The traces of Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian that appear in RDR2 are subtler than Rockstar's usual bold and underlined references. The novel's impact on Red Dead Redemption was second only to that of Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch. In contrast, Blood Meridian makes itself felt throughout RDR2 in the horrific violence, the bleakness, and the bitter irony, but most of the similarities aren’t specific enough to claim them as absolute allusions. A few are certain:
At the same time as a version of the fall of King Arthur’s court unfolds, another allegory plays out in Red Dead Redemption 2: the quest for the grail. More than King Arthur, perhaps even more than Lancelot, Arthur Morgan resembles another character: Perceval, the grail knight.
I've discussed Paradise Lost in some depth now, but there are still quite a few allusions that didn't fit elsewhere. This also seems like the best place to discuss the other allusions to the Romantics in the game. Here's a roundup of the essays, followed by a list of the other references the game makes.
Paradise Lost, as one of the most essential influences of Red Dead Redemption 2, naturally contributes more than characters to the game’s narrative. Like the poem, one of RDR2’s central themes involves the gaining of knowledge. However, the game and the poem come to divergent conclusions about that concept. What Milton condemns, RDR2 declares imperative.
Dutch Van der Linde is not the only Satanic figure in Red Dead Redemption 2. While Dutch captures Satan’s dark charisma, Micah’s similarities to the fallen angel are more superficial. Unlike Milton’s seductive character, Micah is something you try not to step in. In Mary-Beth's words – she's the most perspicacious character in the gang – he's just “not that interesting” (Horseshoe Overlook; Shady Belle). Micah's very banality is what makes his role in the tragedy so effective. He isn't particularly good at manipulating people – we see his clumsy and obvious attempts to charm some of the gang in camp; only Bill and Javier are initially susceptible to it…
