When Does "Mason & Dixon" (1997) Take Place?
"Mason & Dixon" is a historical fiction fantasy novel written by Thomas Pynchon that released April 30th, 1997. So when is "Mason & Dixon" set?
It takes place in the years:
We know this because the real-world English surveyor Charles Mason appears as an adult main character. Mason was born on April 25th, 1728 AD and died on October 25th, 1786 AD so it must take place between roughly 1748 AD and October of 1786 AD. Furthermore, another famous real-world English surveyor Jeremiah Dixon also appears as an adult main character and he was born on July 27th, 1733 AD and died on January 22nd, 1779 AD. So, while its latest point is after his death, it must take place during or after roughly 1753 AD.
It takes place in the years:
1761 AD - 1779? AD
We know this because the real-world English surveyor Charles Mason appears as an adult main character. Mason was born on April 25th, 1728 AD and died on October 25th, 1786 AD so it must take place between roughly 1748 AD and October of 1786 AD. Furthermore, another famous real-world English surveyor Jeremiah Dixon also appears as an adult main character and he was born on July 27th, 1733 AD and died on January 22nd, 1779 AD. So, while its latest point is after his death, it must take place during or after roughly 1753 AD.
Furthermore, Mason and Dixon do much of their traveling aboard the real-world HMS Seahorse, a British Royal Navy warship that first launched on September 13th, 1748 AD and was renamed the Ravensworth when it was sold on December 30th, 1784 AD.
Specifically, the main action begins with letters of introduction between Mason and Dixon . Soon after, the pair meet for the first time and traveled together to mathematically track the 1761 Transit of Venus. The Transit of Venus did occur on June 6th, 1761 AD as predicted and the pair did meet just prior to this trip in the real world. So it is June of 1761 AD at this point.
Later, the main action concludes soon after the death of one of the main characters who died on January 22nd, 1779 AD in the real world. So presumably it is 1779 AD at the end.
Additionally, there is a frame narrative in chapter one featuring Reverend Wicks Cherrycoke relating the story in the main action to his niece and two nephews. The narrator specifically says, "" so it must be December of 1786 AD during the frame.
