Proscriptive Mercy

[David Morris]

>>From: "J Suete"
>>
>>To keep that devil in the pit we have to veer off the straight and narrow 
>>from time to time.<<

Ok, have it your way.

>>Have you read Mr. Pynchon's "Morality and Mercy in Vienna" and Mr. 
>>Shakespeare's "Measure For Measure" recently? Probably not? That's quite 
>>as it should be, but I want to make use of these two "tales" because when 
>>you write you begin with ABC, when you sing you begin with Doe-Rae-Me, and 
>>when you want to understand Mr. Pynchon's "pigs," you begin with Mercy.<<

I'ne got to admit I don't like Pynch's MMV much. [ 
http://www.pynchon.pomona.edu/uncollected/vienna.html ] It might have made a 
fine Twilight Zone Episode, but it seems to me a pretty thin take on the 
issues of Mercy and Morality.  Here my take on MMV: "annoyingly shallow 
cultural elites get their ironic comeuppance."  Shakespeare it aint.  If I 
under-rate MMV, I'd welcome my own comeuppance.

>>Shakespeare's "Measure For Measure", like MV (see MV 4.1.47-8) deals with 
>>matters of justice and mercy --matters that are at the very heart of Mr. 
>>Pynchon's work. The play deals with sex and its regulation by church and 
>>state. Inn the play, the best (Elect) lack all conviction and are full of 
>>a passionate intensity, while the worst (Preterit) are amusing.  company. 
>>Although I don't approve of characterizing Mr Shakespeare's plays, the 
>>play is usually classified as a "Problem Comedy" -- Comedy in that the 
>>main characters end up married rather than dead; problem because some of 
>>those marriages are purgatorial, a fate only to be embraced insofar as it 
>>is preferable to execution followed by eternal damnation.<<

Since you've gone off to class w/o relating these two, MMV & MFM, nor have 
you really said anything about MERCY, I assume you'll finish this post 
later???

DM

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