''Vladimir Nabokov's Comic Quest for Reality' - Nottingham eTheses

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C0NTENTS page Abstract Introduction 1 I. The Eye 50 Pnin 63 Lolita; Laughter in the Dark 98 The Real Life of Sebastian Knight 155 II. The Defence 210 Pale Fire 217 Transparent Things 266 Despair 298 III. Bend Sinister; Invitation to a Beheading 321 Ada 363 IV. Look at the Harlequins: 418 Notes 434 Bibliography 473
Abstract Nabokov once said that "reality" is "one of the few words which mean nothing without quotes. " He has often expressed his scepticism as to whether it is ever possible to know a thing: all one can do is to collect as many facts and data about a thing as possible, accumulate in<strong>for</strong>mation about it and thus try to get nearer its reality. But even though one may know a lot about an object, one can never know everything about it: "It's hopeless", Nabokov says and concludes, "... we live surrounded by more or less ghostly objects. " What applies to things applies in an even higher degree to persons. More often than not the complexities of their souls and characters escape us and we see not real persons, but "phantoms": images of people that are the products of out own minds and that are shaped by our own interests and expectations. <strong>Nabokov's</strong> questioning enters the provinces of metaphysics when he inquires into the nature of space and time, when he asks whether life may not be an illusion, a dream; whether life is just a succession of meaningless coincidences, or whether it has some sensible and meaningful pattern. Finally he inquires into the nature of death and poses the question whether death is indeed the end of everything.
Page 1: ''Vladimir Nabokov's Comic Quest fo
Page 5 and 6: Introduction
Page 7 and 8: -2- granting that the Bolshevist an
Page 9 and 10: -4- consent, was motivated by the a
Page 11 and 12: -6- on the aspects of life that int
Page 13 and 14: -8- importance but its art, only it
Page 15 and 16: - 10 - of. the novels, consist in t
Page 17 and 18: - 12 - life with its hazards and in
Page 19 and 20: - 14 - lives of individual persons,
Page 21 and 22: - 16 - is convinced to really know
Page 23 and 24: - 18 - hopeless, but Nabokov does n
Page 25 and 26: - 20 - for the artist, is expressed
Page 27 and 28: - 22 - a new, wholly artistic reali
Page 29 and 30: - 24 - way, and this knowledge and
Page 31 and 32: - 26 - internal evidence of Invitat
Page 33 and 34: - 28 - Admittedly not all of Naboko
Page 35 and 36: - 30 - "tr. ue reality" in that it
Page 37 and 38: - 32 - the manner in which the subj
Page 39 and 40: - 34 - The case is quite similar in
Page 41 and 42: - 36 - lines of play 11120 will in
Page 43 and 44: - 38 - him knowledge surpassing tha
Page 45 and 46: - 40 - the present. This act of rec
Page 47 and 48: - 42 - design in the life of Martin
Page 49 and 50: - 44 - Martin's mother of her son's
Page 51 and 52: - 46 - is blind where his wife and
Page 53 and 54:
- 48 - serious and profound experie
Page 55 and 56:
I. The Eye Pnin Lolita; Laughter*in
Page 57 and 58:
- 51 - novel. They illustrate how p
Page 59 and 60:
- 53 - tearing the banknote into li
Page 61 and 62:
- 55 - have before: after the suici
Page 63 and 64:
- 57 - imagination of Gretchen best
Page 65 and 66:
- 59 - deed been through an experie
Page 67 and 68:
- 61 - there must be some "model" a
Page 69 and 70:
- 63 - P NI N In their appreciation
Page 71 and 72:
- 65 - For the sake of convenience
Page 73 and 74:
- 67 - Pnin's appearance is comic,
Page 75 and 76:
- 69 - all-the time. He suffers an
Page 77 and 78:
- 71 - existence" (13). In his pres
Page 79 and 80:
- 73 - is going to give, on his per
Page 81 and 82:
- 75 - exist in such big sea" (60).
Page 83 and 84:
- 77 - directly from Pnin's peculia
Page 85 and 86:
- 79 - them at least 10ok like his
Page 87 and 88:
- 81 - indeed only the very thinnes
Page 89 and 90:
- 83 - but the group of academics w
Page 91 and 92:
- 85 - "schools and trends", and is
Page 93 and 94:
- 87 - which induces the reader to
Page 95 and 96:
- 89 - and-smiles at, there emerges
Page 97 and 98:
- 91 - More depth and reality are a
Page 99 and 100:
- 93 - cp. 180). The narrator also
Page 101 and 102:
95 - being accurate in every point,
Page 103 and 104:
- 97 - standing of a "truly human b
Page 105 and 106:
- 99 - eternal beauty, and his conv
Page 107 and 108:
- 101 - One luckless early critic w
Page 109 and 110:
- 103 - says "well-read" Humbert Hu
Page 111 and 112:
- 105 - surface, into the initial m
Page 113 and 114:
- 107 - age. She was the "initial g
Page 115 and 116:
- 109 - and implies in the parody t
Page 117 and 118:
- 111 - He is equally inaccurate in
Page 119 and 120:
- 113 - with Quilty; and, of course
Page 121 and 122:
- 115 - or to hold her on his knee
Page 123 and 124:
- 117 - ations ) (98). And he descr
Page 125 and 126:
- 119 - a strident, harsh high voic
Page 127 and 128:
- 121 - When Humbert talks of his d
Page 129 and 130:
- 123 -- could victimize her poor d
Page 131 and 132:
- 125 - this twelve-year-old girl s
Page 133 and 134:
- 127 - done her morning duty" (161
Page 135 and 136:
- 129 - experience, up to a certain
Page 137 and 138:
- 131 - her: "... -a life full of t
Page 139 and 140:
- 133 - Looking at it for a moment
Page 141 and 142:
- 135 - and Axel Rex delightful. Bu
Page 143 and 144:
- 137 - critics have made her, and
Page 145 and 146:
- 139 - not record images of the sy
Page 147 and 148:
- 141 - ous hallucination" (287). 6
Page 149 and 150:
- 143 - No hereafter is acceptable
Page 151 and 152:
- 145 - be possible for him to be t
Page 153 and 154:
- 147 - and it is also appropriate
Page 155 and 156:
- 149 - But Humbert's view of Lolit
Page 157 and 158:
- 151 - the truth of the theory dev
Page 159 and 160:
- 153 - part of it. Even with the i
Page 161 and 162:
- 155 - THE REAL LIFE OF SEBASTIAN
Page 163 and 164:
- 157. - consistent set of characte
Page 165 and 166:
- 159 - gathered from various sourc
Page 167 and 168:
- 161 - a very close one, and it se
Page 169 and 170:
- 163 - tiously follows all the mov
Page 171 and 172:
- 165 - go about it), behaving as i
Page 173 and 174:
- 167 - infinite trouble what he co
Page 175 and 176:
- 169 - What were the things that r
Page 177 and 178:
- 171 share", as a good biographer
Page 179 and 180:
- 173 - seems to him too colourless
Page 181 and 182:
175 - parody of what Stegner calls
Page 183 and 184:
- 177 - that lead to it, he is sing
Page 185 and 186:
- 179 - the time during which he li
Page 187 and 188:
- 181 - France. He is tormented by
Page 189 and 190:
- 183 - on the last page of the nov
Page 191 and 192:
- 185 - what he wants to find, that
Page 193 and 194:
- 187 - would not see him. Somewhat
Page 195 and 196:
- 189 - he falls back on passages f
Page 197 and 198:
- 191 - ticism as one possible way
Page 199 and 200:
- 193 - The passages betray not onl
Page 201 and 202:
- 195 - This "mental jerk" grants k
Page 203 and 204:
- 197 - clear, and the harmony and
Page 205 and 206:
- 199 - initiated the insight. In l
Page 207 and 208:
- 201 - himself, and in it V appear
Page 209 and 210:
- 203 - novels of Sebastian Knight,
Page 211 and 212:
- 205 - All those that knew Sebasti
Page 213 and 214:
- 207 - in his opinion not have for
Page 215 and 216:
- 209 - others as his remoteness an
Page 217 and 218:
- 210 - THEDEFENCE R. H. W. Dillard
Page 219 and 220:
- 212 - his own future, and it beco
Page 221 and 222:
- 214 - Unlike Shade, however, Luzh
Page 223 and 224:
- 216 - has recognized as the basic
Page 225 and 226:
- 218 - The sensitive reader dislik
Page 227 and 228:
- 220 - The individual parts have p
Page 229 and 230:
- 222 - for the overall comic effec
Page 231 and 232:
- 224 - Americans of today. "24 He
Page 233 and 234:
- 226 - learn anything, to wrap it
Page 235 and 236:
- 228 - exhausted. Kinbote uses it
Page 237 and 238:
- 230 - (24-25). He talks about how
Page 239 and 240:
- 232 - "Parents" (1,71), "my bedro
Page 241 and 242:
- 234 - commentary, and they also o
Page 243 and 244:
- 236 - forbidden knowledge of whic
Page 245 and 246:
- 238 - than he thought it was46: B
Page 247 and 248:
- 240 - following the road of its r
Page 249 and 250:
- 242 - actually sees Kinbote, lose
Page 251 and 252:
- 244 - emerges that the man whom h
Page 253 and 254:
- 246 - sions, shows that even the
Page 255 and 256:
- 248 - superficially is about. He
Page 257 and 258:
- 250 - "really" Kinbote who has wr
Page 259 and 260:
- 252 - standing' of the poem do no
Page 261 and 262:
- 254 - Shade mentions a famous fil
Page 263 and 264:
- 256 - is left-handed (180) and he
Page 265 and 266:
- 258 - The sea's a thief, whose li
Page 267 and 268:
- 260 - much a person even on the l
Page 269 and 270:
- 262 - In the relationship between
Page 271 and 272:
- 264 - even for his own death. It
Page 273 and 274:
- 266 - TRANSPARENT THINGS An old N
Page 275 and 276:
- 268 - the name as if it were simp
Page 277 and 278:
- 270- Armande that has brought him
Page 279 and 280:
- 272 - a conscious effort. Things
Page 281 and 282:
- 274 - intention either to convey
Page 283 and 284:
- 276 - past with utmost precision
Page 285 and 286:
- 278 - Hugh Person ignores a vague
Page 287 and 288:
- 280 - the wall which in his wakin
Page 289 and 290:
- 282 - thus opening the view into
Page 291 and 292:
- 284 - tain moments he positively
Page 293 and 294:
- 286 - We thought that he had in h
Page 295 and 296:
- 288 - The thought throws more lig
Page 297 and 298:
- 290 - That Nabokov does consider
Page 299 and 300:
- 292 - which strangely prefigures
Page 301 and 302:
- 294 - become no doubt a new bible
Page 303 and 304:
- 296 - It probably is Mr. R. 's ph
Page 305 and 306:
- 298 - DESPAIR Despair1, though wr
Page 307 and 308:
- 300 - rendering a certain sound t
Page 309 and 310:
- 302 - I have grown much too used
Page 311 and 312:
- 304 - dimensions of artistic crea
Page 313 and 314:
- 306 - when he starts writing his
Page 315 and 316:
- 308 - in its capability of photog
Page 317 and 318:
- 310- next morning, none would bel
Page 319 and 320:
- 312 - To the end, then, he remain
Page 321 and 322:
- 314 - tangible double of himself,
Page 323 and 324:
- 316 - this attack of his second s
Page 325 and 326:
- 318 - ... the ruddy horror of my
Page 327 and 328:
- 320 - only a limited number of su
Page 329 and 330:
- 321 - BENDSINISTER INVITATIONTOAB
Page 331 and 332:
- 323 - the Dark Comedies of the Tw
Page 333 and 334:
- 325 - and that one has first to p
Page 335 and 336:
- 327 - the absurd fate he himself
Page 337 and 338:
- 329 - perhaps in some archaic let
Page 339 and 340:
- 331 - this fantasy with bits of L
Page 341 and 342:
- 333 - in the solution it offers.
Page 343 and 344:
- 335 - no more than the strange an
Page 345 and 346:
- 337 - clown (IB, 104-105). And th
Page 347 and 348:
- 339 - of the original still shine
Page 349 and 350:
- 341 - each of them. There is Mart
Page 351 and 352:
- 343 - "cleared his throat and sof
Page 353 and 354:
- 345 - and then perhaps we shall s
Page 355 and 356:
- 347 - our own world , and with it
Page 357 and 358:
- 349 - the river we see him fishin
Page 359 and 360:
- 351 - inspired by a picture on wh
Page 361 and 362:
- 353 - do not conceal them must di
Page 363 and 364:
- 355 - also the only one who can i
Page 365 and 366:
- 357 - (IB, 26) and only his doubl
Page 367 and 368:
- 359 - Cincinnatus no longer what
Page 369 and 370:
- 361 - He speculates about time in
Page 371 and 372:
- 363 - ADA Ada1 has more than any
Page 373 and 374:
- 365 - combine to form the surface
Page 375 and 376:
- 367 - ... a string of stock scene
Page 377 and 378:
- 369 - more confusing by the great
Page 379 and 380:
- 371 - of aspens; they embraced,..
Page 381 and 382:
- 373 - aux caprices de son age. «
Page 383 and 384:
- 375 - pipes into "borborygmic con
Page 385 and 386:
- 377 - Swann et la Lesbie de Catul
Page 387 and 388:
- 379 - in quite a new light and de
Page 389 and 390:
- 381 - of a comic strip cartoon [1
Page 391 and 392:
- 383 - and van's divans and cushio
Page 393 and 394:
- 385 - ernized barracks for misfit
Page 395 and 396:
- 387 - (385). Van himself is calle
Page 397 and 398:
- 38-9 - "Don't forget normal adult
Page 399 and 400:
- 391 - Ada have an equally profoun
Page 401 and 402:
- 393 - her, and telling himself "t
Page 403 and 404:
- 395 - agents from an alien countr
Page 405 and 406:
- 397 -. - cribed by Aristophanes i
Page 407 and 408:
- 399 - stored in their minds, of a
Page 409 and 410:
- 401 - Since nature was traditiona
Page 411 and 412:
- 403 and the Present. Like his cre
Page 413 and 414:
- 405 - way one may wish and try to
Page 415 and 416:
- 407 - liberated from "Numbers and
Page 417 and 418:
- 409 - his own memory of the Past,
Page 419 and 420:
- 411 - only meet again after twelv
Page 421 and 422:
- 413 - and Present are blended by
Page 423 and 424:
- 415 - of his publications as "buo
Page 425 and 426:
- 417 - tion. Pain and physical dea
Page 427 and 428:
- 418 - LOOKATTHEHARLEQUINS! "Look
Page 429 and 430:
- 420 - minor minds, and such vital
Page 431 and 432:
- 422 - Ada also appear in it: some
Page 433 and 434:
- 424 - he himself seems puzzled. I
Page 435 and 436:
- 426 - obvious anyway, is undersco
Page 437 and 438:
- 428 - intimately interwoven with
Page 439 and 440:
- 430 - ture of the author, one may
Page 441 and 442:
- 432 - was) I have gained some exp
Page 443 and 444:
Notes Bibliography
Page 445 and 446:
- 435 - 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Page 447 and 448:
- 437 - 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76
Page 449 and 450:
- 439 - 111 112 113 114 115 116 Nor
Page 451 and 452:
- 441 - N0TES to THEEYE 1 Vladimir
Page 453 and 454:
- 443 - 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Page 455 and 456:
- 445 - N0TES to LOLITA and LAUGHTE
Page 457 and 458:
- 447 - 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Vladim
Page 459 and 460:
- 449 - 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91
Page 461 and 462:
- 451 - 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Page 463 and 464:
- 453 - 60 61 62 63 Vladimir Naboko
Page 465 and 466:
-. 455 - N0TESt0PALEFIRE 1 2 3 4 5
Page 467 and 468:
- 457 - 27 Andrew Field, Nabokov, H
Page 469 and 470:
- 459 - 56 57 58 59 60 Ibid., p. 72
Page 471 and 472:
- 461 - NOTESTOTRANSPARENTTHINGS 1
Page 473 and 474:
- 463 - NOTES to DESPAIR 1 . Vladim
Page 475 and 476:
- 465 - N0TES to BEND SINISTER and
Page 477 and 478:
- 467 - 38 G. M. Hyde, Vladimir Nab
Page 479 and 480:
- 469 - 24 25 26 27 28 29 Vladimir
Page 481 and 482:
- 471 - 71 Op. cit., pp. 147-148. 7
Page 483 and 484:
BIBL10GRAPHY I. Primary Sources 1.
Page 485 and 486:
- 474 - Nabokov, Vladimir, Pale Fir
Page 487 and 488:
- 476 - "Vladimir Nabokov on His Li
Page 489 and 490:
-- 478 - II. Reference Bryer, Jacks
Page 491 and 492:
- 480 - Stuart, Dabney, Nabokov, Th
Page 493 and 494:
- 482 - Dembo, L. S., "Vladimir Nab
Page 495 and 496:
- 484 - Hyman, Stanley Edgar, "The
Page 497 and 498:
- 48ti-. - (Autumn, 1968), pp. 655-
Page 499 and 500:
- 488 - Arbor, 1974), pp. 70-83. Sk
Page 501 and 502:
- 490 - Heidsieck, Arnold, Das Grot
Page 503:
- 492 - Shelston, Alan, Biography,
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