but considering Terry's way of thinking it makes sens to me now that I think about it. (Added quote tags around the quotation.- sNerd) Edited September 29, 2005 by softwareNerd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard_rahl Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 i think what the rule is getting at is that when you forgive someone, something magical happens (magical being in the verb sense) it make make things happen that wouldnt normally happen.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMeganSnow Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Meaning that they get another hack at you after you turn your back. I *really* disliked that book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sieur Bertrand Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 I take issue with this rule as well and am not quite sure why Goodkind chose to phrase it as such. To explain further, I am not a fan of apologies. I could care less if someone is sorry and will most always simply ignore the remark when I hear it. What I do care for, however, is willingness to learn and become better. It is ok to make mistakes, but it not ok to make the same mistake over and over again. Maybe that is what Goodkind meant. Make a mistake, don't necessarily be sorry for it, but do be sure to improve yourself in future. Once said improvement occurs, go on your happy way about it and be glad the mistake occurred, both for the person who made it and the person who finds it at fault, because it was a learning experience (wtf I sound like a psychiatrist) and you are now a better person for it. So maybe what is meant by the term magic, is fulfilling the potential of yourself or man in general, man's mind, or man's ability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaitan Posted November 3, 2008 Report Share Posted November 3, 2008 Remember, in that universe magic is a very dangerous thing to mess with, and it rarely only does as appeared... as such the essence of assigning "magic" to a certain field would be to think about it very carefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared McClure Posted November 6, 2008 Report Share Posted November 6, 2008 I always had a problem with the fourth rule: "There is magic in forgiveness." I know when Richard slept with Kahlan in TotW he "betrayed" her because she thought she was sleeping with someone else (complicated to explain). Is Goodkind implying that Richard MUST forgive Kahlan for this? In the book, after the fourth rule is named, I believe Richard says "He forgot to the word sincere before forgiveness". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aristotlejones Posted April 14, 2009 Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) I always had a problem with the fourth rule: "There is magic in forgiveness." I know when Richard slept with Kahlan in TotW he "betrayed" her because she thought she was sleeping with someone else (complicated to explain). Is Goodkind implying that Richard MUST forgive Kahlan for this? I just finished TotW tonight, so it was easy to find the relevant quotes. RR's clue was "Ward left in. Ward right out. Guard your heart from stone." "So, have you come to forgive me, Richard?"... ..."I can't forgive you because it would be wrong of me to come here to forgive you... His fist moved to his chest. "It is here that we connect ever after that. We can be connected only in our hearts. You did not give him your heart. That was mine and mine alone."... "I do not own you. You are not my slave. There is nothing for me to forgive. You did not betray me in your heart. It would be presumption of the worst order if I came with an offer of forgiveness when you never betrayed me with your heart."... "Will you forgive me, Richard?"... "Please, Kahlan, all I can have in this life, if you will grant it, is your forgiveness." (he was dying of the plague as the cost of his return. Kahlan's "betrayal" was his price of admission so that he could stop the plague.) Mere moments before she had had doubts, been uncertain as to her true feelings about him. Now, absolute conviction avalanched through her. <Φ>aj Edited April 14, 2009 by aristotlejones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocolove Posted December 1, 2010 Report Share Posted December 1, 2010 Can you explain to us what particular part of the fourth rule is confusing to you? I'm not sure what you're getting at here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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