Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0016161, Tue, 8 Apr 2008 16:27:21 -0400

Subject
THOUGHTS / BIB: Cosmology in PF
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Jansy asked:
"Might Nabokov have somehow indicated his authorial place ( at the
zenith?) by a peculiar geometrical arrangement of sun, moon and orbiting
planet?"

MR: I believe that Gerard deVries has made this precise argument--that the
three main characters are represented by Earth, Sun, and Moon, and
together they become Nabokov. This occurs on the evening of Shade's
assassination, which deVries has shown was a full moon (but alas, not an
eclipse).

I hope I have not misrepresented Gerard's theory, which I think is at
least partly explained here:

de Vries, Gerard: "Fanning the Poet's Fire: Some Remarks on Nabokov's Pale
Fire." Russian Literature TriQuarterly (Ann Arbor, MI), 24, 1991, pp. 239-
270.

Matt Roth

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