CANTO ONE: Reflections Of A Silky-Tailed Slain

[Tim Strzechowski]

I disagree.

What the *poet* has chosen for his purposes is "slain."  What the
*commentator* has *interpreted* (not "corrected") this word as is "knocking
itself out."

Keith raises an interesting question: why "slain"? What are the connotations
of "slain" vs. "knocking itself out"?  What Shade has done is given us a
bird that has been "slain / By the false azure in the windowpane," thus
suggesting its death as more the active recipient of a transparency, of a
transparent object. Kinbote's interpretation of that death as "knocking
itself out" transfers the responsibility of death to the waxwing itself, a
significant (mis)interpretation.

How does this opening couplet, therefore, relate to notions of death and
responsibility within the context of the entire poem, as well as the novel?

Respectfully,

Tim S.



----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Mackin" <paul.mackin at verizon.net>

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> Kinbote corrects to "knocking itself out."
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