Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0022920, Tue, 5 Jun 2012 17:28:44 -0700

Subject
Re: Dr Kinbote and Mr Shade
Date
Body
Thank you, Alexey, of course! this is looking-glass world. Shade is
always "Mr" and Kinbote is always "Dr." I had forgotten that reversal.
Now if you can come up with an instance in which Shade is "Dr" (and he
is entitled to be, isn't he?) and/or one in which Kinbote is "Mr" -
then you'll have gotten me and I shall have to throw myself under a
bus or something.

It didn't occur to me at the time, but having now watched innumerable
episodes of "Doc Martin" - I now know that for British physicians, the
higher calling of the surgeon is graced with the honorific "Mr" and
the lowly G.P. is "Dr" - but in the US, normally "Dr" is considered
the superior form of address, at least in the academic context. I do
not know what the situation was at the time RLS penned Dr J and Mr H,
but I can try to find out. Shall keep you posted.

Carolyn


On Jun 5, 2012, at 7:34 AM, Alexey Sklyarenko wrote:

CK: in PF Shade is always 'Dr' and Kinbote is always 'Mr'

This is not quite true:

Kinbote: "Wives, Mr Shade, are forgetful." (Foreword)

Sybil Shade: "You are Dr Kinbote, aren't you?" (Ibid.)

Alexey Sklyarenko
Google Search the archive Contact the Editors Visit "Nabokov Online
Journal" Visit Zembla View Nabokv-L Policies Manage subscription
options Visit AdaOnline View NSJ Ada Annotations Temporary L-Soft
Search the archive
All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.



Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en

Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com

Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/








Attachment