The learned nonsense
of Lewis Carroll was never far from Burroughs' mind. In the long
list of influences Carroll ranks fairly high although more disguised than
others. Both adventures of Alice as well as The Hunting Of The
Snark formed the backbone of Burroughs' ideology. Thus the entrance
to the Land Of Midian in many ways resembles Alice's descent into the rabbit
hole. The sexual implications of the rabbit hole should be self-evident
as is the entry into the Land Of Midian.
The Lafayette of Smith's
name refers of course to the revolutionary Marquis Of Lafayette who fought
against monarchy in the American Revolution. Recently General Pershing
had repaid the debt when, as he stepped ashore in France he grandly proclaimed:
Lafayette, we are here. A famous utterance then and now so that it
appears that Burroughs is associating freedom and liberation to his alter
ego. He might exclaim as he stepped through the hole: I am Lafayette
and I am here.
Smith is studying the geology
of the area when he discovers a cleft in the mountain which he enters.
In some ways Burroughs old life ended when the Reds invaded Opar.
La was forced out into the real world when her people rebelled because
of La's fixation on Tarzan. The Big Bwana restored her to her throne
having destroyed the rebel chiefs. We are led to believe that La
reigned happily ever after even though her manifestation as well as Opar
disappear from ERB's dream world. With the death of his old dream
world ERB seeks to find another; one which other people cannot enter.
Thus Midian is a pale reflection
of Opar. While the way to Opar was known to the world, indeed, Zveri,
Stalin and the Communists as well as many Africans knew of the fabulous
wealth of Opar and where the city was located. They didn't know where
the gold was because it was in Burroughs' mind.
Having had his private dream
world violated ERB creates another but this time the location is so remote
and the entrance so difficult to find none but his Anima and Animus figures
can find it.
Like the great red and gold city
of Opar Midian is surrounded by high cliffs but unlike Opar they are unscalable
from either side. No casual visitors are going to get in here.
Like the actual city of Opar the only entry is through a cleft in the walls.
In Opar once through the cleft one climbs a stairway to enter the ruins.
Here led by his interest in geology Smith enters the cleft in the mountain
reft by titanic forces ages ago to follow it deep within the mountain wall.
To insure he continues on down this rabbit hole Burroughs sends a lion
in after him blocking any exit should he wish to turn back. Thus
the lion as Fate is forcing him to his destiny. The role of the lion
in the oeuvre remains elusive to me; I fail to grasp the nuances as well
as the essence. The lion may be another side of Tarzan, the Lion
Man who is helpful. On the other hand the lion as an expression of
Burroughs Anima is extremely dangerous and hateful falling beneath Dad's
knife repeatedly. Still a problem for me.
Following the cleft for some
way Smith reaches the end which is a very small hole that he can just force
his way through. The symbolism of birth is quite clear; the descent
from the womb and the breakthrough to the other side through the vagina.
Both aspects of Burroughs' Anima
are already inside Midian. Lady Barbara parachuted there while Jezebel
was born there. Thus, it would seem that the La, Jezebel, Balza figure
was native to Burroughs X chromosome while Jane, Lady Barbara, Rhonda Terry
was an acquired image.
Smith will also be joined by
the two remaining Animus figures, Gunner Patrick and Tarzan. All
five of his Anima/Animus figures that he acknowledges were then functioning
in his dream world. This may have represented his brain or the womb
or a combination of both. What seems to be clear is that with the
destruction and death of his old dream world he is being born again
The resurrection scene will follow.
When Tarzan enters Midian as when he
is entering the cleft of Opar it is necessary for him to manipulate his
shoulders through by turning them sideways. Thus there is a clear
reference to birth.
Perhaps when Burroughs began
self-publication he felt as though he were making a break with his past.
Leaving McClurg's and Joe Bray behind, making a new start as it were, he
was beginning a new life. That was probably part of it as was the
invasion of Opar by his enemies but I'm sure there is personal development
involved that isn't clear to me yet.
Once inside, convinced that the
lion is following him although one believes the small hole would have baffled
the lion, Smith finds the convenient tree in front of the hole into which
he climbs for safety. then Smith does exactly what Patrick, the dark
side of the ego, will do, he goes down to the lake and gorges himself on
water. This could be construed as baptism of the born again man;
the living water of redemption.
He then meanders in the direction
of Midian. As night has fallen the bonfires attract him.
By this time Lady Barbara after
a few refreshing skinny dips waiting for her clothes to dry, Burroughs
actually writes these strange interludes, finds her way back to Midian.
For some strange reason the Midianites pay no attention to her mind boggling
miracles, sometimes you can't buy a thrill, choosing to disregard the apparent
will of their god.
She and Jezebel are condemned
to be crucified and burned to death. Both have been placed on the
crosses with fagots piled round when Smith and his trusty nickel plated
.32 burst upon the scene.
Now we have a resurrection scene
of Smith and his Anima figures. The implication is that the trinity
have symbolically died and are now resurrected. This is some fancy
footwork.
Imagine the scene. Two
crosses are erected. The Anima figures are placed on the crosses.
As I imagine it there is a space of four to eight feet between the arms.
Smith forces a way to a place in front of the crosses as he kicks away
the burning fagots between the two crosses. Although not on a cross
himself he is symbolically so he and Burroughs assume the role of Jesus
Christ in the middle while the Anima figures represent the two thieves.
Thus we are playing out a reenactment
of the Christian crucifixion that will have a different result.
The Christians are pressing in
on Smith. This is yet another version of Burroughs' confrontation
with John the Bully on the street corner. Back then he turned and
ran. Now Smith is in a quandary. Christ in the same dilemma
turned the other cheek saying: Father, forgive them for they know
not what they do.
We have all been taught to revere
turning the other cheek. Some even attempt to practice the precept.
I'm sure the ploy may work from time to time but in nine times out of ten,
it won't . That is more or less the dilemma of the Western world
today. It is steadfastly trying to turn the other cheek but every
time it does a steel-toed boot gets planted on it.
Thus as Smith is dithering a
clear cultured English female voice comes down from the cross saying:
You're going to have to shoot to kill, you know. Burroughs is especially
good at surprise twists like this.
Astonished, perhaps thinking
the angel of the Lord had spoken to him Smith complies, firing into the
crowd. As the joke is that his aim is so poor he couldn't hit the
side of a barn he is fortunate enough to actually kill someone.
Momentarily stunned by the magical
weapon but not overawed the crowd pauses long enough to allow Smith
to get Lady Barbara down. Thus Burroughs chooses the older more stately
aspect of his Anima rather than the Wild Thing, Sex Kitten. Perhaps
as Florence was out of town ERB temporarily shifted back to the Jane Anima
aspect. Within a matter of weeks or days he will decide on Jezebel/Balza/Florence
when Florence unexpectedly returns and he writes Leopard Men in celebration.
Smith succeeds in lowering Lady
Barbara but then Jobab challenges the efficacy of his .32. Smith
fires at Jobab point blank missing him. Jobab vindicated rushes Smith
knocking the gun out of his hand. Lady Barbara scoops it up, places
the muzzle against Jobab's side where he learn the efficacy of the Colt.
Thus the Anima and Animus of Burroughs have now killed a man.
This gives the crowd pause once
again so that Jezebel is lowered and the Trinity run away. The two
Anima aspects and Burroughs' bright Animus are now whole.
They attempt to find the opening
but in the process wander into North Midian where they are captured by
the fair haired, blue eyed but no less superstitious North Midians. They
manage to escape.
They capture a kid to eat but
in the process the goatherd misses it. What the symbolism of eating the
'lamb' is escapes me just now. Smith and Lady Barbara are recaptured, taken
to the village.
In the meantime Tarzan and Patrick
enter the crater. Burroughs now has all five of his Anima and Animus
figures in the crater. Tarzan separates from Patrick. the latter
comes across Jezebel who had escaped the North Midians. The meeting
is apparently love at first sight so the Wild Thing Anima and the killer
Animus are united. As they are tired they lay down together.
You can draw your own conclusions but Jezebel appears to be ready for any
'beautiful' man who comes along. Whether a comment on Florence isn't
clear however Burroughs in his mind would be seeing her in his Desperado
aspect while she would be his Wild Thing or little Flapper Girl.
Perhaps with Smith/Lady B he
is representing one side, his married status while with Jezebel/Patrick
he is representing his affair with Florence.
Jezebel and Patrick leave the
crater. On the outside they are spotted by Capietro's men who bash
the Burroughs surrogate on the head leaving him for dead while they carry
Jezebel off. This would be the same situation with John the Bully
however it may also represent Ashton Dearholt's taking Florence out of
town for a cooling off period.
Burroughs interjects a comedy
routine back in North Midian with a lampoon of religiosity over whether
Paul had yellow hair or black hair. The upshot is that Smith is to
die.
However a pair of eyes are watching
the scene, An unknown lurker to the North Midians, Tarzan to us.
Tarzan's own role in this story is his battle with Capietro and Stabutch.
Otherwise he functions as a deus ex machina -- God from the machine, a
common feature of Greek drama to resolve an otherwise unresolvable plot
point -- to get the Anima Figure out of difficulty. He does in this
case too.
Then leaving the crater Tarzan
escorts the pair to is friend Lord Passmore's safari leaving them there
in safety with the faithful Waziri. Then he goes back to deal with
Stabutch and Capietro.
Thus Fate and Burroughs go about
weaving their web. The similarity to Penelope of the Odyssey is close
with the exception that Burroughs does not unravel the previous day's work.
But one is invited to see this story as a series of pictures woven into
the tapestry somewhat like the contest between Athene and Arachnae.
One might also compare the novel, in the classical mode, to the Shield
of Achilles which is decorated around the edge with a series of pictures
portraying the life of the Bronze Age. So Burroughs has woven a series
of such pictures into his tapestry. A clever idea and well executed.
How many people have ever gotten it except for us is open to question.
So far Burroughs has insulted
the Jews and ridiculed religion in general and Christianity specifically.
He now turns to the strand of Communism, humiliating them in his dream
world. It is all well that he should take the attack to them
but one is surprised that he either didn't anticipate a counter offensive
or didn't anticipate the direction from which it would come if he was even
yet aware that his defenses had been overrun by MGM.
The man was playing with fire
without an awareness of real life consequences. It would be amusing
to know if a copy was rushed off to Stalin. One can be sure that
the ADL/AJC/MGM combination had an advance copy perhaps even the
chapters as they were being written. I find it inconceivable that
his enemies had no spy within his organization. That is just the
way things are done and it had to be done that way in this instance.
The usual mode is to capture the position of secretary through whom all
information passes. That means that ERB's typist may have been the
conduit, Cyril Ralph Rothmund or perhaps even both. I'm betting on
Rothmund for sure. I would love to see his finances. He may
also have been on the ADL/AJC/MGM payroll as well as Burroughs.
The next picture on the web is
the reunion of Jezebel and Patrick followed by the battle of Tarzan and
the Communists.
