Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0010940, Wed, 19 Jan 2005 17:36:09 -0800

Subject
orchids & ADA
Date
Body
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello" <jansy@aetern.us>
To: "don barton johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 4:16 AM
Subject: Fw: Message


> Dear Don, why did you stop mailing my messages to the List?
>
> Here are excerpts of my exchange with Carolyn:
> Jansy: If the butterfly orchid were an Ada... the link with Armenia would
> point to
> the other Ada in Anatolia, would it not?
>
> CK: Let me see if I understand. Let's assume that the Butterfly Orchis is
> in
> fact an Ada orchid. It comes from the Villa Armina, possibly referring to
> Armenia. Therefore VN may be referring to Ada of Anatolia. OK. But what
> comes of that?
>
> Jansy: then there would be little doubt that VN was stressing his
> knowledge
> about Queen "Ada" in Halicarnassus. That´s how I see at the moment the
> meaning of "Armenia" in VN´s text. .
>
> CK: But - - so what? What would be the point? We're still missing a few
> pieces of the puzzle.
>
> Jansy:
> VN is not political in his writing. Why would he write about Armenia in
> Ada
> ( or as extensively in Pnin, as Boyd has pointed out to you ) if not to
> refer to something else?
> A royal drama with grandiose and almost forgotten queens and kings would
> have fascinated VN, not only because it bears a link with Russian
> domination, tiranny and incestuous plots, but because it is so little
> known. It would serve him nicely for his hide and seek games.
> Anatolia could have served as an inspiration for Zembla, somehow ( I´t
> have
> to find time to re-read Kinbote) and the Ada orchid could be an important
> link to VN´s fictive kingdoms, if neatly followed.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "L-Soft list server at UC Santa Barbara (1.8d)"
> <LISTSERV@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> To: <jansy@AETERN.US>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 5:03 PM
> Subject: Message ("Your message dated Tue, 18 Jan 2005 18:00:16...")
>
>
>> Your message dated Tue, 18 Jan 2005 18:00:16 -0300 with subject "Fw: ada
>> orchid" has been submitted to the moderators of the NABOKV-L list.
>>
>>
>
>