Stencil's mother

[Tim Ware]

It's somewhat tricky ascertaining whether or not V. is H. Stencil's 
mother. His father Sidney cops to being seduced by V. Wren in 1899. Sen 
in 1899. Younger Stencil was born in 1901. Long gestation. My own opinion 
is that, reading the story of V. as a parody of the Virgin myth, perhaps 
we're talking some sort of immaculate conception here. 

If V. is a parody/inversion of the Virgin Mary, with God "in a wideawake hat 
[fighting] skirmishes with an aboriginal Satan out at the antipodes of the 
firmament, in the name and for the safekeeping of any Victoria" (p.73), 
and not forgetting those five crucified British soldiers, one could 
suppose that V. was Herbert's mother and, following this analogy, 
that he had been "conceived without sin" (as the Miraculous Medal says). 
Thus Sidney's thought: "His father, ha." (p.489)  Herbert seems to dismiss 
the notion that he is some sort of "self-appointed" prophet (p.53). Of 
course, he also _seems_ to dismiss the idea that V. is his mother ("The 
question is ridiculous" p.54).

Now what about that circle Sidney considers completing, a circle which 
includes V., Fausto Sr. and himself? (p.489) Hmmmm.

Any ideas?

Tim W  



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