Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0008635, Tue, 23 Sep 2003 16:44:15 -0700

Subject
Fw: Fw: souci d'eau & Lucette
Date
Body
EDNOTE. See my comment at bottom.

----- Original Message -----
From: "sZ" <keithsz@concentric.net>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 1:06 PM
>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (13
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> I just noticed that the association of Lucette with oriflammes also takes
us
> back to the imagery of Rimbaud's poem, 'Memoire' which is the context for
> the discussion of marsh marigolds:
>
> L'eau claire; comme le sel des larmes d'enfance,
> L'assaut au soleil des blancheurs des corps de femmes ;
> la soie, en foule et de lys pur, des oriflammes
> sous les murs dont quelque pucelle eut la défense ;
>
> 'Ménagez vos américanismes,' said the latter - and then opened his arms
wide
> in paternal welcome as guileless Lucette trotted into the room with a
child'
> s pink, stiff-bagged butterfly net in her little fist, like an oriflamme.
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EDCOMMENT. Quite right. I would add that "oriflamme" is etymologically
"auri" (golden) + "flame". The red silk banner is split at the outer edge
resembling flames flickering in the breeze as the troops ride horse-back.
The colors are those associated with "pour Elle" throughout ADA. Rimbaud's
"pucelle," I assume, is Joan of Arc.
Joan's personal standard (a tapered banner) was, however, white, with
lillies. Perhaps Lucette's butterfly net echoes this (or perhaps not). In
any case, Lucette is, like Joan, a grade-A martyr,
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