Subject
Re: Lolita: Nymphet? Or Larvalet?
From
Date
Body
HH describes nymphets as "magical creatures" and takes pains to describe
a sort of fantasy world in which only a "select" few can see them. I don't
think the answer lies in entomology or etymology, but rather in mythology.
also, aesthetically, "larvet" doesn't really have the same ring to it! i
think it would be a mistake to conflate N's personal and scientific pursuit
of lepidoptery with his artistic choices/intentions. to look at everything
in his books and try to find a logical connection to butterflies comes
dangerously close to the systematic symbolism he eschewed.
On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 8:38 PM, Robert H. Boyle <KatyaBelousBoyle@aol.com>wrote:
> No wish to bug Nabokovians, but a question in need of an answer.
>
> Why did Nabokov, a lepidopterist, call Lolita a nymphet?
> Lepidoptera do not have nymphs, they have larvae.
>
> Only ancient insects, primitive insects if you will, such as the
> Plecoptera (stoneflies) and the Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have
> nymphs.
>
> Should Lolita have been a larvalet instead of a nymphet?
>
> Or was VN thinking of Lolita as a damselfly and thus a nymphet?
> Please, a definitive entomological/etymological answer. Thank you,.
>
> RHB
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines<http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026>
> .
> Search the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en> Contact
> the Editors <nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit "Nabokov
> Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> View
> Nabokv-L Policies <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage
> subscription options <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/>
>
> All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both
> co-editors.
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: KatyaBelousBoyle@aol.com
> To: NABOKOV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 22:14:21 EST
> Subject: Nymphet? Or Larvalet?
> No wish to bug Nabokovians, but a question demanding an answer.
>
> Why did Nabokov, a lepidopterist, call Lolita a nymphet?
> Lepidoptera do not have nymphs, they have larvae.
>
> Only ancient insects, primitive insects if you will, such as the
> Plecoptera (stoneflies) and the Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have
> nymphs.
>
> Should Lolita have been a larvalet instead of a nymphet?
>
> Or was VN thinking of her, which I doubt, as a damselfly and thus
> a nymphet? Please, a definitive entomological/etymological answer.
>
> RHB
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines<http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026>
> .
> Search the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en> Contact
> the Editors <nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit "Nabokov
> Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> View
> Nabokv-L Policies <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage
> subscription options <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/>
>
> All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both
> co-editors.
>
>
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/
a sort of fantasy world in which only a "select" few can see them. I don't
think the answer lies in entomology or etymology, but rather in mythology.
also, aesthetically, "larvet" doesn't really have the same ring to it! i
think it would be a mistake to conflate N's personal and scientific pursuit
of lepidoptery with his artistic choices/intentions. to look at everything
in his books and try to find a logical connection to butterflies comes
dangerously close to the systematic symbolism he eschewed.
On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 8:38 PM, Robert H. Boyle <KatyaBelousBoyle@aol.com>wrote:
> No wish to bug Nabokovians, but a question in need of an answer.
>
> Why did Nabokov, a lepidopterist, call Lolita a nymphet?
> Lepidoptera do not have nymphs, they have larvae.
>
> Only ancient insects, primitive insects if you will, such as the
> Plecoptera (stoneflies) and the Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have
> nymphs.
>
> Should Lolita have been a larvalet instead of a nymphet?
>
> Or was VN thinking of Lolita as a damselfly and thus a nymphet?
> Please, a definitive entomological/etymological answer. Thank you,.
>
> RHB
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines<http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026>
> .
> Search the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en> Contact
> the Editors <nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit "Nabokov
> Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> View
> Nabokv-L Policies <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage
> subscription options <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/>
>
> All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both
> co-editors.
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: KatyaBelousBoyle@aol.com
> To: NABOKOV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 22:14:21 EST
> Subject: Nymphet? Or Larvalet?
> No wish to bug Nabokovians, but a question demanding an answer.
>
> Why did Nabokov, a lepidopterist, call Lolita a nymphet?
> Lepidoptera do not have nymphs, they have larvae.
>
> Only ancient insects, primitive insects if you will, such as the
> Plecoptera (stoneflies) and the Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have
> nymphs.
>
> Should Lolita have been a larvalet instead of a nymphet?
>
> Or was VN thinking of her, which I doubt, as a damselfly and thus
> a nymphet? Please, a definitive entomological/etymological answer.
>
> RHB
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines<http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026>
> .
> Search the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en> Contact
> the Editors <nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> Visit "Nabokov
> Online Journal" <http://www.nabokovonline.com> Visit Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> View
> Nabokv-L Policies <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage
> subscription options <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/>
>
> All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both
> co-editors.
>
>
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/