Alexandra Berlina - Universität Erfurt, American Literature, Post-Doc Nabokov's Ada in Brodsky's "Sextet" a short article on a hidden allusion
NABOKOV’S ADA IN BRODSKY’S‘SEXTET’ [‘KVINTET’ (‘Sextet’ in self-translation)]
"…The first three parts introduce a travelling protagonist suffering from misanthropy and ennui. The first stanza of part IV presents a seemingly unconnected panorama:
Where’s that?’ —asks, smoothing down a lock,the nephew. And, her fingers wandering along mountain folds,‘Here,’ —says the niece. Swings creak softlyin the old garden. On the table, a bouquetof violets. The sun’s blinding the parquet.From the drawing room, resound passages of a cello.(interlinear translation) …this stanza refers to Nabokov’s Ada or Ardor: a Family Chronicle ….The details fit both in the original and the self-translation, which is astonishingly close in form and semantics (down to four out of six rhyme words). Ada deals with the incestuous relationship of alleged cousins who are in reality brother and sister. They are often referred to as ‘nephew’ and ‘niece’ (in regard to their parents, instead of ‘son’ and ‘daughter’). The mansion where they meet has an old garden (part 9 in Ada / line 3 in ‘Kvintet/Sextet IV’), a parquet floor (part 11 / lines 5–6), a sunny drawing room or music room (part 16/ line 6) and creaking swings (part 34 / line 4).Ada collects violets which she uses as food for larvae (part 9 / lines 4–5)…"
Cf.Academia.edu Weekly Digest