CANTO ONE: Reflections Of A Silky-Tailed Slain

[Tim Strzechowski]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Mackin" <paul.mackin at verizon.net>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2003 8:02 AM
Subject: Re: CANTO ONE: Reflections Of A Silky-Tailed Slain


> On Wed, 2003-07-23 at 08:10, Tim Strzechowski wrote:
> > 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."
>
>
> The important thing is that knocking oneself out or being knocked out
> never implies that death has occurred. (sometimes death occurs LATER)

Absolutely right.  But "slain" does, which is what the poet has chosen.

>
> It's a near death experience, such as Shade experienced on two
> occasions.
>

Good connection with the rest of the text.  Certainly possible.

>
> The word "slain" is used by Shade because it's too hard to find a
> dignified rhyme for knocked out.
>

Well, I suppose, but since finding rhymes is an aesthetic challenge to any
poet who has opted to write in heroic couplets, I'm not comfortable giving
Shade an "out" like that.  Slain is the word of choice, and the word of
choice is replete with connotations.  Kinbote ignores those connotations,
revising the meaning of the couplet in his commentary.  I think both you and
Charles are onto something with your connections b/t this couplet and the
overall text.

Respectfully,

Tim