-------- Original Message --------
Dear Matt,
of course ... Of course there are objections to this interpretation.
It is Kinbote who says that he arrived at the same day as Shade
> had his "heart attack," when he became, according to Dr. Ahlert,
> "half a shade."
Why should he be believed? It is Kinbote who desires fervently this
"fusion" with Shade (and you easily grant it to him with"integrationist"
theory). Kinbote's desire to "integrate"
Shade doesn't mean that in Shade's "self" similar process is going in
reverse (splitting, like a movie going backwards).
At the other hand, poetry, even unfinished poem may contain premonitions
and prophecies, it is one of its most interesting aspects that
interested
also VN, and it explains why there is similarity between some
poetic images in the poem and the events (probably, truly) described
in the Kinote's comments.
The interpretation of "barrow" you suggest fits well with this
explanation:
> Skipping to the end of the poem, I'm curious if anyone else has
> thought twice about that "empty barrow." While this clearly denotes
> an empty wheelbarrow, shouldn't we also consider that an "empty
> barrow" in a different context means "empty grave"?
Best,
Sergei