Cinhil Haldane - Major Themes

Major Themes

Although Cinhil is a heroic figure for his actions in overthrowing the evil tyrant Imre, he is ultimately a far more tragic figure. Throughout his reign, he is plagued by his struggle to come to terms with his own conscience. Despite having his vows absolved by the Archbishop of Valoret, he is convinced that he has sinned against God by leaving the priesthood, taking a wife, and fathering children. Aidan's death, Alroy's weakness, and Javan's clubbed foot are all seen by Cinhil as signs of God's displeasure for the king's actions. Suffering from such feelings of guilt and doubt, he rarely experiences true happiness or joy, leaving him a sad and lonely man.

In addition, Cinhil also must deal with his own personal guilt. Although he never sought to be king, he must also wrestle with the knowledge that, in the end, he allowed himself to be used for others' political goals. Though he did not want to be king, he did not do enough to stop it from happening. When he protests his previous treatment in Saint Camber, Alister Cullen coldly replies, "If your beliefs were as fervent as you say now, why did you not continue to refuse us, come what might? We were not easy on you, Cinhil, but you cannot wholly lay the blame on us. With a stronger vessel, we could not have succeeded." A great deal of Cinhil's self-pity comes from this fact, the knowledge that he also bears some responsibility for the unhappy life he leads.

Cinhil's guilt is intertwined with his resentment and mistrust. He feels that priests such as Joram, Anscom, and Cullen have betrayed him by urging him to abandon the priesthood. Additionally, he feels betrayed by Evaine, who uses her friendship with him to further bend him to her father's will. However, the primary focus of his anger is Camber himself. As the central leader in the plot to overthrow Imre, it is Camber who Cinhil blames more than any other for his fate. Camber is a constant source of aggravation for the king, as Cinhil increasingly resents Camber's continuous efforts to guide and instruct him. Although Cinhil is angry over Camber's actions in his personal life, he also accepts that Camber's ultimate goals are admirable, a fact that only adds an additional layer of confusion to Cinhil's emotions.

Although most of Cinhil's anger is directed at specific Deryni, he also develops a general mistrust of all Deryni and their powers. In Saint Camber, Camber recognizes the warning signs and tells Joram, "...in turning Cinhil against the Deryni Imre, we have unwittingly turned him against all Deryni, even if he does not fully know it yet." While Cinhil's attitude moderates slightly over the course of his reign, he never completely abandons his mistrust of Deryni. In Camber the Heretic, Cinhil clearly places far too much trust in his human advisors, despite the warnings of Deryni such as Camber and Joram. Even after twelve years on the throne, Cinhil is simply unable to completely abandon his uneasy feelings toward Deryni, a failing that would ultimately have severe consequences for his kingdom. Cinhil refuses to see the ambitious and greedy nature of many of his human advisors, placing undeserved faith in them simply because they are not Deryni. Even though he makes a conscious attempt to maintain a balance between Deryni and humans during his reign, his efforts are largely wasted within a year of his death, as the humans he trusted most soon launch a series of violent persecutions against the Deryni.

Most of Cinhil's internal troubles are the result of his true religious vocation. While his desire to hide from his true identity may have been partially responsible for Cinhil's decision to become a priest, there is no doubt that he feels a genuine calling to the priesthood. The monastery is not merely a convenient place to hide for Cinhil, it is a place where he truly feels he is meant to be, dedicating his life entirely to the service of God. His honest vocation is so strong that is immediately apparent to Camber and Rhys when they first discover him. As a result, the need for Cinhil to abandon the religious life strikes him at the center of both his personality and his morality, forcing him to re-evaluate the very core of beliefs to which he has dedicated his life.

All of these factors result in a man who must ultimately sacrifice his own personal happiness for the good of the kingdom, and, even worse for Cinhil, the decision to do so is barely within his own control to make. Camber recognizes this problem the day he first meets Cinhil, and he predicts the priest's fate that very night.

To forsake his vows and wear the Crown...To take a wife, produce heirs, re-establish a dynasty – things which, for most men, would be a joyous task. But it will never be so for Cinhil. He is a priest forever, I fear. And though we may force him to put aside his monkish robes, and walk the world again, and take a wife, and wear the crown of his ancestors – and we must do that, I know now – I suspect he will nevermore be a truly happy man. We dare not even let him make the decision for himself, if there is any chance he will refuse us. Cinhil must be King.

— Camber MacRorie, Camber of Culdi

Cinhil Haldane is ultimately a sad and lonely man, forced to take on a role he does not want and too wounded and hurt to accept the assistance he needs. Although his friendship with Camber/Cullen does provide some measure of happiness, his only true love in life (his priesthood) is taken away from him forever. He never truly loves his wife, he remains distant with his sons, and, although he performs his royal duties well enough, he rarely takes any joy in wearing the crown. It is only at the moment of his death, when his life as king is finally over, that he once again finds pure joy and offers unqualified forgiveness.