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ENGL291:THEAMERICANNOVELSINCE1945
Lecture6GuestLecturebyAndrewGoldstone[January30,2008]

Chapter1.DefiningLiteraryModernism[00:00:00]

ProfessorAmyHungerford:TodayitismyverygreatprivilegeandpleasuretointroduceAndrew
Goldstone,aTFinthiscourse.Andrewisgoingtoprovideforyoutodaytheonlyreliefyouwillgetallterm
frommyvoice,soenjoyit!OnthesyllabusitsaysthatIwouldbepresentingalectureoncensorshipinthis
slot.

AndrewGoldstone:That'sbeensuppressed,actually.

ProfessorAmyHungerford:It'sbeensuppressed.That'sright.

So,IwilltalkaboutcensorshipsomewhatinmylastlectureonLolita,andinpreparationforthat,fornext
weekI'dlikeyoutofinishthenovelandthenreadhisessay,"OnaNovelEntitledLolita."Itshouldbebound
atthebackofyourbook.AndrewisafourthyearstudentinthePh.D.programinEnglish,andheiswriting
adissertationontheautonomyoftheworkofartinmodernism:onthatasaproblem,onthatasasubjectto
bequestionedandunderstoodinadeeperwaythanithasbeenupuntilnow.It'sawonderfuldissertation.It
prepareshimverywellforthelecturehe'sgoingtogiveyoutoday.So:Andrew.

AndrewGoldstone:Thanks,Amy.So,onMondaywehadthreemainthemesthatwereusedtointroduce
thisnoveltoyou.Firstistheideathatthenovelinvitesethicalquestionsbutalsoholdsthemoffthrough
parodyinthesamewaythatitusesthetropesofromanticismandromanticloveandparodiesthem.
Secondly,welookedatHumbert'stechniquesofrhetoricalseductionandrelatedthattoakindofintellectual
problemthatNabokovsetshimselfoftryingtomakeyouidentifywiththisvillainouscharacter.Andthat
leadstothethirdbigquestionwelookedat,whichistheplaceofNabokovinthisnovelamidstthemany
layers,whetherhecrossesthemorconfusesthem.Andthat'sthequestionthatI'mmostlygoingtofocuson
today.I'mgoingtobrackettheethicalquestion,leavethatforMonday'slecture,andthewayIwantto
approachthisquestionofthestyleinthenovelandthequestionofaestheticismisbyplacingNabokovinthe
contextofliterarymodernism.So,I'mgoingtooutlineforyoualittlebitwhatImeanbythatterm,andthen
I'mgoingtolookatsomespecificpredecessorsthatNabokovrefersto,andthewayheusesthem.Andthen,
attheveryend,I'mgoingtotrytoconnectthattoNabokov'sexileandthethemesofexile.

So,let'sstartwithanexample.Ifyoulookonpage15,Humbertdescribeshisadolescence,hiseducation:
AtfirstIplannedtotakeadegreeinpsychiatryasmanymanqutalentsdobutIwasevenmoremanquthanthata
peculiarexhaustionIamsooppressed,doctorsetin,andIswitchedtoEnglishliterature,wheresomanyfrustrated
poetsendaspipesmokingteachersintweeds.[Well,that'swhyI'mingraduateschool!]Parissuitedme.Idiscussed
Sovietmovieswithexpatriates.IsatwithuranistsintheDeuxMagots.Ipublishedtortuousessaysinobscurejournals.I
composedpastiches:[Humbert'spoem]:"FrauleinvonKulpmayturnherhanduponthedoor./Iwillnotfollowher./Nor
Fresca./Nor/thatGull."

So,thisisaspoofofapoembyT.S.EliotwhichI'vegivenyouapieceofonyourhandout,solet'slookatthat
forasecond,Eliot's1920poem,Gerontion.I'mjustgoingtoreadalittlebitofthissothatyouhavetheflavor
ofthethingthatNabokovisburlesquing:
 HereIam,anoldmaninadrymonth,
Beingreadtobyaboy,waitingforrain.
Iwasneitheratthehotgates
Norfoughtinthewarmrain
Norkneedeepinthesaltmarsh,heavingacutlass,
Bittenbyflies,fought.
Myhouseisadecayedhouse.

Andthepoemgoeson,andthisisthetoneofapoem.It'sapoemofcrisis,apoemofakindofhollow
speaker,someonewhoemergesas,moreorless,buriedalive.Andthisissupposedtoreflectbothpersonal
crisisandahistoricalcrisis.Anditcomestoamomentwherethepossibilityofrejuvenationisdescribedas
devouredbyaseriesofcaricaturesofEuropeans,andthat'sthissecondpartonyourhandout,thepeoplethat
devourrejuvenation.So:
ByHakagawa,bowingamongtheTitians
ByMadamedeTornquist,inthedarkroom
ShiftingthecandlesFruleinvonKulp[Theresheis]
Whoturnedinthehall,onehandonthedoor.Vacantshuttles
Weavethewind.Ihavenoghosts,
Anoldmaninadraughtyhouse
Underawindyknob.

WhatinEliotiscrisis,inNabokovisjustajoke.Inotherwords,theseterrifyingfiguresinEliotFraulein
vonKulparejustsomeofHumbert'snymphets.AfrauleinisjustayoungwomanFresca,anotherEliot
character:thefreshwoman,right,ayoungwomanagain.So,IcalledthisaburlesqueofEliot'smodernism.
Ittakessomethingmeanttobereallyserious,andturnsitintoadirtyjoke.Andthat'sthefirstwayNabokov
willrelatetoliterarymodernism.

That'squiteinteresting,thathetakesthisapproach,becauseEliotinsomewayscomesveryclosetothekind
ofideasaboutartthatNabokovhimselfholds.Eliotsayspoemsshouldbeautotelic.Thatmeanstheyshould
beanenduntothemselves.Nabokovwillsayinthatafterwordyou'regoingtoread,"thenovelhasasitsonly
purposetoaffordaestheticbliss."So,theparodyisofsomethingveryclosetohome.AndthispoemthatI've
givenyouwillcomebackonpage134.Youdon'thavetoturntothatnow,butyoushouldthinkaboutthat
return.It'smuchmoreseriousandstrange.Okay.Sothat'senoughonEliot.

NowIwanttoreallyclarifyforyouwhatImeanbythisterm"modernism."Itjustmeanstheartand
literatureoftheearlytwentiethcentury,especiallythe"highart,"althoughitsrootsaredefinitelyinthe
nineteenthcentury,especiallytheFrenchnineteenthcentury,fictionandpoetry.InEnglishitbeginswith
thelatenovelsofHenryJamesaround1900,inpoetrywithEliotandwithEzraPound.Inproseitsmain
exemplarsinEnglishwouldbeJamesJoyce,VirginiaWoolf.Andyoushouldknowaboutthismovement
thatithadveryrapidsuccess.So,althoughitsfirstcentersareLondonandParis,it'salreadytaughtas
classicliteratureinAmericanuniversitiesbeforethewarit'salreadyclassic.

So,now,here'sjustalistforyou:eightfeaturesofliterarymodernismthatareallimportanttoNabokov.
Eightfeaturesofliterarymodernism:Anobsessionwiththeideaofart'sautonomy,theideathatartisits
ownlaw,thatitrespondstonootherlaws,thatithasnootherpurposethanitsownpurposes.Inother
words,artforart'ssake.That'sEliot'sautotelicpoem.Theonlypurposeoftheworkofartistoafford
aestheticbliss.Second,asenseofcrisis,aradicalbreakinculture,anoverturningofconventionalartistic
formsthatgoeswithasensethatcivilizationitselfisbeingoverturned.Third,theideathattheparadigmof
experienceisartisticexperience,thatthenormsforeveryoneshouldbeartisticnormsofcarefulperception,
deepreflection,thattheideathatcultureitselfisthesaving,mostimportantactivitythatpeoplecanengage
in.Fourthandthisgoesalongwiththatarejectionofconvention,especiallysexualconvention,sexual
morality,andthat'stheobviousconnectiontothisbook,theverydeeprootsofmodernism.However,atthe
sametimethere'sanideathattheartistisakindoftechnician,someonewhosevaluesarecraft,formand
styleratherthanmessage,personalexpressionorwisdomofanykind.Sixth,thisisatermfromthecritic
JosephFrank:spatialform,theideathatinplaceofalinearnarrativeyouhaveasystemofcrossreferences
andrepeatedmotifsthatgivethestructureofworks.Inplacethatisonlyvisible,inotherwordsonrereading,
onlyvisibleonrereading.

Andthen,thisanticipatesmylastpoints:Modernismisselfconsciouslyinternational.Inotherwords,it
willlooktointernationaltraditionandhasasitsambitiontobeaculturenotjustforonenationbutfor
many,maybeforall.Itgoesalongwiththiseighthcharacteristicthat'simportant:theartistisseenasakind
ofspiritualexile,someonewhoisalienatedfromahomesocietyandahomeculture,whetherornotheor
shehasactuallyleftit,asNabokovdid.SothisiswhatImeanbyInternationalHighModernism.You
shouldaddtothislistofwritersespeciallyFaulknerandHemingway,andyoushouldrememberthatthere's
aparallelAmericantradition,therealisttraditionthatwesawRichardWrightreferringto:thatisTheodore
Dreiser,SinclairLewis,andthengoingbacktothenineteenthcentury,writerslikeMarkTwain.Ihada
teacherwhousedtocompareLolitatoHuckFinn.TheyaretwonovelsabouttravelingacrossAmericaand
anunconventionalcouple.Right?

Chapter2.TheKnight'sMove:NabokovonTraditionandOriginality[00:10:01]

So,anyway.Okay.Butnow,thatmodernisttraditionissomethingthatNabokovowesalotto,buthealways
triestodistinguishhimselffromit.ForNabokov,thehighestvalueisoriginality.Hesaysthisinhislast
Russiannovel,TheGift.Or,hedoesn'tsayithisautobiographicalherosaysit:"Anygenuinelynewtrendin
artisaknight'smove,achangeofshadows,ashiftthatdisplacesthemirror."Okay.Anygenuinelynew
trendisaknight'smove.Ijustremindyou,inchesstheknightdoesn'tmoveinastraightline.Itstartsoutin
astraightlineandthenithopsoffonadiagonal.Unlikeanyotherpiece,itskipsoverpiecesintheway.So
theknight,farfromgoingonastraightcourse,surprisesyou.Youmightthinkofwalkinginhereexpecting
ProfessorHungerfordoncensorshipandgettingmeinstead.ButthisisaveryimportantideaforNabokov
bothasawayoftreatingpredecessorsandasawayofwriting.AndIwanttoshowyouthatwayofwriting
veryearlyinthebookonpage10now.Let'stakealookatthat.Thisisatthetopofthepage:
Myveryphotogenicmotherdiedinafreakaccident(picnic,lightning)whenIwasthree,and,saveforapocketofwarmth
inthedarkestpast,nothingofhersubsistswithinthehollowsanddellsofmemory,overwhich,ifyoucanstillstandmy
style(Iamwritingunderobservation),thesunofmyinfancyhadset:

Okay.Sothisisaknight'smove:fromtraumaticeventofthemother'sdeathshouldbethecenterofthe
sentenceit'sjustdismissedhoppedbeyondintothisstylisticwash,agoldenhaze.Andhegoesonto
describethesensationsofearlychildhood.So,thestrategyoftheknight'smoveistofrustrateyour
expectations,toleapovertheapparentlyimportanteventsintosomethingelsecharacterizedbyakindof
aestheticplay,andtheseparenthesesarearealiconofthat.Acritichascounted450setsoftheminthis
novel,theparentheses,animportantexampleoftheknight'smove.

AndIwanttoshowyouanotherkindofknight'smove,andtodothatI'mgoingtotalkjustforamoment
aboutNabokov'srelationshiptotheFrenchwriter,Proust.Proustisthegreataestheticistofmodernism,the
novelistwhowritesaboutart,whoholdsupartasavalue,aswellasgivingatheoryofmemorymemories
areimportantinLolitathatreallycomesfromProustatheoryofmemorythathasalottodowiththework
oftheartist.Nabokov,in1966hesaidthis:"Thegreatestmasterpiecesoftwentiethcenturyprose"thisis
convenienttakethisdown"are,inthisorder:Joyce'sUlysses,Kafka'sTransformation"thatis,The
Metamorphosis"Bely'sSt.Petersburg,"aprettyobscureRussianavantgardenovel,"andthefirsthalfof
Proust'sfairytale,InSearchofLostTime."I'mnotsurethefairytaleshouldremindyouofthatfirstmeeting
betweenHumbertandLolitathatwelookedatonMonday,describedinfairytaleterms.Butactually,the
thingIwanttothinkaboutisacrudepunthere,a"fairy"tale.Proustishimselfgay.Oneofhisbigsubjectsis
homosexuality,andNabokov'sreactiontothisisreallyhomophobic.ThisisnotjustaboutNabokov's
personalprejudice.It'saboutarelationshiptopredecessorswhoareseenastoosimilar.

ThedangerforNabokovrememberthathisvalueisoriginalitythedangeristhathewillfalltooinlove
withsomethingtoolikehimself.Hehastoholdoffthispossibilityofbeingtooattractedtothesemale
predecessorswhoaretoosimilartohim.Thisshouldcueyoutothinkaboutthethemeofdoublinginthis
novel,tothinkaboutthepossibilityofdesirebetweenmenhere,tothinkabouttheword"queer,"the
treatmentofGastonGodin,thatfunnyFrenchcharacterinBeardsley,tothinkaboutHumbert'sconstant
protestationsthathe'sattractivetoallwomen,abouthissupposedvirility.Anditshouldjustmakeyou
wonderwhetherpedophiliaisinitselfakindofknight'smovefromhomosexuality.Inotherwords,isthere
anotherformofperverteddesirehidingbehindtheonethat'sinfrontofus?Justasuggestion:lookonpage
20,stillinHumbert'searlylife,nearthebottom:

IthappenedforinstancethatfrommybalconyIwouldnoticealightedwindowacrossthestreetandwhatlookedlikea
nymphetintheactofundressingbeforeacooperativemirror.Thusisolated,thusremoved,thevisionacquiredan
especiallykeencharmthatmademeracewithallspeedtowardmylonegratification.

So,wehaveakindofimagethereoftheautonomousaestheticpleasure,right,thepleasureofimagination
that'stakenalone,accordingtoone'sownthoughtsratherthaninsomebroader,moresocialform.
Butabruptly,fiendishly,thetenderpatternofnudityIhadadoredwouldbetransformedintothedisgustinglamplitbare
armofamaninhisunderclothesreadinghispaperbytheopenwindowinthehot,damp,hopelesssummernight.

So,theobjectofthiswonderfulaestheticreverie,thenymphet,turnsouttobeanadultmale.AndIjustwant
youtoaskyourselfwhythatcouldbe.

Chapter3.TheInfluenceofJoyce[00:15:56]

But,Nabokov'srelationshiptothismodernistpastisnotjusttheburlesquethathevisitsonEliot,isnotjust
thiscomplicatedattractionanddisidentificationthatheworksonwithProust.Anelementofadmirationis
alsopresent,andthat'sreallypartofhisrelationshiptoJoyce.RememberthathenamesJoyceasthe
greatestmasteroftwentiethcenturyprose.I'mjustgoingtonameforyoufourfeaturesofJoyce'sstylethat
areimportanttoNabokov:stylisticvirtuosity,theabilitytoimitateanystyleatthesametime,ascrupulous
attentiontothebanalityofeverydaylifeandallitsdetailyet,thethirdcharacteristic,theconstantuseofa
superimposedstructure.So,inUlysses,famously,JoyceputsthenarrativeoftheOdysseyontopofadayin
Dublin,orinJoyce'searliernovel,APortraitoftheArtistasaYoungMan,alinearnarrativeinwhicha
youngboygrowsupisstructuredasaseriesofstructurallyparalleledchaptersinwhichmomentsineach
onecorrespondtotheonesinsuccessivechapters.Andthiscomeswithakindofsuggestionthatthatbanal
realityisredeemedbytheartist'sactivity.Fourthly,Joycelovespuns.SodoesNabokov.Thisisincredibly
important,andthere'sadirectglanceatthatjustaheadofwhereyouread,sodon'tturnhere.Idon'twantto
spoilwhat'scomingup,butonpage221thereisareferencetodon'tlook,don'tlooktoawriternamed
VivianDarkbloomplagiarizingfromJoyceVivianDarkbloomyourememberfromMonday.That'sthe
anagramofVladimirNabokov,soit'sanexplicitrecognition.Andthethingthat'sbeingplagiarized,I've
actuallygivenyouonthehandout.It'salittlepieceofFinnegansWake,whichisJoyce'sworkinwhich
almosteverywordisapun.I'lljustreadyouasentenceofthissoyouknowwhatit'slike:"Saythemallbut
tellthemapart,cadenzandocoloratura!RisRubrettaandAisArancia,YisforYillaandNforgreeneriN.B
isBoybluewithodalisqueOwhileWwatersthefleurettesofnovembrance."Andthatspellsout"rainbow."
Right.

TheimportantthinghereisthatNabokovacknowledgesthisdebttoJoyceasnotjustaparody,butareal
debt.AndsonowIwanttothinkatmorelengthaboutanotherJoyceallusionwhichshowshowcomplicated
therelationshiptohispredecessoris.And,withEliot,IreadtheNabokovianversionfirst.ThistimeI'llgive
youtheJoycefirst.SothisisonyourhandoutaswellfromChapter2.Thisdescribesthehero,Stephen
Dedalus,asayoungboytryingtowriteapoem.Andeventuallyinthenovelhewillsucceedinwritinga
poem,butherehedoesn'tmanageto.Andso,thisisakindofforecastofwhatwillhappenlateron.The
furthercomplicationisthatherehe'swritingapoemandthenheremembersanearlierattemptthatlayering
ofmemory,andthatkindoflayering,isactuallyaprototypeforthelayeringinLolita:

Thenextdayhesatathistableinthebareupperroomformanyhours.Beforehimlayanewpen,anewbottleofinkand
anewemeraldexercise.[Skipalittle.]Onthefirstlineofthepageappearedthetitleoftheverseshewastryingto
write:"ToEC."HeknewitwasrighttobeginsoforhehadseensimilartitlesinthecollectedpoemsofLordByron.
Whenhehadwrittenthistitleanddrawnanornamentallineunderneath,hefellintoadaydreamandbegantodraw
diagramsonthecoverofthebook.HesawhimselfsittingathistableinBraythemorningafterthediscussionatthe
Christmasdinnertable,tryingtowriteapoemaboutParnellonthebackofoneofhisfather'ssecondmoietynotices.But
hisbrainhadthenrefusedtograpplewiththethemeand,desisting,hehadcoveredthepagewiththenamesand
addressesofcertainofhisclassmates:RoderickKickham,JohnLawton,AnthonyMacSweeney,SimonMoonan.

TheversionofthisthatcomesupinthenovelisinthemidstofHumbert'sdiary,andthediaryitself,Ishould
say,owesalottoJoyce.AndI'vegivenyouapieceofthatdiarytolookatonyourownonthehandout.But
thisisthemomentthatdirectlyalludestoPortrait,andit'sreallyveryimportantforunderstanding
Nabokov'stechnique.So,page51,nearthebottom:

Thursday:Wearepayingwithhailandgaleforthetropicalbeginningofthemonth.Inavolumeofthe
YoungPeople'sEncyclopediaIfoundamapoftheStatesthatachild'spencilhadstartedcopyingoutona
sheetoflightweightpaper,upontheothersideofwhich,countertotheunfinishedoutlineofFloridaandthe
Gulf,therewasamimeographedlistofnamesreferring,evidently,toherclassattheRamsdaleSchool.

AndIthinkofthatfrontandbackofthepageasanotherkindofknight'smove.Youthinkyou'relookingat
onething,andyoulandonanother.
ItisapoemIknowalreadybyheart:
Angel,Grace
Austin,Floyd
Beal,Jack
Beal,Mary
Buck,Daniel[andsoonI'llcomebacktothislist,actuallyjustskiptothebottomonpage52]Talbot,Edgar
Talbot,Edwin
Wayne,Lull,[alullinthebook,right?]
Williams,Ralph
Windmuller,Louise
Apoem,apoemforsooth!SostrangeandsweetwasittodiscoverthisHazeDolores:she,initsspecialbowerofnames
withitsbodyguardofroses,afairyprincessbetweenhertwomaidsofhonor.

That'sthefairytaleagain.InawaythisisjustliketheJoyce.Alistofnamesleadsuptothisaesthetic
sensation,therevelationofapoem.Theordinarymaterialsoflifebecomethebasisforakindofartistic
achievement.However,obviouslythisisnotliketheJoyce,wherethereisarealisticdepictionofayoungboy
tryingtowrite,gettingboredandfailing.Heresomethingelseishappening,becausethelistofnamesisnot
ordinary.Right.Thereisthatbowerofroses.ThatreferstoMaryRoseHamiltonHaze,DoloresHanek,
Rosaline.Andthenthere'sEmileRosadoandCarmineRosearedroseAngel,Gracereally!Stella
Fantasia.Andtheneventheordinarynamesarekindofplants,becausealmosteverynameonthislist
comesbackelsewhereinthebook.Youcouldlook,forexample,forLouiseWindmullerorVivianMcCrystal.
Andthen,rightinthemiddle(oh,andthenwehaveShakespearetoo:MirandaAnthony,MirandaViola)
andrightinthemiddleyouhaveakindofexplanationplanted:McCoo,VirginiaMcCrystal,VivianMcFate
Aubrey.

McFate,whichasyouknowissomethingHumbertgetskindofobsessedwith,istheiconofthedifference
betweentherealisticworldofJoyceandthealreadyartificial,alreadyaestheticizedworldofthisnovel.No
onewaseverreallynamedMcFate.McFateisakindofparodyofrealrandomness.Youmightthinkofitas
havingthesamerelationtorealfateasChickenMcNuggetsdotochicken.Inotherwords,youmightthink
ofitasakindofartificial,processed,bland,easilyconsumableversionoffate.Ireallymeanthat.Oneofthe
funnythingsaboutthatdebttoFinnegansWakeis,FinnegansWakeasabookofpunsisunreadable.
Nobodyreadsitexceptspecialistslikeme.Lolitawasabestseller.Nabokovmadesomuchmoneyfromithe
wasabletoretiretoSwitzerland.Andyoushouldaskyourselfwhataboutthisnovelmakesthatpossible
whyisthat,thatyouhavethisMcNuggetversionofthemodernistnovel?AndIdon'treallymeanthatto
disparagethenovel,butitmakesitclearthatthere'ssomekindofdifferencebetweenthisandtheworksthat
Nabokovislookingbackto.IwanttothinkalittlebitmoreaboutthisideaofaMcFate.

ThereisakindofshortcircuitbetweentheJoyceanideaoftakingordinarylifeandtransformingitintoan
aestheticorder,becausetheordinaryisalreadyaestheticinthebook.Inotherwords,chanceisalreadyfated.
Thethingthatstandsforrandomnessinthisbook,thethingthatlookslikeordinarydetail,hasalreadybeen
arrangedtogiveyouartisticpleasure.That'swhyHumbertcanbeinstantlydelightedinthelistofnames.
Thisdoesn'tlookforwardtoHumbert'spoemitalreadyisapoemanditisapoemtothecrazed,aroused
mindofHumbert.So,theartificialhastakentheplaceoftherealhere,andthisnovelreallyremindsyouof
thatallthetime.On84,Humbert'sthinkingofkillingCharlotte,andhesays,"Nomancanbringaboutthe
perfectmurder.Chance,however,candoit."Chancecandoit,andofcoursetheperfectmurderdoeshappen.
CharlotteHazediesasifbyatotalaccident,butwe'reawarethattheaccidentissoperfectthatitwas
arranged.So,thisisthe,kindof,handofNabokov,takinganarrativeofrealeventsandtwistingitinto
somethingthatmakesakindofsense,takingfateandmakingitMcFate.

AndIwanttoshowyouonemoreexampleofthat,inthescenewhereHumbertandLolitahavereachedthe
hotel,theEnchantedHunter.Thisisonpage118nearthebottom."Intheslow,clearhandofcrime,Iwrote
'Dr.EdgarH.Humbertanddaughter,342LawnStreet,Ramsdale.'Akey,342,washalfshowntome,
magicianshowingobjectheisabouttopalmandhanditovertoUncleTom."Thecoincidencenormally,in
reallife,itwouldbeadelightfulcoincidencetogotoahotelroomthathasthesamenumberasyourstreet
addresshereit'sakindoftooeasyiconofthecorrespondencebetweentheplacewhereHumbertmeets
Lolitaandtheplacewhereherapesher.Andthebookjusttellsyouthat,right,inoneofthoseparentheses
"themagicianshowingtheobjectheisabouttopalm"theordinaryeventwhichisreallytrickery,a
suggestionthatnothinghasbeenlefttochanceinthenovelnothingisordinary.

Chapter4.ReadingNabokovasanExile[00:27:35]

Now,asIcometomylastsectionhere,whatIwanttosuggestisthatthiskindoftransformationof
arbitrary,realfatedeventsintoconspicuouslyartificialtricks(whichyoumightthinkofaknight'smoveon
thereal:fateMcFate)isaresponseinparticulartoexile,inparticulartoNabokov'sconditionofexile.An
exile,livinginaforeigncountry,livesinakindofdenaturalizedworld,aworldwhere,insteadofeverything
makinginstantsenseeverythinghastobedecoded.Right.Nothingisinitiallyknowntomakesense
everythinghastobefiguredoutandreinvented.Inthatafterwordtothisbook,Nabokovsayshehadto
inventAmerica.That'sbecausehedidn'tknowitalreadyitwasn'tgiventohim.Now,inawaythisisa
terriblestate,astateofdiscontinuitywiththeworldyouexistin.Butithasapayoff,kindof,apayoffwhich
isthepossibilitypreciselyofinventing,andthisisvisibleeverywhereinthisbook.Oneexampleisthe
transformationofhousework.Thisisonpage179."Mywestdoorneighbor"westdoor"whomighthave
beenabusinessmanoracollegeteacher,orboth,wouldspeaktomeonceinawhileashebarberedsome
lategardenbloomsorwateredhiscar,or,atalaterdate,defrostedhisdriveway(Idon'tmindiftheseverbs
areallwrong)."Ofcourse,thepointisthatthey'reallwrong.

Thepointisthatthisclichdsuburbanlifeofmowingthelawn,washingthecarandsoonhasbeen
transformedpreciselybecauseHumbertisaforeignerintosomethingyoucanlaughat,somethingyoucan
enjoy,somethingthatyoucanapplytheknight'smoveto.Andthisis,evenacouplepagesbefore,explicitly
describedassomethingparticulartoforeigners.Because,youremember,GastonGodinsaysabouttheschool
thatLolita'sgoingtogoto,thegirlsaretaught"nottospellverywell,buttosmellverywell."AndHumbert
commentsthatit's"withaforeigner'sloveforsuchthings"theforeigner'sloveforthiskindofmoveisa
responsetothisdenaturalizedworldoftheexile.

It'simportant,inthisconnection,torememberthattheknight'smoveasawayofavoidingobstacles,in
particular,keepsskippingoverformsofviolence.Thereisthatmother'sdeathatthebeginning.Thereis
anothermomentinwhichHumbertistracinghishandalongLolita'slegandhediscoversabruisetherethat
he'dgivenheraccidentally.That'searlyoninthebook.Inotherwords,thissurpriseisaviolentsurprise.
Youcanevenlookatthementionofaknight'smoveinthisbook.That'spage192:

Oneofthelatticedsquaresinasmallcobwebbycasementwindowattheturnofthestaircasewasglazedwithruby,and
thatrawwoundamongtheunstainedrectanglesanditsasymmetricalpositionaknight'smovefromthetopalways
extremelydisturbedme.

Theknight'smovewhichisjustaplayfulwayofdescribingwherethewindowis,righttheknight'smove
isnonethelessakindofwoundordamage.So,evenasit'stheprototypefororiginality,it'salsosomething
verydisturbingandharmful.Andthatconjunction,Iwanttosuggest,thatconjunctionhastodowiththe
traumaticeventofhavinghadtoemigrate,havinghadtotakeupanotherlanguage.Nabokovwillsaythat
hisprivatetragedyisthat,let'ssee:

[His]privatetragedy,whichcannot,andindeedshouldnot,beanybody'sconcern,isthatIhadtoabandonmynatural
idiom,myuntrammeled,rich,andinfinitelydocileRussiantongueforasecondratebrandofEnglishdevoidofanyof
thoseapparatusesthebafflingmirror,theblackvelvetbackdrop,theimpliedassociationsandtraditionswhichthe
nativeillusionist,thefractailsflying,canmagicallyusetotranscendtheheritageinhisownway.

Here,beinginexilepreventsNabokovfrommakingthatknight'smove.Andyoumightthinkaboutthat
homophobicattitudetoaProustianpast,thefearthatit'stoolikewhathewantstodo.Butthemainpoint
heretothinkaboutisthatfeelingofdamage.Ontheotherhand,thecriticMichaelWoodhaspointedout
thatNabokovdidn'tloseRussian.Hedidn'tloseitonthewaywhilehewasridingtheboathedecidedto
stopwritinginit.AndWoodsaysthis:"Nabokovcouldappreciatelanguageitselfonlyafterhehadmade
himselflosealanguageandhadfoundanotherintheashesofhisloss."Akindofeconomy,abalance
betweenthelossofonelanguageandaparticularsetoftechniquesthatcomesinitsplace.

ThesetechniquesarereallyIthinkthesourceofthemostappealingwritinginthisbook,andsolet'slook
nowatoneofthoseevocationsoftheAmericanlandscapewhichIjustthinkmaybearetheclosestthebook
comesjusttopurebeauty.Onpage152oh,andbytheway,thisbookwaswrittenonroadtrips.Nabokov's
wife,Vera,drovehimonthousandsofmilesoftripsaroundthecountrywhilehewaswritingthisnoveland
huntingbutterflies,sothinkaboutthatbuthereis152,evocationofthelandscape:

Byaparadoxofpictorialthought,theaveragelowlandNorthAmericancountrysidehadatfirstseemedtomesomethingI
acceptedwithashockofamusedrecognition,becauseofthosepaintedoilclothswhichwereimportedfromAmericain
theolddaystobehungabovewashstandsincentralEuropeannurseries,andwhichfascinatedadrowsychildatbedtime
withtherusticgreenviewstheydepicted:opaque,curlytrees,abarn,cattle,abrook,thedullwhiteofvagueorchardsin
bloom,andperhapsastonefence,orhillsofgreenishgouache.

So,sofartheAmericanlandscapeisalreadyaworkofart,alreadypartofaEuropeanmemory.Then
somethingelsehappens:"Butgraduallythemodelsofthoseelementaryrusticitiesbecamestrangerand
strangertotheeye,thenearerIcametoknowthem.Beyondthetilledplain"inotherwords,thealready
workedover,domesticatedplain"beyondthetoyroofs,therewouldbeaslowsuffusionofinutileloveliness,
alowsuninaplatinumhazewithawarm,peeledpeachtingepervadingtheupperedgeofatwo
dimensional,dovegraycloudfusingwiththedistantamorousmist."

"Inutileloveliness"iskindofthekeywordofNabokov'stechnique,andhesaysthenovelhasasitsonly
purposetoprovideaestheticbliss.So,hereisinutilelovelinesscomingjustfromseeingthelandscapeasa
stranger.Humbertgoeson:
Theremightbealineofspacedtreessilhouettedagainstthehorizon,andhot,stillnoonsaboveawildernessofclover,
andClaudeLorraincloudsinscribedremotelyintomistyazurewithonlytheircumuluspartconspicuousagainstthe
neutralswoonofthebackground.Oragain,itmightbeasternElGrecohorizon,pregnantwithinkyrain,andapassing
glimpseofsomemummyneckedfarmer,andallaroundalternatingstripsofquicksilverishwaterandharshgreencorn,
thewholearrangementopeninglikeafan,somewhereinKansas.

So,aEuropeanartistactuallyappearsagainthere,withClaudeLorrain,butkindofmadestrange:giventhat
knight'smove,givenanewtwist.Soinsteadoffamiliar,incorporatedintothisprofoundlystrange,vast
landscapethatgetsHumbert'smostappealingrhetorictherhetoricofanexile.But,Idon'twantyouto
thinkthatthisjustmeanseverything'sokay.Ofcourse,everythingisnotokay.EvenHumbertwilltellusso.
Justafewpageslater,onpage175,hetalksabouthisjourney:

Wehadbeeneverywhere.Wehadreallyseennothing.AndIcatchmyselfthinkingtodaythatourlongjourneyhadonly
defiledwithasinuoustrailofslimethelovely,trustful,dreamy,enormouscountrythatbythen,inretrospect,wasno
moretousthanacollectionofdogearedmaps,ruinedtourbooks,oldtires,andhersobsinthenighteverynight,every
nightthemomentIfeignedsleep.

Wehavetopairthatwiththatotherevocationofthelandscapetoseethisalternateidea,thatactuallythis
distancedcrisscrossingofthelandscapecouldbedamaging.Thinkofthoseotherviolentknight'smoves,
likeskippingpastthemother'sdeath.Somehowthisisskippedpast,thatthesobsinthenight.There's
anotherversion,yetanotherversion,thatrelatesbacktothatfunnyfigureofGastonGodin.AndIspoke
aboutProustGastonGodinhasapictureofProustonhiswall,andinfact,hehaspicturesofallgreat
figuresofFrenchmodernismAndrGide,thedancerNijinskyallfiguresofthiskindofaestheticism,this
beliefinthepowerofart,andallgay,asGodinhimselfis.AndHumberthasakindofhatredforthat,which
hevoicesonpage173.Sorry,183:

Therehewas,devoidofanytalentwhatsoever,amediocreteacher,aworthlessscholar,aglum,repulsive,fat,oldinvert,
highlycontemptuousoftheAmericanwayoflife,triumphantlyignorantoftheEnglishlanguage.Therehewas,inpriggish
NewEngland[herearewe!]croonedoverbytheoldandcaressedbytheyoung,oh,havingagrandtimeandfooling
everybody,andherewasI.

AndthecontrasthereisbetweensomeonewhohasremainedtiedtothatEuropeanpast,remained
comfortablyalienatedandbythatverymeansbeenabletofitintosocietywithsomeonewhoisinamuch
moreambivalentposition,someonewho'stryingtobecomeanAmericanwriter,asNabokovsayshe'sdoing:
tryingtoinventAmerica,tryingtobridgethegapbetweenRussianandEnglish,butalwaysfindingthat
Englishisonlyakindofsecondbest.Andinfactit'smorethanthat:hetranslatedLolitabackintoRussian
lateron,andheaddedasecondafterwordwherehesaidthis:

ThatwondrousRussiantonguethat,itseemedtome,waswaitingformesomewhere,wasfloweringlikeafaithful
springtimebehindatightlylockedgatewhosekeyIhadheldinsafekeepingforsomanyyears,provedtobenonexistent.
Andthereisnothingbehindthegatebutcharredstumpsandahopelessautumnaldistance,andthekeyinmyhandis
morelikeaskeletonkey.

So,there'sakindoflostparadiseofEuropeanculturewhichhecan'tgetback,evenwiththisspectacular
effortinEnglish.So,thatsuggeststhatit'snotalltothegoodithasn'tbeensavedbytakingupthese
knight'smovetechniques,thedefamiliarizingtechniquesthere'sstillarecordofdamage.

Andso,I'mgoingtoendalittleearly,justthrowingoutananalogyforyou.Andit'sananalogythat
Nabokovhimselftriestodebunkcompletelyinthatafterword.So,youshouldbeskepticalofit,butthenyou
shouldalsoaskyourselfwhetheryoucanreallydocompletelywithoutit.MightitbethatNabokov'sown
relationshiptoAmericanculture,hisrelationshiptotheEnglishlanguagethathetransforms,islike
Humbert'srelationshiptoLolitathatis,mightitbethatit'sakindofkidnappingofanAmericaninnocent
byacosmopolitanEuropeanforhisownends,endswhichareseenasakindofperversion?That'sthat
elementofviolencethatkeepscomingback,thetrailofslimeacrossthisdreamoftransformingreality,in
thisJoyceanway,intosomethingsaved,thedreamofturningfate,thefateofadeadmotheror,in
Nabokov'sowncase,afatherkilledbyassassination,abrotherkilledinaconcentrationcampturningthat
intothisbeautifullyworkedout,playfulsystem,definedbypuns,andimages,andaspellofrhetoric.Inother
words,coulditbethatallofthismodernisttechniquethatHumbertsucceedsinputtingtohisownends
thatNabokovsucceedsinputtingtohisownendsisnotanunambiguousgood,butarecordofakindof
damage?

Now,onMondayyou'regoingtohearaboutthisnovel'sconfrontationwiththeideathatartcouldbesaving,
thatitcouldsomehowberedemptive,buthereIthinkisahintthatit'ssomethingthatthenovelsimply
laughsathollowly.Andyoumightthinkofonelastexample.allthesethingsI'vebeensayingaboutthe
delightinwordsisputinthemouthofthathorriblewoman,theheadmistressoftheBeardsleySchool,Miss
Pratt,onpage197.MissPrattsaystoHumbert,"I'malwaysfascinatedbytheadmirablewayforeigners,orat
leastnaturalizedAmericans,useourrichlanguage."Inotherwords,thattheaestheticdiscoveryofEnglish
issomethingthatjustkindoffitscomfortablyintothisprejudiceofthedullsuburbanAmerican.So,I'lljust
endtherewiththisthought,thisdoubt,aboutNabokov'sownuseofmodernisttechniqueinthisnovel,about
theemphasisontheaesthetichere:whetheritcouldbenotjustthattriumphoftheimaginationthat
Humbertseesinthelistofthenamesbutamarkofawoundthatcan'tbehealed.

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