M&D linguistic paper

[andrew at cee.hw.ac.uk]

Thomas Vieth writes:
> I do not agree. You know, he uses words and phrases of 20C, too, and 
> what for? Well, first, his transitions are so smooth that it definitely 
> is not just fucking around but well thought through. So, why all this? 
> It seems to me that by mixing the styles of different eras in such a 
> smooth fashion suggests that he wants to make of it a more or less 
> homogeneous body of texts which is itself a historical statement, saying 
> we are not so far apart; that there is a link between mid 18C and lat 
> 20C, quite possibly in the field of relationships of mysticism and 
> enlightenment (science). But this is also a recurring theme w/TRP.

Oh, I don't doubt that he recasts C20th English in C18th language (in
part) because Dr Pynchonstein wants to inject a C20th vitality into
the corpses he raises from their C18th graves. And maybe for the same
reason as Baz Luhrman recently gave Romeo & Juliet the Ephram
Zimbalist Jr treatment. A straight reconstruction would be a story of
men in tights (or rather frock coats). Too much faithfulness to period
detail and the nuances would not be comprehensible. So, if we mix in
some formula C20th cues we are not only slyly nodding to the audience
we are also setting up their expectations by riffing on their
media-savvy experience. Does Vineland not do the same using TV
formulae to re-present the 60s (and the early 80s).

But the reason why I suggested that Pynchon maybe had not taken great
care with this task was twofold: i) he got some of the language wrong
ii) he has managed to spill some C19th language into the mix, which
seems to me a peculiar but not uninteresting flaw, rather like that
Wand'ring Heart motif which is found in inferior wood. It also
suggests to me that Pynchon might have learned his tarpaulin from
other authors, who were either equally unconcerned with exact details
of period language or wrote of slightly later times. It might be
interesting to follow this up but I don't think I would want to make
it the basis for a PhD. There must be better things to work on, no?


Andrew Dinn
-----------
And though Earthliness forget you,
To the stilled Earth say:  I flow.
To the rushing water speak:  I am.