Seawrack

Endymion9 · 06 Sep 2000, 18:42 · from whorl-v0011.mbox · original

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From: "Endymion9" <endymion9 at mindspring.com>
Subject: (whorl) Re:Seawrack
Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 18:42:11
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Dan Schmidt pondered:

>Is this a common word?  It appears to be a synonym for seaweed, but I
>don't remember encountering it before.  I ask because I'm currently
>reading through ULYSSES and found it at the beginning of chapter 3:
>
>  Ineluctable modality of the visible: at least that if no more,
>  thought through my eyes. Signatures of all things I am here to read,
>  seaspawn and seawrack, the nearing tide, that rusty boot.

I found several commentaries of this section of ULYSSES that labeled the
terms "seaspawn and seawrack" as the life cycle.  With seaspawn equating to
life/birth and seawrack equating to death.  Hmmm.

In the same commentaries I found the following:

19th-century poet Algernon Charles Swinburne called the sea "our mighty
mother."  ULYSSES had Algy as a character??  I've never read it, just going
by the commentaries.

Also found the following under herbal remedies:

Bladderwrack has been used as a remedy for high cholesterol and hardening of
the arteries, indigestion, excess weight, and insufficient thyroid, but its
efficacy has not been scientifically verified
Other names: Black-tang, Cutweed, Kelpware, Quercus marina, Seawrack

I doubt Wolfe was referring to the herbal uses <grin>.  It's funny how since
reading OBW Seawrack instantly makes me think of a gorgeous blond model-like
woman, while Bladderwrack would make me think of a sea hag.

And to Robert:  I agree that on p.269 of OBW the Neighbor could be referring
to either The Mother or Seawrack.  I thought of this as I wrote that
comment, but decided one way.

Dennis/Endy
http://home.mindspring.com/~endymion9/index.htm

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