NPPF Comm3: Misc notes (2)

[Jasper Fidget]

p. 119
"he was caged in his rose-stone palace"

Kinbote describes Charles Xavier -- himself in the reflection of memory,
invention, and art -- as "caged", this time once again "in his rose-stone
palace", and "with the help of field glasses" (paralleling his spying upon
John Shade), "he could make out youths diving into the swimming pool of a
fairy tale sport club." (p 119).  References to stories and fairy tales
begin showing up frequently, both explicitly and in camouflage.

"Rose" occurring elsewhere: "Rose Court" (88), "the queen's rosewood writing
desk" (256)

May suggest the English War of the Roses (~1845-1885), an English civil war
of succession between the House of Lancaster and the House of York (the
former's badge a red rose, the latter's a white rose), a consequence of the
overthrowing of Richard II by Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, in 1399
(Henry IV, succeeded by Henry V, Shakespeare's Prince Hal).  

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wars_of_the_Roses

p. 119
"Stone-faced, square-shouldered /komizars/ enforced strict discipline among
the troops"

In English: "commissar," "a: a Communist party official assigned to a
military unit to teach party principles and policies and to ensure party
loyalty; b: one that attempts to control public opinion or its expression"
(MW11).

p. 119
"Puritan prudence had sealed up the wine cellars"

Suggests the English civil war (1642-1650) between the Puritans and
Parliamentarians led by Oliver Cromwell (also "Roundheads") and the
Anglicans and Royalists on the side of King Charles I and his son Charles II
(also "Cavaliers").  The "Puritans" of this period, largely Calvinist
Protestants, wished to "purify" the Church of England of all Catholic
influences (viewing the Bible as the sole authority for liturgy, ceremony,
and practice).  A rift had been growing between the Puritans and the
Anglicans by the time Charles I (1600-1649) ascended to the throne in 1625,
and Charles managed to anger the Puritans by first marrying Henrietta Maria,
a French Catholic Princess, and then appointing William Laud as Archbishop
of Canterbury in 1633; and he didn't please the Parliamentarians by
dissolving Parliament three times over the course of 1625-1629 and insisting
upon the Divine Right of Kings.  Open war began in 1642 and resulted in the
beheading of both Archbishop Laud in 1645 and King Charles I in 1649.

Note that Gradus is described as puritanical.

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Civil_War
http://8.1911encyclopedia.org/L/LA/LAUD_WILLIAM.htm
http://www.bartleby.com/65/cr/CromwellO.html

p. 119
"those dreadful days in the polluted palace!"

We've learned that the soldiers are behaving with strict discipline, the
wine cellars have been sealed up, the maids servants have been removed, and
the ladies in waiting have all gone -- this is what Charles considers
polluted?

p. 120
"Blawick"
The only Zemblan town with an English name, described in the Index as "a
pleasant seaside resort on the Western Coast of Zembla, casino, golf course,
sea food, boats for hire" -- see also Note to 149.

This is where Charles plans to make his departure from Zembla once he gets
the opportunity, so it mirrors Brighton, England in at least two senses: its
geographical features are similar, and it's the town from which Charles II
escaped England for his exile in 1651 after his defeat at Worcester.

p. 123
"specimens of Varangian boyhood"

"Any of the Scandinavian rovers who in the 9th and 10th cents. overran parts
of Russia and reached Constantinople; a member of the Varangian Guard" (OED)

p. 123
"faunlet" - the masculine of "nymphet"

Jasper Fidget
[More to follow when I recoup my spare time]