Societal Roles
An Igor servant is considered a must by all members of the Überwald upper classes and, naturally, by any serious mad scientist. In recent years, they have increasingly been seen outside of Überwald, where their skills far outstrip those of any non-Igor surgeon on the Disc.
Igors have a particular code of honour, which makes them very loyal and hard-working. The code is explicit on certain matters: Never question the master ("No, thur, that'th an artery"); never pass judgment ("What do you want a hundred virginth for?"); never grumble ("Where am I going to find a brain at thith time of night?"). If an Igor spent any time in making value judgements, he would never get anything done. They will continue their servitude even if they disapprove of their master's work, but their faith is merely strong, not boundless. When the mob comes, they leave out the back, and certain activities sicken them to a point that they can consider breaking the code. In the words of one of the founding Igors: "We belong dead? Excuthe me? Where doeth it thay 'we'?"
As well, Igors who are not bound to a particular master have a compulsion to offer any medical aid they can offer, whatever the circumstances. In Monstrous Regiment, an Igor serving as the medic for a Borogravian regiment insisted on stopping to give aid to wounded soldiers of the opposing army, Zlobenia, as the Igors always offer a helping hand wherever needed.
Igors are well known for knowing exactly which Igor a person is talking about, despite the facts that they are all named Igor and that the speaker hasn't yet told them which Igor they are referring to. Igor-recognition by sight takes some practice but is quite possible to do: the key is the stitch pattern.
Read more about this topic: Igor (Discworld)
Famous quotes containing the words societal and/or roles:
“Society’s double behavioral standard for women and for men is, in fact, a more effective deterrent than economic discrimination because it is more insidious, less tangible. Economic disadvantages involve ascertainable amounts, but the very nature of societal value judgments makes them harder to define, their effects harder to relate.”
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