Dwilight University/Humanities/The Anticipation is All
The Anticipation is All
As an experienced and encouraging duelist, I thought it well for myself to examine the activity in a casual, though hopefully informative, way. The title of this essay is “The Anticipation is All” because I wish to impart to you readers that the anticipation of a duel is the most critical component. The reason and combat is in my opinion secondary. This, however, does not mean they are trivial. Let me elaborate.
To a duel I will oblige three components.
The first is the reason. This is a significant element because it builds the foundation on which the duel will take place. If a duel is over the honour of a Queen, or the reputation of a King, then the duel itself shall be magnified skyward. If it is merely because a noble bumped into you at the market, then the duel itself will be banal. I assert that there must be a worthy reason to duel. Reasons can include sport, the defense of honour, reputation, supremacy, here I shall leave the umbrella wide open to your imagination because I wish to encourage anticipated dueling as much as possible. I will, though, be disappointed to hear of a duel carried out with two nobles who do not have a worthy cause to draw swords. Dueling is a noble right. It should be treated with respect and exercised with dignity. I will not deny that even I have challenged someone to a duel after bumping into him in a marketplace, but the reason was because of a much earlier incident. The market was only the inevitable stage for our showdown. Unfortunately it never materialized, yet.
The second component is the most important one of all, which I have already stated to be the anticipation. The anticipation is the moment after both nobles have agreed to duel and are about to decide their strategies. The very moment of wondering which tactic you will employ, and speculating on what your opponent will use– that is the anticipation. It is essential for the serious duelist to use anticipation before the combat. A loss or victory without anticipation will be valueless, much like swinging a sword without proper technique. But, the anticipation of a duel requires an entirely different frame of mind and willpower than ordinary sword fighting. I would first suggest that to make the very best anticipation instead of guessing is to know your opponent’s fighting styles. It may be difficult to find out, especially with nobles from different realms, or of unknown background, but if you are a serious duelist you will begin to pay attention to the duels in your sphere of awareness. Do not make the mistake to think that your opponent is not assessing you in their anticipation. Another helpful method to a successful anticipation is to try and visualize the mood of your opponent for the duel. This is why having a good reason is useful. If it is a duel of honour between two enraged nobles, then you would anticipate an aggressive strategy. If you are the one antagonizing your opponent, then you might anticipate their defensive strategy. If your opponent is not wholly concerned about the duel, then perhaps you would anticipate a neutral strategy used by them. In any case, the anticipation will provide you with confidence during your duel. The anticipation of a duel is so important to the combat, yet, it is even greater to think about how you presented yourself during the reason to try and counter-anticipate your opponent. If you set yourself up as the aggressor, then you may think that they are anticipating you to use the aggressive strategy. Then in your anticipation, you decide to use the neutral strategy to upset their likely defense. Include the potential for your opponent to be skilled enough to use the overrun or trick moves strategies. The entire duel takes place in your mind before you even enter the ring. It plays through during your anticipation and counter-anticipation. Then you will have a clear reflection of the duel ahead. That is the anticipation. That will decide if you will win or lose.
The third component is the combat of the duel. While the anticipation is in your power to affect, the combat is not. Once the opponents have gathered in the specified region, during the specified time, the fight will be in the hands of fate. It is true that skill plays a large part in the combat, but you must never assume that the highest skill will bring certain victory. I have seen upsets. The skill, as well as the strategy, makes up the vital essence of the combat. The strategy is determined during the anticipation,
In the world of swordsmanship, then, I believe that the moment that decides the victory of a duel occurs during the combatants’ anticipation. Beware the anticipating duelist.
Summer of 7 YD (or the 24th of June 2009).
