Re: Problem with dates in S&A and Swallowdale


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Posted by Hiroshi DonkeySanada on September 03, 1998 at 03:35:32:

In Reply to: Re: Problem with dates in S&A and Swallowdale posted by Jack Eckert on August 26, 1998 at 16:18:25:

Well, I for one believe it is possible to determine the dates in the saga based on the accurate description of the night sky in the books. (e.g. Full moons in Chapter XVIII of Winter Holiday and Chapter XIX of Picts and the Martyrs are the examples that come most easily to mind. ) I referred to the age of the moon calendar of the times for this purpose and was surprised to find that in this light all the dates in the books are actually consistent in an extraordinary way.

My lunatic survey revealed that the events in Swallows and Amazons took place in 1930, not in 1929, and the events in Swallowdale, set in the following year, in 1931, as writtten in the passage quoted by Paul. The dates in Pigeon Post, Secret Water, and Picts all support this what I term 1930 theory. On the other hand, the rest of the saga books, except for Peter Duck, Missee Lee, and Great Northern?, seem to be in line with the 1929 theory, that is, 1929 dates for Swallows and Amazons. In other words, time seems to run in two different ways in the saga.

I am coming to the conclusion that the problem with dates that has long puzzled avid Ransome readers may have been intentional. AR is known for "reinventing" the places. Well, who knows, what he did geographically he may also have done with time to safeguard the secret of his explorers and pirates.

Those who are interested can find a more detailed speculation on my Web Page:
The Donkey Expedition

Come and take a peek, but be warned beforehand that, whether fortunately or unfortunately, it's all in Japanese. I may have the whole thing in English in time. Cheers Hiroshi "Donkey" Sanada.


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