Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0011115, Sat, 26 Feb 2005 10:03:58 -0800

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Fw: Burnberries: Ardis/Burn & Bear/Russia
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----- Original Message -----
From: Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello
To: don barton johnson
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 8:54 PM
Subject: Burnberries: Ardis/Burn & Bear/Russia


Dear Don and List,

I don´t know if these links that take us from "Burnberries" to "Russia/Ardis" are too far-fetched, but I´ll risk it.

In Ada, ch.41 we find Trofim exclaiming " Barin, a Barin " and our narrator pointedly translates "Barin" as "master" ( while at the same time making a quick reference to Blanche and to Lucette, together with a warning about disaster and horror caused by what might "seep through" leather or woolies).

In German, Bärin, means bear, the female bear ( and bears, Urs are also connected to Lucette and, of course, to Rus/ Russia ).
The German word for berries ( "yagodami" ) is " Beeren" and that could help us to associate Bear/Bärin/Beeren/Berries.

Van writes one single line of poetry: " Ada, our ardors and arbors" and, of course, we remember "Ardelia" and "Ardis". Now, to burn, in latin, is "ardere"...

Greetings,
Jansy
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