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Fwd: Laura & Beatrice
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----- Forwarded message from chaiselongue@earthlink.net -----
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 21:24:41 -0800
From: Carolyn Kunin <chaiselongue@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: Carolyn Kunin <chaiselongue@earthlink.net>
Subject: Whose Laura?!
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
Sorry but this has been nagging away at me for a few days, shouldn't it be
Dante
& Beatrice (Beatrice Portinari 1266-90 the inspiration for the Divina
Commedia)
not Laura?
Unless he was two-timing her on the side!
Kind regards,
John
Dear John,
You're absolutely right - - of course I should have said Petrarch's Laura.
I made a jump and then forgot to draw the bridge. The link started with
Nabokov's "Laura" and his peacocks, thence to Dante & his appearance as a
peacock in a dream reported by Petrarch and finally to Petrarch's Laura. A
circular argument, I admit, but it might be what VN had in mind. I suspected
Dante had something to do with it because of the family link to Dante's
friend and patron/saviour Can Grande. Alexey found the re-inforcing link to
Eugene Onegin.
Anyway, Beatrice remains sacred, I assure you!
thanks for kind regards,
Carolyn
----- End forwarded message -----