V---2nd, Chap 16 Valletta...another reason why chosen?

[Mark Kohut]

yeah and thanks...

there have been so many scholars working out his 'postmodernismness', his 
instantiated
doubt, his playful double-treble meanings, his parodies, etcf.

That, perhaps, his old-fashioned choices for historical meaning are overlooked.

His most ambitious historical work, A t D is full of them, imho....



----- Original Message ----
From: Ian Livingston <igrlivingston at gmail.com>
To: Mark Kohut <markekohut at yahoo.com>
Cc: pynchon -l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Wed, February 23, 2011 12:59:10 PM
Subject: Re: V---2nd, Chap 16 Valletta...another reason why chosen?

You're right, Mark. Breaking the Siege of Malta was the triumph of the
Knights of St. John against a vastly superior force. I was not aware
that it was also the last major battle involving a significant
presence of crusader knights.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_%281565%29 Note,too,
Pynchon's phrases about sensing the knights everywhere in Malta. Even
at that tender age, I think Pynchon was acting very consciously in
bringing them into the story. Maybe it was his Baedekker talking, but
I suspect he had begun to look into Knights of St. John just enough to
become intrigued. Like the Tower, they are everywhere. Hm. I wonder if
there is a Tarot allusion, as well. I believe it was around the 16th
century that Tarot cards came into vogue.

On Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 2:56 PM, Mark Kohut <markekohut at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Just learned--or relearned so it might stick--
>
> Valletta was built starting in 1565.........after a major Siege ended.
>
> "Life is a state of Siege"---AtD....
>
>
>
>



-- 
"Psyche pasa athantos." --Plato