The Chumps of Choice

A Congenial Spot for the Discussion of Against the Day, by Thomas Ruggles Pynchon, Cornell '59, and Any Other Damned Thing That Comes Into Our Heads. Warning: Grad Students and Willie-Wavers will be mocked.

Monday, August 06, 2007

European Apocalypse Pools


Map of Eastern Europe 1878, with the Ottoman Empire to the South and the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the North.


pp 806-820

Following Decency Jigsaw's example from last week, let's start with numerological chapter and verse, this being Chapter 57 which consists of ten smaller installments that can be divided into three larger groups.

1-3:

It's October of 1908 and "all hell" breaks loose when Austria announces its annexation of Bosnia, with Theign visiting Cyprian in Trieste at Bevis Moistleigh's underground crypto shop. Theign orders Cyprian on a dangerous mission in the Balkans and tells him to take Bevis along "if you feel you need a bodyguard." Though Moistleigh agrees to join Cyprian, he's also horrified by Theign once again after the latter gives them an absurdly undetailed map (page 807:11): "No, no, he doesn't care, can't you see that, none of the details matter to him, not only the map, he knows we won't live long enough to use it..."

Also being banished at the same time is Yashmeen in Vienna, who finds her dress shop suddenly closed and her landlady calling her a Jew Pig before evicting her, which leads Pynchon to a rumination about longtime Viennese mayor Karl Lueger and the city's anti-semitism which "really went far beyond feelings, had become a source of energy, tremendous dark energy that could be tapped in to like an electric main for specific purposes, a way to a political career...or in Yashmeen's case a simple method of chasing somebody out of town" (807:39). The short section ends with a visit from Cyprian, presumably to Vienna, where he tells her she should leave and come join him in Trieste. Cyprian makes fun of the Viennese calling Trieste a Jewish city with "they think Shanghai is a Jewish city" which leads to Yashmeen's "Well, actually..." (Click the link here to get the joke.)


In the third vignette, Cyprian meets up with old schoolmate Ratty in Graz, and the latter gives an entertaining account of all the double-dealing going on with the Bosnian Crisis (click on the link for a good, short Wikipedia account that unties a lot of knots). The Austrian foreign minister, "the vile Aurenthal," was seemingly the Henry Kissinger of his time. Ratty expresses concern for Cyprian's safety on his dangerous mission, but all Cyprian really cares about is securing Yashmeen's safety, and Ratty promises to do his best while reminding Cyprian that there is "his own op, the neo-Uskok chap, Vlado Clissan, as well" who conveniently hates Theign.



4-7:

Yashmeen takes a train from Vienna to Trieste where she stays at a pensione in the nightwalking ladies' section of the Old City which Cyprian has secretly arranged for her.

In Venice, Cyprian asks Theign for protection for Yashmeen (811:26), but is rudely turned down because Yashmeen "is a person of interest to the Okhrana...with the Anglo-Russian understanding still so new, so fearfully sensitive, we must all support F.O. in this, set aside our unimportant little personal dreams and wishes mustn't we." Cyprian replies that "We had an agreement. and you might as well be an Austrian double, you contemptible pile of shit." This sets Theign to slapping, which Cyprian artfully dodges, and finally Theign says "I suppose you want to be released from your end of the agreement," but Cyprian says no, which puzzles both Theign and Max Khautsch in Vienna when they gossip about it later. "Perhaps," Khautsch would speculate in the peculiar whisper he reserved for shop talk, "he is tired, and wishes for an end."

Cyprian takes a train to Trieste and tells Yashmeen the bad news, but she takes it calmly, and Cyprian marvels "at the ease with which she could let hope glide away."

The final vignette in the section is a beautiful scene on the Trieste waterfront as Cyprian and Yashmeen say goodbye together, and Cyprian resolves not to cry. In a flashback, we are told that the last time he had cried was "one drunken evening in Vienna after discovering Derrick Theign in the embrace of a miserable little five-kroner Strichmadchen." Still, his resolve dissolves when embarking on his boat and a waterfront band strikes up that classic of Victoriana, "Nimrod" from Elgar's "Enigma Variations," Cyprian "felt the taps opening decisively."


Senj Nejahgrad castle, 1558.

8-10:

Yashmeen adopts a stray cat and names her Cyprienne, and "one day" finds herself in a bora wind which causes her mathematical brain to start whirling again, "into her old Zetamania." She ruminates and almost solves Ramananujan's Formula before the vision disappears. (Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar, 1887-1920, from India is another weird historical mathematical genius in a book literally peppered with them. Click here for a short, interesting article.). The wind blows Yashmeen's hat away, undoes her hair, and lifts her skirts just in time for Vlado Clissan to meet up with her in a doorway, "and in the moment one of his hands had seized her, down between her bared legs" and a wild stand-up public sex scene ensues.

The sexual affair continues, hot and heavy with "Sur savam!" being screamed during the many orgasms both in Trieste and at Vlado's digs in Venice, where Yashmeen ends up spending more and more time.

The final vignette is a train trip the couple make to Fiume (now called Rijeka in Croatia) and a boat ride to Zengg (now called Senj in Croatia) where Vlado gives a short history of the Croatian Uskoks and their ambivalent relationship with Venice. "You were pirates," Yashmeen said, and "Vlado made a face. We try to avoid that word," and then tells her that his people always root for "Antonio to come to grief" in Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," a feeling I sometimes share with the Uskoks. Yashmeen accuses, "You ate people's hearts, so the stories go." and Vlado shrugs it off with "Myself, personally? no. Raw heart is an acquired taste." After he leaves on a day-long mission, and Yashmeen makes it to a little church "kneeling and praying for his safety," Vlado returns and fucks her "savagely from behind," sending Yashmeen into involuntary orgasm and the cry, "You have eaten my heart."

38 Comments:

At Wednesday, August 08, 2007 7:09:00 PM, Blogger Joseph said...

Cyprian is is one of the most intriguing characters of the story. When we first meet him he seems the emotional opposite of the Traverses. Femmy, out of control, obsessed with Yashmeen. No obvous containment or toughness or independence. I am not quite sure where the pull to espionage and service to empire fits in. Ideas? But his experience with Theign(thane |θān| noun historical (in Anglo-Saxon England) a man who held land granted by the king or by a military nobleman, ranking between an ordinary freeman and a hereditary noble. • (in Scotland) a man, often the chief of a clan, who held land from a Scottish king and ranked with an earl's son. One also thinks of the thanitoids from the land of the dead) has disabused him about the nobility of those he works for. His love for Yashmeen is real enough that we begin to see changes, a deepening, a questioning. Cyprian , Yashmeen and Vlado are all caught between warring intrigues, wrung tighter by the twists of the great game.

 
At Sunday, August 12, 2007 2:14:00 PM, Blogger Civic Center said...

Dear Brooktrout: Thanks for the memory jog. Macbeth is addressed by the first two witches in Shakespeare's play as "Thane of Glamis" and "Thane of Cawdor."

And fellow Chumps, I know it's summer holiday and everything, but the lack of feedback after putting in quite a bit of time and energy putting this week's summary together is sort of insulting. I'll try not to take it personally.

 
At Sunday, August 12, 2007 4:47:00 PM, Blogger i am he said...

I agree, sfmike. Now, of course, I'm new here (first entry) and while I wish I could contribute somethin enlightening, all I can really put in is thank you, Thank you, Thank You for working up all the effort in this Chumps site. I'm with you guys on the pages but this is my second time through reading AtD and what I'm coming to see--or probably more accurate would be to say, suppose (project, even?)--is a likely/alternate/possible/probable kind of fringe history of the twentieth century formation of what we now know as the modern middle east. That is, this deal with Cyprian being tossed to and fro as kind of an instrument to show the complicated and, in retrospect, generally regarded as ignorant and prejudice-ridden (soiled and corrupted) correspondences between the intelligence forces who would later assume control of the various portions of Ottoman territory. Perhaps Cyp's escapades could be reflections of England's growing nervous and disinterested in governing less local sections (Ireland) of its Empire and miring itself in the mess of Europe's politics.

These are all big stretches so apologies, all, for time wasting. Best wishes, in any event!

 
At Sunday, August 12, 2007 6:55:00 PM, Blogger Joseph said...

Ben, I don't don't think the stretch is so big. I think that alternate history is a big part part of what P is doing, showing the depth of global reach of the contending empires and omnivorous appetites for resources and control of the Imperial players.

I found the scene in Baku horrific and enlightening in this regard. The battle for control of Oil in this region going further back than I understood. I think WW1 is the war least understood by Americans and that is a great loss, with the consquences of our ignorance being played out by the Butch oil-baby neo Nazi con-men.

I think part of what distinguishes this chapter is the focus on the emotional lives of the characters which P is often accused of neglecting.

 
At Monday, October 29, 2007 7:03:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi,sfmike, please don't take the scarcity of comments a personal insult, though the cooling down of this group-reading campaign is indeed frustrating.

Millions of thanks for your lucid summation and carefully selected pictures, which means so much for my first read.

I've read every post you chums contributed to this congenial place. I bet Ol' Tom is also an anonymous visitor who might grin upon reading our far-fetched speculations.

I'm a grad student from China and English is my acquired language. I appreciate what you've done for all Pynchonites, especially those from non-English-speaking places.

Hurrah~

 
At Wednesday, February 08, 2012 11:06:00 PM, Anonymous Custom-Writing.org said...

I'm sure that it has long existed. The question is, how it works. During such failures and come up some details and hints :)

 
At Friday, June 22, 2012 6:47:00 PM, Anonymous price per head said...

Wow, nice post,there are many person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post

 
At Thursday, January 29, 2015 12:34:00 AM, Anonymous professional custom essay writing said...

Oh, it's rather interesting. Thanks for this information.
P.S. buy custom essays online.

 
At Friday, April 03, 2015 1:04:00 AM, Anonymous best paper writers said...

Professional custom essay writing services are now available 24/7

 
At Monday, April 20, 2015 2:42:00 AM, Anonymous help with essay writing said...

Top essay writers!

 
At Tuesday, April 21, 2015 6:03:00 AM, Anonymous custom essay writers said...

Our writers are able to provide a custom written paper top quality. Try to order best essays now.

 
At Tuesday, April 28, 2015 11:34:00 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Hello! The best way to get high-quality essay is to buy it at the trustworthy custom research paper writing resource. I think that such services might be the best choice for those who don't want to waste his time! Have a nice day!

 
At Wednesday, May 13, 2015 3:08:00 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks for the article! College essay service has good experts in essay writing and alwys show the best result!

 
At Wednesday, June 03, 2015 3:07:00 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Education helps student to improve knowledge and get a good profession. very often students face with college assignments which is impossible to execute alone. So in this case it is better to ask professional writers for a help. qualified writing service is always ready to help students.

 
At Monday, September 21, 2015 10:18:00 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

You have written an astonishing work. I appreciate the work of yours and I will definitely come back to your blog more and more. Couyld you please also do a favour for me? Visit this website and check how helpful this source is.

 
At Friday, November 20, 2015 4:42:00 AM, Anonymous write my essay said...

I you are a student, these essay writing services can greatly change your life. Feel free to order well-written and absolutely original papers online.

 
At Tuesday, December 01, 2015 12:57:00 AM, Anonymous essay writer said...

Wow! this information about Eastern Europe in 1878 is very interesting. This topic has been something that I have been looking for a few hours. I am more than happy to uncovered it. I appreciate your hard work here. Please keep it good posting. This ifnormation is very useful for my essay work.

 
At Wednesday, December 02, 2015 4:07:00 AM, Blogger kitty23 said...

It's a good project! Thanks for this article!
essay-mania.com - the best way in education! In addition they will have 24/7 support!

 
At Tuesday, December 22, 2015 12:41:00 AM, Anonymous Papers Writings said...

Interesting and intriguing article. Thanks a lot for good content and positive emotions! Your site made my day! Wish you good luck in developping your site and write more with www.papers-writings.com there works professionals that can write everything in original way! Only authentic academic writings!

 
At Monday, January 18, 2016 5:09:00 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

I have never thought about it that way before. Thanks for sharing) If you are facing with some difficulties in your writing,then go to advanced-writer.com and you`ll get not only original text,but a chance to contact with writer personally and discuss all nuances of task.

 
At Monday, March 28, 2016 11:47:00 PM, Blogger caren said...

There were a lot of talks about appocalyspe . Tyhey just cause panic. By the ay, I've bought a paper on the Influence of Stress on Our Organism at www.best-custom-essays.com. It was amazing owrk :)

 
At Wednesday, April 27, 2016 2:55:00 AM, Blogger chenlili said...

2016-4-28 xiaobao
tory burch handbags
louis vuitton
ray bans
jordan shoes
coach factory outlet
jordan 8
louis vuitton handbags
louis vuitton outlet
ed hardy clothing
true religion outlet
toms outlet
michael kors handbags
marc jacobs
lebron james shoes
hollister uk
nike roshe run
ray ban uk
christian louboutin outlet
nike store
coach outlet store online
toms
coach outlet store online
louis vuitton handbags
replica watches for sale
michael kors outlet clearance
michael kors outlet
michael kors handbags
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton handbags
true religion jeans
cheap oakley sunglasses
jordan retro 3
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton bags
christian louboutin shoes
michael kors outlet
tods shoes
gucci outlet
kobe bryant shoes

 
At Thursday, April 28, 2016 2:36:00 AM, Blogger Rozersmith said...

Our awriter.org/essay-writing-services is popular worldwide. Keep try to order best essays now.

 
At Sunday, May 08, 2016 12:09:00 PM, Anonymous Rosalie W. Wilson said...

superb post.i like your idea.keep sharing this kind of post. Our awriter.org/essay-writing-services is popular worldwide. Keep try to order best essays now.

 
At Wednesday, June 15, 2016 12:18:00 AM, Anonymous essay-experts.org said...

Custom writing services availbale online!

 
At Monday, August 15, 2016 2:36:00 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At Sunday, January 08, 2017 9:07:00 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

The telemarketer is an ace of offers phycology. He or she realizes that the more extended the prospect is on hold, the more probable they are thinking about every one of the reasons that they will be turned down for the alteration. Payday Loans San-diego

 
At Sunday, July 02, 2017 4:06:00 AM, Blogger mustafiz said...

Hi
I read your post.this article was very effective and helpful to us. thanks for sharing this amazing article. I am resently
posted at Boston Bankruptcy Speak with affordable bankruptcy lawyers Worcester and Boston.
Get support to file Chapter 7, Chapter 13 and corporate Bankruptcy.

 
At Wednesday, April 18, 2018 7:43:00 PM, Anonymous Pengobatan Alami Tuntaskan Keputihan said...

This article is interesting and useful. Thank you for sharing. And let me share an article about health that God willing will be very useful. Thank you :)

Obat Alami Menurunkan tekanan Darah Tinggi
Obat Penyakit kulit Eksim
Obat Benjolan Di Ketiak
Pengobatan Alternatif Patah Tulang/Fraktur
Obat Radang Paru-paru Basah/Pneumonia paling Ampuh

 
At Wednesday, July 04, 2018 11:39:00 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

qzz0705
ugg outlet
merrell shoes
cleveland cavaliers jersey
links of london
coach outlet online
prada sunglasses
ray ban sunglasses
tory burch outlet
air more uptempo
nike store

 
At Monday, July 16, 2018 8:19:00 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

www0716
mulberry bags
coach canada
uggs
canada goose outlet
nike shoes
ugg outlet
coach outlet online
ray ban sunglasses
oakley sunglasses
kate spade outlet










 
At Wednesday, October 03, 2018 7:59:00 PM, Blogger zzyytt said...

nmd
jordan retro
off white
coach handbags
birkin bag
goyard handbags
kobe 11
nike air max 90
christian louboutin
longchamp handbags

 
At Sunday, February 03, 2019 3:20:00 AM, Blogger tranemaintenance said...

الآن عن طريق تواصلك معنا في مركز صيانة كاريير المعتمد الاقرب لمنزلك اينما كنت في جمهورية مصر العربية ستتمكن من الحصول على عروض هائلة على جميع خدمات صيانة توشيبا المتكاملة التي تحتاجها و التي يمكنك من خلالها التخلص من جميع اعطال اجهزتك المتنوعة على يد فريق متخصص من فنيين صيانة يونيون اير المدربين على اعلى مستوى من الخبرة و المهارة في القضاء على جميع اعطال الاجهزة الكهربائية المتنوعة التي تتواجد في منزلك اينما كنت في جمهورية مصر العربية

 
At Monday, February 04, 2019 3:24:00 AM, Anonymous Essay writing services said...

The blog post is interesting. It explores European Apocalypse Pools. The article mentions that ‘Map of Eastern Europe 1878, with the Ottoman Empire to the South and the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the North’.

 
At Wednesday, February 20, 2019 8:45:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great post! Thanks for sharing! - write my discussion board post

 
At Friday, May 31, 2019 3:50:00 PM, Blogger Freddi King said...

I really enjoyed reading this post. Thanks for sharing!
SaludPulso.com

 
At Thursday, August 12, 2021 5:40:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Discussion boards can also be used to further employ the resources of the Internet by allowing students to include hyperlinks to relevant content. Since discussion boards are asynchronous, they offer an opportunity for conversation that again cannot be found within the classroom environment discussion board post

 
At Monday, March 07, 2022 7:01:00 PM, Blogger lv said...

Gucci replica bags Best quality designer replica handbags bags
Louis Vuitton replica bags Wholesale 2021-2022 new arrivals cheap Fake Purses get best quality, the Wholesale Replica HandBags,

 

Post a Comment

<< Home