For Jansy: 

 

1) I was nitpicking (correctly): a demonstration is one thing, an analogy another. The second might be appropriate in the context, while the first is not, for the B-knot "proves"  nothing other than its own feasibility.

 

2) I was nitpicking (half-correctly): although it would appear poor Lacan was never awarded an "s" (see, for example, "Jaque" Lacan at the J.L. Organisation's home page), I do find the sibilant in some reference works. Mea culpa. The amputation had no more profound significance.

 

3)The quote, to the best of my knowledge, is appropriate but anon. The words that were omitted are: "et en [de conneries] avoir dit beaucoup, diront certains de ses 'amis' et collègues."   He spoke, to wit, of "'le désir de faire reconnaitre son désir', et dont le phallus et l'objet et le signifiant essentiels," and was fond of such locutions as "the dialectics of intersubjectivity,"  whatever the hell that means. As one might expect, he was a Marxist and a  proponent of "a return to Freud."   
 

Best, DN 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello

To: don barton johnson

Sent: Monday, December 20, 2004 5:06 AM

Subject: Fw: Fw: Beau Romeo/Borromeo/Moore in TT

 

Dear Dmitri

 

Summer vacations and their distractions must be preying on my mind because I could not understand your comment about the Borromeo's  coat of arms and my own musings concerning the importance of keeping in mind the separateness of VN´s  blended creations ( Hugh/Romeo/Mr.R/Adam von Librikov/ X  or  Armande/Julia/Juliet) and their author. 

 

I also thought that  the idea of political alliances between three separate families, one which doesn´t menace each family´s autonomy ( as it also works in the "United States", with the image of the stars in the flag  ) was very nicely illustrated by the figure of the Borromeo knot.  

In the borromean knot the rings are weaved in such a way that they never lock by forming a closed pair. Any ring that breaks, loosens the chain.  Every ring is the third that connects the other two. No math is needed for that! The rest is with expert topologists...

 

I didn´t understand why you cut off the "s" of Jacques Lacan´s name: are you blending his name into the various Jake and Jack that court Armande? Wherefrom is the quote? 

 

I was sincerely amazed at Vladimir Nabokov´s expert knowledge about the Moore Paradox, Wittgenstein and Beau Romeo and how he aptly included allusions to them in TT without burdening the reader with lots of philosophy or topology!

 

Greetings,

Jansy

----- Original Message -----

From: D. Barton Johnson

To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU

Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2004 12:40 AM

Subject: Fw: Beau Romeo/Borromeo/Moore in TT

 

----- Original Message -----

From: nabokov

To: 'D. Barton Johnson'

Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 3:29 PM

Subject: FW: Beau Romeo/Borromeo/Moore in TT

Dear Don,

 

Comment for Jansy:

 

Sorry to disagree with the connection you wish to make. Not even a complex disquisition on the analogies between this ancient concept and aspects of mathematics, physics, chemistry, theology, Jacque [no "s"] Lacan's* psychoanalytic theorizing, Dr. Musing's paramystical musings, Via Conservatorio in Milan, Ballantine's beer, or the Borromeo family tree would "demonstrate" how three persons can be interlocked without "loosing" or losing their identities. It might express another kewt analogy perhaps, but certainly not a demonstration (conclusive evidence, proof).

 

Best, DN

 

____________________________________________________________________

*"Si quelqu'un est un spécialiste de la connerie, pour l'avoir beaucoup étudiée...c'est bien Jacque Lacan."

 

From: Donald B. Johnson [mailto:chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 12:28 PM
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: Fw: Beau Romeo/Borromeo/Moore in TT

Mailing Booromeo again

----- Original Message -----

From: Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello

To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum

Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 8:26 AM

Subject: Beau Romeo/Borromeo/Moore in TT

Dear Don and List

 

I had already mentioned the Borromean knot ( with which I got acquainted through psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan´s theories ) in connection to Beau Romeo and a geographical site. 
After I discovered Wittgenstein´s reaction to the "Moore Paradox" and its marvellous fit in "Transparent Things", I concluded that some of VN´s "obscure jokes in Tralatitions" were more intertwined with "real math" than I´d originally thought.  
It might be important then to post a quick reference to the borromean knot´s non-interlocking loops and add its representation. Not only for those able to deal with topology and mathematics, but also because yesterday I had written about the "shifting characters blending into each other" ( Mr. R, Von Librikov, Hugh, Romeo, VN -  Armande, Julia, Juliet) and here it is demonstrated how three persons ( 3P ) can be interlocked without loosing their identity. 

Jansy

 

Borromean Knot

Three loops are tangled together but no pair is linked. This appeared on the Borromeo family crest of the Italian Renaissance. No two rings are actually interlocked. Each maintains its identity.