ATDDTA (8) Towers of Silence (209:26)

[Joseph T]

I have a different theory on the Zoroastrian reference. The entire  
section takes  the form of  a crucifixion scene with several  
Christian references including mocking reference to resurrection. I  
think the Zoroastrian reference is trying  to show the strong  
influence of Zoroastrian ideas on Jews of the Christian era and early  
Christians. Judaism has very little to say about an afterlife. And  
the idea of a cosmic battle between good and evil , light and dark  
was a late blooming development, clearly borrowed from Zoroastrians  
and reaching its apex near the time of Christ with cults of  
armageddon and resurrection, and  dreams of the rebirth of the  
Davidic Dynasty.

Christianity borrows a lot of this Zoroastrian imagery and language  
(especially John's Gospel)in the  image of final cosmic battles and  
Christ as the "light of the world". So to me this is one of many   
ways the author invests this formative event in the life of the  
Traverses with the kind of eclectic gathering of forces that the  
questions of death and meaning seem to generate. Through it we also  
revisit the complexity of forces which played out in the focal event  
of  Christianity.


It also reminds of the Roman use of crucifixion to subdue local  
resistance.

On May 2, 2007, at 11:48 AM, David Morris wrote:

> One reason would be for contrast with the Persian version.  In
> Jeshimon the ritual is perverted to a more Western end.
> "Sophisticated world travelers" would be western tourists, or possibly
> soldiers.  This would be their "export" of the Persian ritual.
>
> David Morris
>
> On 5/2/07, Keith <keithsz at mac.com> wrote:
>> I would agree. So why do you think Pynchon tosses in a reference  
>> to the Persian ritual 'quickly identified by sophisticated world  
>> travelers' right in the middle of the all the Biblical and  
>> Lutheran references?
>>
>> On May 2, 2007, at 7:48 AM, David Morris wrote:
>>
>> The elevated dead at Jeshimon seem more of the Christian kind:  
>> torture, execution and humiliation.