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Re: Nabokov and Twelve-Year-Old Girls ...
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Ed Allen had a cassette recording of VN reading the passage from *Lolita *in
which Humbert murders Quilty that brought that part of the book to life in
a very special way for me (and I also found it hilarious) the first time I
heard it many years ago, despite its description by others as being a
"dramatically flat reading." Of course with modern technology, it is
generally available, and I now have an mp3 copy, but this and other VN
readings may be heard and/or downloaded here:
http://www.dinosaurgardens.com/archives/245
On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 4:29 PM, R S Gwynn <Rsgwynn1@cs.com> wrote:
> In a message dated 2/24/2012 9:29:36 AM Central Standard Time,
> STADLEN@AOL.COM writes:
>
>
> How can Humbert's so-called "redemption" entail his going straight off to
> commit his filthy murder, in which not he but another is Clearly Guilty --
> both of child-sex-crime and his own murder? I am using Nabokov's own
> adjective: "There is no rhetorical link between a filthy murderer
> [Raskolnikov], and this unfortunate girl [Sonya]." (Lectures in Russian
> Literature, 1981, p. 110.) Nabokov was clear-sighted, not sentimental --
> or, at least, much more clear-sighted than sentimental. His summing-up of
> Humbert was: "a vain and cruel wretch who manages to appear ' touching '
> ''. (Strong Opinions, 1973, p. 84.) And: "Both [Hermann and Humbert] are
> neurotic scoundrels, yet there is a green lane in Paradise where Humbert is
> permitted to wander at dusk once a year; but Hell shall never parole
> Hermann." (Preface to Despair, 1965.) So a fraction of one-365th or -366th
> "redemption" is all that is granted Humbert by his creator, ten years on.
>
>
>
> Anthony Stadlen
>
>
>
> Isn't Quilty guilty (sorry) of the same crimes as Humbert, or worse? Even
> Lo eventually finds C. Q. a little too creepy and abandons him. I don't
> know that I'd call the murder of Quilty "filthy" or even most foul and
> unnatural--as these things go. I'm not sure that I quite understand your
> initial question. Frankly, I'd find it easier to shoot Frank Langella than
> Peter Sellars, if a choice had to be made. I think a one-day parole is
> fair enough for H. H.
>
> RSG
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>
> ****All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
>
--
Norky
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which Humbert murders Quilty that brought that part of the book to life in
a very special way for me (and I also found it hilarious) the first time I
heard it many years ago, despite its description by others as being a
"dramatically flat reading." Of course with modern technology, it is
generally available, and I now have an mp3 copy, but this and other VN
readings may be heard and/or downloaded here:
http://www.dinosaurgardens.com/archives/245
On Fri, Feb 24, 2012 at 4:29 PM, R S Gwynn <Rsgwynn1@cs.com> wrote:
> In a message dated 2/24/2012 9:29:36 AM Central Standard Time,
> STADLEN@AOL.COM writes:
>
>
> How can Humbert's so-called "redemption" entail his going straight off to
> commit his filthy murder, in which not he but another is Clearly Guilty --
> both of child-sex-crime and his own murder? I am using Nabokov's own
> adjective: "There is no rhetorical link between a filthy murderer
> [Raskolnikov], and this unfortunate girl [Sonya]." (Lectures in Russian
> Literature, 1981, p. 110.) Nabokov was clear-sighted, not sentimental --
> or, at least, much more clear-sighted than sentimental. His summing-up of
> Humbert was: "a vain and cruel wretch who manages to appear ' touching '
> ''. (Strong Opinions, 1973, p. 84.) And: "Both [Hermann and Humbert] are
> neurotic scoundrels, yet there is a green lane in Paradise where Humbert is
> permitted to wander at dusk once a year; but Hell shall never parole
> Hermann." (Preface to Despair, 1965.) So a fraction of one-365th or -366th
> "redemption" is all that is granted Humbert by his creator, ten years on.
>
>
>
> Anthony Stadlen
>
>
>
> Isn't Quilty guilty (sorry) of the same crimes as Humbert, or worse? Even
> Lo eventually finds C. Q. a little too creepy and abandons him. I don't
> know that I'd call the murder of Quilty "filthy" or even most foul and
> unnatural--as these things go. I'm not sure that I quite understand your
> initial question. Frankly, I'd find it easier to shoot Frank Langella than
> Peter Sellars, if a choice had to be made. I think a one-day parole is
> fair enough for H. H.
>
> RSG
> Google 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/%7Esblackwe/EDNote.htm> Manage
> subscription options <http://listserv.ucsb.edu/> Visit AdaOnline<http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/> View
> NSJ Ada Annotations <http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html> Temporary
> L-Soft Search the archive<https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L&X=58B9943B29972AFF64&Y=nabokv-l%40utk.edu>
>
> ****All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
>
--
Norky
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/