10/24 The Poem + Lolita

The Poem

Here is my stab at deciphering the poetry of Nabokov.
So far themes I have picked up from the poem itself are:

the mirror: doubles, doubling
human and animal metaphors
metaphors of transformation
psychoanalysis
otherworldliness

Nabokov describes "the poem" as something thats different that "plain prose" the same way a nymphette is different than a young girl.
The poetry comes from "heights unknown", which gives off the theme of heavenly, otherworldly powers that provide the inspiration for the poetry, or the poetry to the poet, Lolita is often seen as otherworldly, a nymphette is categorized as a different species.
There are creature references : "leopards of words", "leaflike insects", "eye spotted birds", all things that are not what they seem, that can alter their appearances. Lolita is often described as a creature, and HH often refers to himself as a beast, or various animals.
"fuse and form" are used in the poem, and HH often describes his interactions with L as their fusing into one, their connection.
"mimetic" is also used in the poem, and we are aware of all the various doubles in Lolita (HH and Quilty, Annabel and Lolita, etc)

Nabokov uses the word "cacodemons" in the poem, which means both an evil spirit from the latin root, or in psychology its a form of insanity in which the patient believes they are possessed by an evil spirit. It is also used in Shakespeare's Richard III Act 1 Sc 3 when Queen Margaret calls Richard a cacodemon for his foul deeds and manipulations
 this related well to Lolita, HH is possessed by the powers of the nymphette, as well as by the powers of his addiction. At times he believes Lolita is possessed by a demon when she disobeys him or acts like a regular young teen.
the words "carnal pain" are used directly after "cacodemon", physical sexual needs and desires, which seem to control HH, and like Richard III cause him to do foul deeds and manipulations

10/22 Lolita- Themes and Winston's Lolita and The Dangers of Fiction

I have been thinking of writing about the themes of Eden and Romantic literary tones/themes/figures such as nature, doubles/doppelgängers, and magic/fantasy in Lolita. Nabokov is constantly discussing nature and gardens in the novel, and even in the descriptions of the Enchanted Hunters are nature references that circle back to these themes. The theme of Eden brings up topics of good, evil, temptation, and the devil, which I find apply to many of the themes of Romantic Literature- I will expand on this in a moment. Book 1 and Book 2 of Lolita seem to be pre-apple and post- apple in their tone and in Humbert's view of himself and Lolita. The nymphette is both the temptation for Humbert and later on the evil that destroys him. The writing changes from light, flowery, confessions of enchantment to resentment, disgust, and trouble. (Link to Eden story from bible: http://www.bartleby.com/108/01/3.html )

Romantic literature often discusses the ideas of the double, or the doppelgänger, which symbolize death and bad luck. Humbert often describes Quilty as his double, and in the end needs to destroy him. Aside from Humbert and Quilty, Lolita is the double of Annabel, and almost everyone is a double. The doubles can never exist in the same space, they must be destroyed, and seeing as how Humbert and Quilty are the same, it leads to Humbert's self destruction. I drew a parallel between the 2 part story of Confessions of a Justified Sinner, and Lolita, (Link to Confessions: http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/p/Prada-Leopard-Print-Mini-Crossbody-Bag/prod93710035/ ) which can be referenced in full in the link. Both have untrustworthy narrators, as well as a 2 part structure that are completely different in tone. In Confessions, Robert and Gil-Martin are one and the same, aka Humbert and Quilty, Both Robert and Humbert are searching for their missing halves, to Robert this is acceptance from his brother George and his father the Laird, to Humbert this is his nymphette's love. But Robert cannot get this half back, and in order to deal with the sins he has done he creates the character of Gil-Martin, aka the devil, and projects all his sins onto him, long story short when he kills Gil-Martin, he is really killing himself and this is the same in Humbert and Quilty. Humbert projects his failings and his desires onto Quilty, and when he goes to murder Quilty he is really murdering his failures, his wishes, his sins, himself. More to come on this comparison as I explore the subject further.

I found Winston's Lolita and the Dangers of Fiction article to match with some of the ideas I am trying to work with. Winston describes Humbert as this kind of Jekyll and Hyde character, the writer and the criminal, a double personality, which is exactly what I am trying to communicate through my topic. Throughout the novel Humbert is trying to control his various sides/characters and has trouble keeping them all in check while maintaining a smooth exterior. Winston also discusses Humbert's need to draw literary parallels to whatever situation he is in at the moment, which also ties into my exploration of fantasy and doubles. Winston discusses Humbert's need to immortalize his nymphettes and himself in his writing, and in doing so he creates many versions, Anabel, Lolita, Charlotte, his own self: John Ray, Humbert, the many variations of Humbert - the hummer, the european, the american, the father, the lover, etc- and finally as Quilty. By forcing himself or obsessing over being the same as other literary figures, Humbert denies reality, and therefore feels less guilt, or no guilt, about his actions, about destroying Lolita's life.

Still organizing my thoughts on the theme but this is the gist so far.