MDMD (6)--Obs on Ch. 17

[RICHARD ROMEO]

rambling Obs. on Ch 17

Even out of the wind, Mason is confronted with madmen and madness.  
Mournival confirms Mason's suspicions that "he is not well" by stating 
"and more of us on the leeward side than you'd ever suspect." --amen to 
that brother. 
Notice the figure of Jenkins' Ear:  it displays both male and female 
characteristics--it grows erect yet Mournival describes the ear as "she": 
 she'll take anything in, in any language.  also the ear is desribed as a 
"voracious vessel".  Though this ear is Tiresias-like, it "only listens 
to wishes, ...[it] doesn't grant them."  i.e. no wisdom is dispensed, 
this oracle is deaf, a brittle grail.
(I've also read that losing an ear represents "domestic upheaval" 
something which Mason is confronted with in Ch. 18 & 19.) 
Also seeing as a cave is usually a place for initiation into secret 
rites, one wonders if old Nevil has visited the museum and what wish he 
wished for?
Peer yer eyes at the "neglected garden"...Mason is humiliated by the ear. 
this garden is a place of  "transition between two worlds...a sailor's 
waterfront chapel".  Check out excerpt from Rev. Mapple's sermon in Moby 
Dick (Ch. 9):  "in black distress, I called my God, when I could scarce 
beleive him mine, he bowed his ear to my complaints, no more the whale 
did me confine."  Poor Charles...
Both M&D have their own opinions and explanations about Maskelyne's 
behavior--Mason thinks he be after glory and sci discovery, a trial, "his 
time in the desert", i.e. sacrifice.  Dixon points out he just may be a 
drunk, forever trapped in descending madness, drink his only refuge, i.e. 
a rather deadly self-indulgence.  M&D would rather discuss him than 
themselves.
Pynch balances well both of these views when introducing Maskelyne into 
various scenes throughout the novel.
Notice also some "dark parallels"--do we necessarily think of these 
connections as sinister or ones we just haven't made yet, hence 
dark--seems dark can mean more than just something evil afoot.  most 
obvious example in this chapter is the Spanish ship named Rebecca.  Other 
examples:  Jenkin's Ear was cut off for the ruby earring.  Clive's Chapel 
where Mason and Rebeekah are married is festooned with all sorts of 
jewels, including depictions of Clive's wedding, his coat of rubies 
mentioned in the next chapter.
Or, the ever-present dog images--Mason, while in that garden, acts like a 
dog, and Maskelyne trying to gauge the Aberration of light peers under 
the Dog star.  all of this leads one to think it must related to the LED 
somehow
What I'm getting at is that certain terms or images are repeated and 
might have some hidden signifigance.  Or maybe, there aren't any. 
Finally,  Mason is viewing the Chronoscope on p. 177 'events not yet 
reduced to certainity...his last morning of immortality' section.  Look 
forward to p. 208 where Mason invites Rebekah to sail with him to the 
Indies on Jan 9, 1761.  Since this event happened before, can Mason be 
dreaming of a different history with Rebekah while in Mournival's cave, 
one in which they are about to sail together to the East and India.  The 
imagery here is so pregnant with yearnng for other possibilities.   Alas, 
a dream never to be. this is a bit of a stretch, I admit...

Richard Romeo
Coordinator of Cooperating Collections
The Foundation Center-NYC
212-807-2417
rromeo at fdncenter.org