Vollmann's Argall

[James Kyllo]

There's already lots to compare the Seven Dreams and M&D.  Think of all
those Jesuits in "Fathers and Crows".  Also see the following, where both
seem to have used the same original source:

M&D (Chap 66, pgs 633-4)

To Thorfinn Karlsefni's settlement at Hop," relates Stig, who in lieu of
smoking a Stogie, has begun to inspect his Ax-blade for flaws perceptible to
him alone,- "at the mouth of one of the Rivers of Vineland, the Skraellings
come, to trade pelts for milk. What they really want are weapons, but
Karlsefni has forbidden anyone to sell them. Upon the second visit,
Karlsefni's wife Gudrid is inside the House, tending Snorri the baby, when
despite the new Palisado and the Sentries, a strange, small Woman comes in,
announc'd only by her Shadow, fair-hair'd, pale, with the most enormous eyes
Gudrid has ever seen, and asks, 'What is your Name?'
"'My name is Gudrid,' replies Gudrid. 'What is your name?'
"'My name is Gudrid,' she whispers, staring out of those Eyes. And all at
once there is a violent crash, and the woman vanishes,- at the same Instant,
outside, one of the Northmen, struggling with one of the Skraellings, who
has tried to seize his weapon, kills him. With terrible cries, the other
Skraellings run away

>From The Ice Shirt (Gudrid and Gudrid pgs 249-50)

in Haymaking-Month they were trading with the Skraelings, and [Gudrid] was
sitting in the doorway of the longhouse giving her little boy suck when she
felt a shadow on the back of her neck, and looking up she saw a woman
dressed in black, who was very pale, and had eyes too big for human eyes.
"What is your name?" the woman said.
"My name is Gudrid," said Gudrid. "And what's your name?" "My name is
Gudrid," said the woman in a very strange voice, so that Gudrid could not
tell whether she were mocking her or repeating what she had said without
understanding it or whether her name really was Gudrid, which was possible
since she did not seem to be a Skraeling. She had chestnut-colored hair,
round which she wore a headband. [...] "Sit down with me," said Gudrid, and
the other Gudrid smoothed her black kirtle with both hands and stepped
slowly over to her, when suddenly there was a crash, and the woman vanished.
A Skraeling had just been killed by Karlsefhi's men for attempting to steal
a sword.


best

James





----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Romeo <richardromeo at hotmail.com>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2001 7:32 PM
Subject: Vollmann's Argall


> Hi all--
>
> It'll be interesting to take a peek at Vollmann's Argall, Bk 3 of the
Seven
> Dreams Series--parts are supposedly written in period English.
> May stand as good counterweight w/ M&D (768 pgs worth)
> to be released later this month.
> If it's anything like the other books in the series, it'll be worth
reading
>
> Rich
>
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