Actually, this is slightly less than an essay but something more than just random thoughts. Because of the placement of this essay, you might think that my fascination with blades came from the lightsabres in Star Wars, but you would be wrong. My freshman year of college I spent at the United States Air Force Academy. At the end of Basic Training, there were several demonstrations from different campus groups to get us involved in extracurricular activities. One of these was the Sabre Drill Team. I was fascinated by the demonstration, and decided to go out for that. The Sabre Drill Team was the best part of my year at the Academy. Unfortunately, I struggled with some classes, and then got really sick and had to leave at the end of the year. But I had been introduced to the blade, and that has stayed with me.

When I went to Utah State, I got a job in the Audio-Visual Services department of the libraries. We had to man the office on weekends, but we were allowed to study or watch videos if it was slow. One of the videos we had in the library was Highlander, which had been the team movie of the USAFA Sabre Drill Team, but I hadn't gotten to see because I was sick when they watched it. So working in the library one weekend, I watched it. And then I found the television episodes.

So why is this essay on my Science Fiction page? Because at the same time I was finding Highlander, I met some friends in a SF club. They encouraged my interest in Highlander and were the ones who really introduced me to Star Wars. I'd seen the movies previously, and because I really like to read Science Fiction, I had received the Zahn trilogy for a birthday present and read it, but I wasn't a Star Wars fan. Now I am, and it is Star Wars and the lightsabres that have continued to fuel my love of the blade. So, on to the essay.

An Elegant Weapon, For a More Civilized Age.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, SW EVI: ANH

What is civilized about a weapon? Nothing, really. A sword is not a throwing or projectile weapon, though, and requires that the user get close enough to their target/oponent to look them in the eyes. This requires a measure of honor that other weapons may not. A bomb is targeted at buildings, and sometimes tanks, not people. When you go target shooting with a gun, you shoot at shilouettes, which allows a disassociation of the human shape with the concept of people. When you look a person in the eye, however, you must acknowledge that he or she is a person. This makes killing unsavory to normal people (not psychopaths) and something that you do not do unless it is immediately necessary to protect your own life. And as Obi-Wan Kenobi demonstrated in ANH, it is possible to give your own life up when someone else's becomes more important.
A sword is elegant- No argument there. When the light flashes off a spinning blade, there is very little that is more beautiful. A blade can glid through the air, or it can whiz past your ear with a sound like cutting the air. It can be both sharp and soft, precise and gentle, which I think is a good definition of elegance.

Speed v. Skill

The most impressive thing about lightsabres is the speed with which the Jedi are supposed to be able to move. In The Phantom Menace, we finally got to see the Jedi move in a way that shows mastery of their weapons and bodies. In the novels, this speed is a result of being able to use the Force. True swordsmanship, however, is fast. It comes from training, you learn the motions slowly, and then speed up when they are in muscle memory. A master swordsman (or of any of the martial arts) trains to the point that when they are threatened they act with the appropriate response before their mind can process it. Young people have great speed and agility and often just want to use their speed. But with skill, built slowly and with proper training, it is possible to go even faster. It requires patience and much slow, repetative drill, both things that young people must struggle with. Skill can also mak up for the lack of speed that comes with age. On Robert Brown's page, I found a reference that a swordsman's career ends at thirty or sooner if he hasn't developed the necessary skill.

This is still in progress.