Hello Jansy,
Monday, May 9, 2011, 5:00:21 AM, you wrote:
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My interpretations do not allow me to link "The Defense" to a "sui-mate". Since those who made such a connection are chess-experts or mathematicians, I must obviously be seeing things the wrong way. Right now I feel that I cannot discern any pattern at all. Can anyone help????
Should Turati have trapped Luzhin to defeat him by checkmating the white king, the entire plot would be an echo of the tragedy that befell Oedipus. I don't think that Nabokov would have planned that! Besides, I found nowhere a reference to sui-mate except as a problem (when it makes no difference which side is checkmated) |
I’m not a “chess-expert” and not a “mathematician”, and my pninian English is very poor:). But I have a real solution of the chess problem (and composition of the novel as a whole). As I suppose it’s a first real solution of the Nabokov’s novel- riddle. Key-article on the novel “Luzhin Defense” was published in 1999. Key words – allegory Luzhin as a Black chess Knight. And plot of the chess problem (Luzhin Defence) and novel as whole based on a sacrifice of the Black Knight. ((Luzhin in the novel as a rule plays Black) And Luzhin Defence is a Gambit.
In detail that my solution presented in these articles:
A chess secret of the novel «The Defense». (new perusal of the novel)
http://sersak.chat.ru/index.htm
Chronological structure of the novel of V. Nabokov «The Defense».
http://sersak.chat.ru/Chronology.htm
Chess party Anderssen - Kieseritsky, London, 1851 in structure of the
novel «The Defense»"
http://sersak.chat.ru/appendix.htm
Chess-psychological problems of the novel «The Defense».
http://sersak.chat.ru/PsihoDefense.htm
L. Carroll and F. Dostoevsky in the novel “The Defense”. Thematic tradition.
http://sersak.chat.ru/Defense%20Problems.htm
Sorry. All is only on Russian.
And philosophical part (yet unpublished) of the interpretation, now is half in mind, half in drafts.
The problem of «suicide, or rather suimate» as a chess-psychology allegorical phenomenon considering in psychology article “Chess-psychological problems of the novel «The Defense»”.
Extraction from it is here.
Insane Luzhin of the last chapter is personification of the sacrificial Black Knight.
He’s afraid death, he’s seek salvation, escape from author of “Luzhin Defense” (and as a chess problem (author himself), and as a novel (author VN)). His solution’s method, his quest based on repetition of the chess move. Hi’s need in that moves, he’s provoking every next move, but every next move make him nearer to sacrificial death.
Consequently he’s quest salvation (from threat that exists only in his mad mind) turn out “suimate” actions, final result of which become «suicide”. And final scene is a exactly fulfillment “Luzhin Defense”, a sacrifice of the Black Knight.
That is essence of problem, full evidence and investigation of which occupied about two hundred pages.
There is really marvelous pattern of novel composition. It is really opening new horizon of senses.
Sergey Sakoun
All private editorial communications, without exception, are read by both co-editors.
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Best regards,
Svs79 mailto:svs79@mail.ru