Thanks for your interest. I guess you've read Nohrnberg et al. on this by
now, and I was embarrassed that I hadn't recalled N.'s comment on that
(though it's a huge book, and I read it 20? yrs ago). One bit of evidence
is that Talus "shoulders" the Commie giant off a cliff, implying that if
he's not as big as the Commie, he can still take him out. I always imagine
normal people as coming up to maybe the Commie's mid'calf at most, because
of the description of all the losers crowded around his feet. Haven't
gotten the paper yet. Dick Hardin
-----Original Message-----
From: H. Easterling [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 9:54 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Talus
Talus has never seemed particularly 'giantesque' to me, though I'd be
intrigued to know more about your student's findings. Particularly when
compared to other Spenserian giants such as Orgoglio or Argante, Talus
appears to be a quite different creation or idea. It is Talus's
machine-like attributes that I have always found most strange and also
compelling. In other words, it is this quality that seems most significant
to the idea of Talus, and not his stature or any mark of lasciviousness
(the latter of which clearly marks the other FQ giants mentioned above).
my 2 cents...
Heather Easterling
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Heather C. Easterling
English Department
University of Washington
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