Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0005130, Wed, 31 May 2000 15:46:31 -0700

Subject
Dostoevskij Parallels (fwd)
Date
Body

From: thompson <thompson@deltafarms.com>

There seem to be many parallel scenes, and themes between Nabokov and
Dostoevskij. For example, in Lolita, is it by chance that Rodian
Ramanovitch Raskolnikov and Humbert Humbert are translators?

Krotkaia, Dostoevskij's Gentle Creature is the template for Nabokov's Arthur
who evolves into H.H. The character of Raskolnikov evolves from The Double
into a more complex form in Crime and Punishment. Is this character
development parallel for a reason? Does a copy of Nabokov's story of
Arthur still exist?

Even Gene Rodenberry seems to have played with the character H.H. In a Star
Trek episode the name changes from Humbert Humbert to Herbert Herbert, but
each symbolizes (although I know Nabokov found this literary device
distasteful) adult dominance over children. "Herbert, Herbert." Have other
TV shows or movies picked up on this theme?