I didn't mean to imply that the statements were identical.  That said, the remarks in Strong Opinions tend to be quite thoughtful.  In any event, they're both a little beside the point of "allegory as a literary mode" (as Nabokov is clearly not thinking of works like the Divine Comedy or the Faerie Queene).




Leland de la Durantaye
Gardner Cowles Associate Professor of English
Department of English 
Harvard University
Barker Center
12 Quincy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
phone: (617) 496 4904
fax: (617) 496 8737



On Nov 24, 2008, at 4:01 PM, james studdard wrote:

Leland:  These two references to allegory was made in entirely two different settings.  The "ignore allegory" was proposed in an interview, while "detest symbols, etc." was uttered in a thoughtful afterword to Lolita. Context might have every thing to do with the admonition.  Just a thought.

From: Leland de la Durantaye <deladur@FAS.HARVARD.EDU>
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 2:40:48 PM
Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] VN on allegory?

A few places spring to mind.  One is Strong Opinions where he says to "Ignore allegories" (66).  The afterword to Lolita has "I detest symbols and allegories."   In Brian Boyd's biography there is a letter quoted concerning Invitation where he says something similar (Russian Years, 419).  I give a little (incomplete) list of such remarks in Style is Matter (115 ff.).  

Best,
Leland



Leland de la Durantaye
Gardner Cowles Associate Professor of English
Department of English 
Harvard University
Barker Center
12 Quincy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
phone: (617) 496 4904
fax: (617) 496 8737



On Nov 20, 2008, at 10:17 PM, R S Gwynn wrote:

I recall reading some dismissive remarks that VN made about allegory as a literary mode, but I can't recall where.  Does anyone remember where this was?  Probably in the Lectures on Literature, but I just can't remember in what context he said these remarks.

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Search the archive Contact the Editors Visit "Nabokov Online Journal"
Visit Zembla View Nabokv-L Policies Manage subscription options

All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both co-editors.