MDMD: The Crime of Anonymity

[jbor]

There are two other things which alert the reader to potential
anachronism/reflexiveness in the narrative: that "Boppo!" at the top of p. 7
doesn't sound like an 18th C. ejaculation, and certainly represents a tonal
shift. And, the line about "if you must use [Indian hemp], do not inhale"
(10.1 up) seems to speak to a somewhat more recent and famous revelation.

best



on 9/10/01 11:02 AM, John Bailey at johnbonbailey at hotmail.com wrote:

>From: jbor 
 >I think the irony is that the "Crime of Anonymity" for which the Rev.d has
>been exiled is somewhat lesser than the substance of his misdemeanours thus:
> 
> That is, I left messages posted publicly [...] Accounts of certain
> Crimes I had observ'd, committed by the Stronger against the Weaker,--
> enclosures, evictions, Assize verdicts, Activities of the Military,--
> giving the Names of as many of the Perpetrators as I was sure of [...]
> (9) 
> 
>Which does seem to relate to the predicament of a prize-winning and renowned
>author who speaks on behalf of "the Preterite" and who names the names,
>literally, of some of their oppressors in his fiction.
> 
>I think that the Rev.d is fully aware of the irony too.
> 
>best 
> 
 
I can't believe I didn't make that connection! It's a very funny take on
that passage and opens up a few more ways to read this chapter...I hadn't
thought there was much scope to read the Rev. as an (ironic) authorial
stand-in and I'm sure I'd have to be pretty careful in doing so, but it is
certainly interesting to read something of a personal note on P's social
reception in this para.
 
John



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