Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0002031, Sun, 20 Apr 1997 15:20:38 -0700

Subject
Dmitri Nabokov on GENDER, CENSOR, CULPRIT (fwd)
Date
Body
From: Sandy Pallot Klein <taxi@flinet.com>


PLEASE POST ON NABOKV-L


SUBJECT: GENDER, CENSOR, CULPRIT



SORRY, BUT WHEN YOU READ NABOKOV, IT'S A QUESTION OF GENIUS, NOT

GENDER. OF COURSE YOU CAN TRY A DISMAL REWRITE "FROM THE GIRLS'

VIEWPOINT," LIKE MISS PEAR'S. THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES, AMONG OTHER

THINGS, LACK OF GENIUS. I DOUBT IF MANY HAVE STRUGGLED THROUGH TO THE

END OF HER 360+ PAGES IN THE ONE VENUE WHERE SHE GOT AWAY WITH THE

INFRINGEMENT, ALTHOUGH HER OPUS WAS THE SUBJECT OF SEVERAL COMICAL POEMS.


AS FOR THOSE PICKETING WITH REAL OR FIGURATIVE PLACARDS, THEY CAN CARRY

ON, SECURE IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE GOOSE-STEPPING IN UNISON WITH

THE PC - - HANDY ITALIAN INITIALS FOR _PARTITO COMUNISTA_ - - OF A

REPRESSIVE RUSSIAN BACKWATER. ALBEE'S SQUALID SQUITTEROO HAS LITTLE TO

DO WITH NABOKOV'S NOVEL AND MERITS LITTLE DEFENSE, BUT IN ONE SENSE THE

PRINCIPLE IS THE SAME: IMPOSING ON OTHERS ONE'S OWN NOTION OF WHAT SHOULD

BE SEEN OR READ.


AND IF WE WANT TO TALK PERVERTS, I'D GIVE HIGH BILLING TO A PARENT OF ANY

SEX WHO SCRATCHES SOME PERSONAL ITCH BY DOLLYING AN INNOCENT INFANT IN THE

WOLF'S MAKEUP OF WHORE FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY.


DN