Subject
Lolita Haze & Dolores Blaze?
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Date
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EDITOr"S NOTE. Love that "raze/raise" pair. As for "Haze/Blaze", one can also point
to
the house fire that leads HH to the Haze home. Also the fire motif in TT in which
Hugh is destroyed by his passion for Armande. Other thoughts?
-------------------------------
Camille Scaysbrook wrote:
>
>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (142 lines) ------------------
> An interesting question - the most obvious place to start looking for
> connections might be Pale Fire (Fire/Blaze). Perhaps the references to
> `Hurricane Lolita' - like a `blaze', a natural disaster have some additional
> resonances that are hitherto unexplored.
>
> When I first read the book I wondered if `Maze' might be the logical (that
> is, Nabokov-logical) answer, but my rhyming dictionary reveals a multitude
> of interesting and telling possibilities:
>
> Gaze, Daze, Raze/Raise (interestingly, homophones with directly opposite
> meanings), Faze/Phase, Preys, and Dais (a platform raised above the
> surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it - as in courtly
> love) just to name a few, and not taking into account words of more than one
> syllable.
>
> Which did Nabokov intend? As always, the answer is: all of them :)
>
> Camille Scaysbrook
>
> > EDITOR's NOTE. I recall that someone conjectured that the rhyming
> pseudonym
> > "Haze" reflects the "real" name "Blaze." Can anyone make something of
> that?
> > ---------------------
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Camille Scaysbrook" <verona_beach@hotpop.com>
> > To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> > Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2001 4:28 PM
> > Subject: Re: Does HH actually address Dolores as LOLITA?
> >
> >
> >
> > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (85
> > lines) ------------------
> > I think the point that was being made is that no one but Humbert refers
> to
> > her as Lolita. The early discussion of her name (`but in my arms she was
> > always Lolita') would back up the idea that Lolita is the name Humbert
> has
> > given the girl that he meets in the fantasy world that they occupy as
> > lovers. In the `real' world, she is Lo, or Dolly, or Dolores. Lolita is
> the
> > name of a woman; Dolly is the name of a child. As stated in the
> > introduction, Lolita's is the only name that has not been altered to
> > protect
> > the innocent - `nor is there any practical reason to'; because the real
> > person is only one component in Humbert's obsession. I think it was a
> very
> > big mistake of Kubrick's to confuse the two.
> >
> > Camille Scaysbrook
> > >
> > > > To answer Mr. Tapscott's question: HH does directly address Dolores
> > > > Haze
> > > > as "Lolita" on several occasions throughout the novel, usually when
> he
> > > > is
> > > > speaking archly or with great emotion. The following is an
> interesting
> > > > example: HH and DH are setting out from Beardsley on their final
> > > > cross-country roadtrip. They have just driven past the New Hotel and
> > > > Lolita laughs as they pass it (no doubt recalling her meetings there
> > > > with
> > > > CQ - when she should have been receiving keyboard instruction from "a
> > > > Miss
> > > > Emperor" - "Empress of the Ivories," perhaps? or the "Ivory
> > > > Empress?").
> > > > After a somewhat implausible encounter at a traffic light with Edusa
> > > > Gold
> > > > (Beardsley drama coach and sister of Electra, Beardsley tennis
> coach),
> > > > and
> > > > after DH's rather nifty parry of HH's subsequent inquiry concerning
> > > > DH's
> > > > performance in the Beardsley production of "The Enchanted Hunters,"
> HH
> > > > assumes a lofty, quasi-paternal air and states:
> > > >
> > > > "You are a funny creature, Lolita," I said --- or some such words.
> > > > "Naturally, I am overjoyed you gave up that absurd stage business.
> But
> > > > what is curious is that you dropped the whole thing only a week
> before
> > > > its
> > > > natural climax. Oh, Lolita, you should be careful of those
> surrenders
> > > > of
> > > > yours. I remember you gave up Ramsdale for camp, and camp for a
> > > > joyride,
> > > > and I could list other abrupt changes in your disposition. You must
> be
> > > > careful. There are things that should never be given up. You must
> > > > persevere. You should try to be a little nicer to me, Lolita. You
> > > > should
> > > > also watch your diet . . . ." (Lolita, p. 209.)
> > > >
> > > > Now it was certainly sound counsel to advise Lolita to be careful of
> > > > her
> > > > surrenders, but, as is usually the case, HH gets the specifics wrong.
> > > > Lolita did not voluntarily acquiesce to either of the "abrupt changes
> > > > in
> > > > [her] disposition" that HH offers as examples of her fickle nature:
> Lo
> > > > was furious with - and furiously resisted - Charlotte's scheme to
> pack
> > > > her
> > > > off to Camp Q so that the poor, doomed, lovestruck woman could have
> > > > handsome Hum all to herself; and when Lo was abruptly summoned from
> > > > Camp Q
> > > > by HH she had no idea that she was embarking on a 12 month, 27,000
> mile
> > > > joyride, which even HH conceded Lo only went along with because "she
> > > > had
> > > > absolutely nowhere else to go." Rather, the willful surrenders that
> > > > Lolita should have carefully avoided were to HH and CQ and their
> > > > depraved
> > > > nympholeptic desires - the second of which Lolita amusedly reflects
> > > > upon
> > > > as HH delivers his grotesque lecture. So while HH continues to
> sketch
> > > > the
> > > > bars of his cage, the reader, Lo, and VN share a joke at his expense.
> > > > Such is only one of the many joys of reading "Lolita."
> > > >
> > > > Also, during HH's final conversation with Lo, when he pleads with her
> > > > to
> > > > leave her husband and come away with him, he addresses her as
> "Lolita."
> > > > Lolita wisely declines this desperate, demented request, and I wonder
> > > > if
> > > > HH realizes that, in rejecting him and remaining with her dear, dim,
> > > > deaf
> > > > Dick, Lolita finally understands his earlier advice, and agrees with
> HH
> > > > that "There are things that should never be given up"?
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
to
the house fire that leads HH to the Haze home. Also the fire motif in TT in which
Hugh is destroyed by his passion for Armande. Other thoughts?
-------------------------------
Camille Scaysbrook wrote:
>
>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (142 lines) ------------------
> An interesting question - the most obvious place to start looking for
> connections might be Pale Fire (Fire/Blaze). Perhaps the references to
> `Hurricane Lolita' - like a `blaze', a natural disaster have some additional
> resonances that are hitherto unexplored.
>
> When I first read the book I wondered if `Maze' might be the logical (that
> is, Nabokov-logical) answer, but my rhyming dictionary reveals a multitude
> of interesting and telling possibilities:
>
> Gaze, Daze, Raze/Raise (interestingly, homophones with directly opposite
> meanings), Faze/Phase, Preys, and Dais (a platform raised above the
> surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it - as in courtly
> love) just to name a few, and not taking into account words of more than one
> syllable.
>
> Which did Nabokov intend? As always, the answer is: all of them :)
>
> Camille Scaysbrook
>
> > EDITOR's NOTE. I recall that someone conjectured that the rhyming
> pseudonym
> > "Haze" reflects the "real" name "Blaze." Can anyone make something of
> that?
> > ---------------------
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Camille Scaysbrook" <verona_beach@hotpop.com>
> > To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> > Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2001 4:28 PM
> > Subject: Re: Does HH actually address Dolores as LOLITA?
> >
> >
> >
> > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (85
> > lines) ------------------
> > I think the point that was being made is that no one but Humbert refers
> to
> > her as Lolita. The early discussion of her name (`but in my arms she was
> > always Lolita') would back up the idea that Lolita is the name Humbert
> has
> > given the girl that he meets in the fantasy world that they occupy as
> > lovers. In the `real' world, she is Lo, or Dolly, or Dolores. Lolita is
> the
> > name of a woman; Dolly is the name of a child. As stated in the
> > introduction, Lolita's is the only name that has not been altered to
> > protect
> > the innocent - `nor is there any practical reason to'; because the real
> > person is only one component in Humbert's obsession. I think it was a
> very
> > big mistake of Kubrick's to confuse the two.
> >
> > Camille Scaysbrook
> > >
> > > > To answer Mr. Tapscott's question: HH does directly address Dolores
> > > > Haze
> > > > as "Lolita" on several occasions throughout the novel, usually when
> he
> > > > is
> > > > speaking archly or with great emotion. The following is an
> interesting
> > > > example: HH and DH are setting out from Beardsley on their final
> > > > cross-country roadtrip. They have just driven past the New Hotel and
> > > > Lolita laughs as they pass it (no doubt recalling her meetings there
> > > > with
> > > > CQ - when she should have been receiving keyboard instruction from "a
> > > > Miss
> > > > Emperor" - "Empress of the Ivories," perhaps? or the "Ivory
> > > > Empress?").
> > > > After a somewhat implausible encounter at a traffic light with Edusa
> > > > Gold
> > > > (Beardsley drama coach and sister of Electra, Beardsley tennis
> coach),
> > > > and
> > > > after DH's rather nifty parry of HH's subsequent inquiry concerning
> > > > DH's
> > > > performance in the Beardsley production of "The Enchanted Hunters,"
> HH
> > > > assumes a lofty, quasi-paternal air and states:
> > > >
> > > > "You are a funny creature, Lolita," I said --- or some such words.
> > > > "Naturally, I am overjoyed you gave up that absurd stage business.
> But
> > > > what is curious is that you dropped the whole thing only a week
> before
> > > > its
> > > > natural climax. Oh, Lolita, you should be careful of those
> surrenders
> > > > of
> > > > yours. I remember you gave up Ramsdale for camp, and camp for a
> > > > joyride,
> > > > and I could list other abrupt changes in your disposition. You must
> be
> > > > careful. There are things that should never be given up. You must
> > > > persevere. You should try to be a little nicer to me, Lolita. You
> > > > should
> > > > also watch your diet . . . ." (Lolita, p. 209.)
> > > >
> > > > Now it was certainly sound counsel to advise Lolita to be careful of
> > > > her
> > > > surrenders, but, as is usually the case, HH gets the specifics wrong.
> > > > Lolita did not voluntarily acquiesce to either of the "abrupt changes
> > > > in
> > > > [her] disposition" that HH offers as examples of her fickle nature:
> Lo
> > > > was furious with - and furiously resisted - Charlotte's scheme to
> pack
> > > > her
> > > > off to Camp Q so that the poor, doomed, lovestruck woman could have
> > > > handsome Hum all to herself; and when Lo was abruptly summoned from
> > > > Camp Q
> > > > by HH she had no idea that she was embarking on a 12 month, 27,000
> mile
> > > > joyride, which even HH conceded Lo only went along with because "she
> > > > had
> > > > absolutely nowhere else to go." Rather, the willful surrenders that
> > > > Lolita should have carefully avoided were to HH and CQ and their
> > > > depraved
> > > > nympholeptic desires - the second of which Lolita amusedly reflects
> > > > upon
> > > > as HH delivers his grotesque lecture. So while HH continues to
> sketch
> > > > the
> > > > bars of his cage, the reader, Lo, and VN share a joke at his expense.
> > > > Such is only one of the many joys of reading "Lolita."
> > > >
> > > > Also, during HH's final conversation with Lo, when he pleads with her
> > > > to
> > > > leave her husband and come away with him, he addresses her as
> "Lolita."
> > > > Lolita wisely declines this desperate, demented request, and I wonder
> > > > if
> > > > HH realizes that, in rejecting him and remaining with her dear, dim,
> > > > deaf
> > > > Dick, Lolita finally understands his earlier advice, and agrees with
> HH
> > > > that "There are things that should never be given up"?
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >