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Fw: Fw: Salon article on Sergey Nabokov
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Date
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> From: Camille Scaysbrook <verona_beach@hotpop.com>
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (69 lines)
------------------
> Then, I am surprised that he got so little mention as to almost escape my
> notice - as I said, he is Nabokov's only extended and relatively rounded
> portrait of a homosexual man and I would have welcomed a more in-depth
> discussion of his character in relation to Nabokov's feelings about
Sergei.
> Surely he must, if only in the back of his mind, have been contemplating
the
> unhappy romances that had Sergei dismissed from school when he wrote of
> Kinbote's adolescent romance.
>
> Camille Scaysbrook
>
> > > Lev Grossman's article *does* mention Kinbote: "From the giggly
ballet
> > > dancers of Nabokov's first novel, 'Mary,' to the ghastly Gaston
Godin,
> > > Humbert Humbert's neighbor in 'Lolita,' TO THE EGOMANIACAL NARRATOR
OF
> > > 'PALE FIRE,' they are vain, silly, usually effeminate -- he uses the
> word
> > > 'mincing' a lot -- shallow, intellectually trivial and ineffectual,
and
> > > the narrator generally introduces them with a nudge and a wink and a
> > > snigger." The article also mentions Paduk: "...Nabokov's feelings
about
> > > his brother were never simple: In 'Bend Sinister' it's not the hero
> who's
> > > gay but the dictator who orders his death."
> > >
> > > I am sure the article will provoke strong feelings and opinions (the
> > > list discussions of the issue never fail to, after all). I personally
> > > found it to be well written, educational (it was great seeing
glimpses
> of
> > > Sergei's own letters), balanced, and thoughtful.
> > >
> > > Galya Diment
> > >
> > >
> > > On Fri, 19 May 2000, D. Barton Johnson wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: Camille Scaysbrook
> > > > To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 4:55 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: Salon article on Sergey Nabokov
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > The thing that puzzles me about this article is that it makes no
> > reference to Charles Kinbote who is (if we separate him from the `is he
> > Shade or is Shade Kinbote' controversy) the only gay narrator and main
> > character of any of Nabokov's books. There is something very sad and
> > touching about Kinbote's sexuality, the passage about the way he could
> love
> > his wife fully in dreams but not reality always sticks in my mind.
This,
> > and his adolescent romance with the dead prince are so touching as to
seem
> > difficult to reconcile with Nabokov's homophobic attitudes. Still, I
found
> > Sergei's story fascinating, and it certainly adds a new perspective for
me
> > on many of the young men `palely loitering' through Nabokov's prose.
> > > >
> > > > Camille Scaysbrook
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: D. Barton Johnson
> > > > To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> > > > Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2000 4:29 AM
> > > > Subject: Salon article on Sergey Nabokov
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > A piece on
> > > > Sergei Nabokov has just =ppeared in the online magazine Salon
today.
> > The URL is:
> > > >
> > > > =/FONT>
> > > >
> >
> From: Camille Scaysbrook <verona_beach@hotpop.com>
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (69 lines)
------------------
> Then, I am surprised that he got so little mention as to almost escape my
> notice - as I said, he is Nabokov's only extended and relatively rounded
> portrait of a homosexual man and I would have welcomed a more in-depth
> discussion of his character in relation to Nabokov's feelings about
Sergei.
> Surely he must, if only in the back of his mind, have been contemplating
the
> unhappy romances that had Sergei dismissed from school when he wrote of
> Kinbote's adolescent romance.
>
> Camille Scaysbrook
>
> > > Lev Grossman's article *does* mention Kinbote: "From the giggly
ballet
> > > dancers of Nabokov's first novel, 'Mary,' to the ghastly Gaston
Godin,
> > > Humbert Humbert's neighbor in 'Lolita,' TO THE EGOMANIACAL NARRATOR
OF
> > > 'PALE FIRE,' they are vain, silly, usually effeminate -- he uses the
> word
> > > 'mincing' a lot -- shallow, intellectually trivial and ineffectual,
and
> > > the narrator generally introduces them with a nudge and a wink and a
> > > snigger." The article also mentions Paduk: "...Nabokov's feelings
about
> > > his brother were never simple: In 'Bend Sinister' it's not the hero
> who's
> > > gay but the dictator who orders his death."
> > >
> > > I am sure the article will provoke strong feelings and opinions (the
> > > list discussions of the issue never fail to, after all). I personally
> > > found it to be well written, educational (it was great seeing
glimpses
> of
> > > Sergei's own letters), balanced, and thoughtful.
> > >
> > > Galya Diment
> > >
> > >
> > > On Fri, 19 May 2000, D. Barton Johnson wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: Camille Scaysbrook
> > > > To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 4:55 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: Salon article on Sergey Nabokov
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > The thing that puzzles me about this article is that it makes no
> > reference to Charles Kinbote who is (if we separate him from the `is he
> > Shade or is Shade Kinbote' controversy) the only gay narrator and main
> > character of any of Nabokov's books. There is something very sad and
> > touching about Kinbote's sexuality, the passage about the way he could
> love
> > his wife fully in dreams but not reality always sticks in my mind.
This,
> > and his adolescent romance with the dead prince are so touching as to
seem
> > difficult to reconcile with Nabokov's homophobic attitudes. Still, I
found
> > Sergei's story fascinating, and it certainly adds a new perspective for
me
> > on many of the young men `palely loitering' through Nabokov's prose.
> > > >
> > > > Camille Scaysbrook
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: D. Barton Johnson
> > > > To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> > > > Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2000 4:29 AM
> > > > Subject: Salon article on Sergey Nabokov
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > A piece on
> > > > Sergei Nabokov has just =ppeared in the online magazine Salon
today.
> > The URL is:
> > > >
> > > > =/FONT>
> > > >
> >