JM: Lucette has been variously represented
as "crucified" or as a "sacrificial lamb," this is why
Alexey's emphasis on "ewe" and the
Evangelists brought to my mind a particular butterfly and a painting, "The
Hireling Shepherd" [...] At least once Van
describes Lucette as Ophelia ( in a letter to Ada and Andrew after her death by
water): "I know
the unsoundness of speculations as to whether Ophelia would not hove drowned
herself after all...even if she had married her Voltemand... In other more
deeply moral worlds than this pellet of muck, there might exist restraints,
principles, transcendental consolations, and even a certain pride in making
happy someone one does not really love; but on this planet Lucettes are
doomed."
JM: On
second thoughts...( perhaps someone can lead me to works where the questions
below are studied in depth?)
When
Van writes about his half-sister's death to Ada and Andrew Vinelander, the
context of his comment on "on this planet Lucettes are doomed" has an
edge to it: did Ada marry Vinelander out of pity, thereby
depriving Van of his only true
love?
Why are
there references to Ophelia ( & coupled to Voltemand) associating not only
Lucette, but also Ada, perhaps Marina, to her?
Why are
there frequent mentions to Elsinore and Voltemand, a simple
"one-entry" courtier? Why Van's chosen pseudonym, for "Letters from Terra"
is Voltemand (or Mandalatov)?
Voltemand's appearance is linked to Prince Hamlet's madness and Gertrud's
oedipal theory [ Claudius. He
(Polonius) tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found /The head and source
of all your son's distemper./ Gertrude. I doubt it is no other but the
main,/His father's death and our o'erhasty marriage] and Polonius'
hypothesis about Ophelia and Hamlet.
Who is
this unloved Ophelia & what does she represent to
Nabokov, considering her presence in other novels?