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Comments

Gentleman WtTH question...

[(Anonymous)]

Maybe book readers could answer this. Why is the gentleman with the thistledown hair able to just start appearing in the human world after Norrell summons him back? Basically before Norrell talked to him the second time, was he unable to travel between the worlds? And was he completely unable to come to the human world before Norell called him the first time?

I'm just wondering, if GWtTH was able to travel to human realm whenever he liked wouldn't he have been getting up to more mischief bc so far he's been pretty tame. Well other than kidnapping a couple of people.

Re: Gentleman WtTH question...

[(Anonymous)]

As I understand it, the Gentleman could always come and go to the human realms as he wanted. He just... didn't want to, possibly for the same reason as English (and, presumably, human in general) magic had been functionally gone. Something like everyone is far too dull and ugly to bother with now. When Norrell summoned him, he gained a renewed interest and started to meddle again.

I don't know for sure, of course, but that's how I read it.

Re: Gentleman WtTH question...

[(Anonymous)]

Part of the renewed interest (as stated above) is his fascination with Stephen, I believe? Which starts as a result of his loitering around Lady Pole. From then on his travels to and from our world are pretty much exclusively driven by Let's-Make-Stephen-The-King machinations or a direct result of being summoned (poor Arabella). Basically it takes actual sustained motivation (which fae appear to lack) for him to be bothered to leave faerie in the first place. Obsession appears to be a prime motivator.

Re: Gentleman WtTH question...

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah he's sooooo much more obsessed with Stephen in the book. He does weird surreal things too like manipulates circumstances so Stephen finds random objects like a crown while going for a walk.

Re: Gentleman WtTH question...

[(Anonymous)]

Not to mention show up quite often in various places Stephen is to "express his affection for him." Poor Stephen...