NPPF: Summary Line 286

[Jasper Fidget]

> From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org [mailto:owner-pynchon-l at waste.org] On
> Behalf Of Scott Badger
> 

> >
> > One more notable aspect of this commentary is Kinbote's tenderness for
> > Bretwit - an unlikely attraction that parallels the relationship
> > between Shade and Kinbote. He describes Bretwit as "sickly" and
> > "featureless", a "pallid gland", and, intellectually, a dolt. But
> > Kinbote then expresses a sense of profound connection between
> > them, "a symbol of valor and self-abnegation", that veers towards
> > some sexual attraction, "I could have spanked the dear man".
> >
> >

Yes, it's interesting that Kinbote has this history of attraction for
unattractive men who possess an inner beauty, much as K wants people to see
himself (or lacking beauty, at least heredity).  

"Oswin Bretwit" is another reference to Merry Old England and Bede's
Ecclesiastical History:

"Bretwalda" means Lord of all the Britains, sort of the king of all the
kings of the Isle.  The title was first assigned to Egbert in the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as "the eighth king that was Bretwalda."  Looking up
the other seven in Bede, the seventh one is Oswy, who shared dominion of the
nation with another king... Oswin.  Their kingdoms were divided by the river
Humber (yes), and Oswy, wanting all of the toys, assembled an army and
eventually "foully slew" Oswin, becoming therefore Bretwalda.

Oswin is described by Bede as "of a goodly countenance, and tall of stature,
pleasant in discourse, and courteous in behaviour; and bountiful to all,
gentle and simple alike; so that he was beloved by all men for the royal
dignity of his mind and appearance and actions, and men of the highest rank
came from almost all provinces to serve him."  

Compare to Kinbote's characterization of Bretwit as "courage [allied] with
integrity, kindness, dignity, and what can be euphemistically called
endearing naïveté" (p. 177).

Bede tells the story of a beautiful horse Oswin had given a Bishop Aidan "to
use either in crossing rivers, or in performing a journey upon any urgent
necessity," but the Bishop, who was used to walking, gave the horse to a
beggar.  "What did you mean, my lord Bishop" said Oswin later, "by giving
the poor man that royal horse, which it was fitting that you should have for
your own use?  Had not we many other horses of less value, or things of
other sorts, which would have been good enough to give to the poor, instead
of giving that horse, which I had chosen and set apart for your own use?"
To which the Bishop replied, "What do you say, O king? Is that son of a mare
more dear to you than that son of God?"  The King thought about that for a
while, then "ungirt his sword, and gave it to a servant, and hastened to the
Bishop and fell down at his feet, beseeching him to forgive him; 'For from
this time forward,' said he, 'I will never speak any more of this, nor will
I judge of what or how much of our money you shall give to the sons of
God.'"  The Bishop comforted the King, but then grew sad, saying to one of
his priests, "I know [...] that the king will not live long; for I never
before saw a humble king; whence I perceive that he will soon be snatched
out of this life, because this nation is not worthy of such a ruler."  It
was not long after that Oswy killed Oswin, and "the bishop’s gloomy
foreboding was fulfilled."

http://28.1911encyclopedia.org/B/BR/BRETWALDA.htm
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bede/history.v.iii.xiv.html

Jasper Fidget