After the relative simplicity of last week we indulged (I would say) in a little bit of wallowing this week. Not to say that our meeting was without benefit, for it was completely the opposite.
We were examining the episode of Jarl van Hoother and the Prankquean, occurring immediately after the coming together of HCE and ALP for the first time in the text. It's still unclear to me if we are given a specific viewpoint over the course of this brief episode—the complexities had us chasing our tales/tails!
Thus, simply a few short observations:
21.18-9: 'Mark the Wans, why do I am alook alike a poss of posterpease?' is the first of a number of iterations of this phrase that introduce the drinkers (four?) knocking on the door of HCEs pub after closing time, asking for more drink. Over the next two pages this phrase is repeated two more times, incorporating a number of additions that make the phrase both static but simultaneously altered each time it is read. This repetition affirms the cyclical nature of the van Hoother/Prankquean section which, from 21 to 23 is reiterated three (or four?) times.
23.5-7 'Perkodhuskurunbarggruauyagokgorlayogromgremmitghundhurthrumathunaradidillifaititillibumullunukkunun' is the second 'thunder word' we encounter in FW. There are 11 throughout the text, the first 10 of 100 letters, the 11th with 101. {Check me out and see if I transcribed it correctly!} I was really excited to see in McHugh's Annotations that this thunder word is essentially the combination of a whole number of (generally) northern European words of thunder. Pretty simple really!
23.10 'flamend floody flatuous world'. I really like this phrase. I was initially most taken by the combination of flame and flood in the first two words of the phrase. I assume it indicated a kind of alchemical (Lou's word) explanation for the existence of Ireland, the combination of fire and water also being important in the van Hoother/Prankquean section. Interestingly enough, the four words produce not just two of the four elements, but all four (fire, water, air, earth). That is, if you're happy to accept that flatulence constitutes air.
23.23-4 'With lipth she lithpeth to him all to time of thuch on thuch and thow on thow.' Following on from Chris Eagle's very interesting seminar on speech pathology in FW, this sentence is important to us. It is the first summary of ALPs speech impediment which occurs throughout the novel. I'm pretty sure a recording of Chris' paper will be made available: definitely worth a listen. If I hear any more I'll post a link here.
24.7 'Unfru-Chikda-Uru-Wukru' appeared completely mystifying to me. McHugh glosses this phrase as Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker, our venerable pseudo-protagonist. As Chris demonstrated, it definitely sounds more like HCEs name when your first is in your mouth!
As always, please comment! Whether it be to tell me I've got it wrong or that I've missed something. There's very little chance I've got anything right!
Next meeting will be 19 October, reading 24.16 to 29.36. (and then onwards to Book I, Chapter 2!) JG
Jarl VH will never get sunburnt in his broadginger hat and soxandgloves.
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