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Re: Nabokov and L. Trilling
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In response to Anthony Stadlen’s semi-prompt: from what I recall of Trilling’s article, he makes a valid point about the appeal for Nabokov of a situation that keeps desire at its steamy peak, as in the hothouse conditions of the courtly love tradition.
On the other hand Trilling missed the fact that in Lolita Nabokov shows what love is, not by showing it in a form that conserves its intensity, but by showing exactly what it is not, in Humbert’s relations with Lolita. This strikes me more vividly than ever after my prolonged recent immersion in Nabokov’s Letters to Véra, which I have just finished editing and translating with Olga Voronina (864 pages, Penguin, September 23; Knopf will not publish it in the US until 2015). Nabokov’s relationship to Véra in the letters reveals exactly what’s missing in Humbert’s relationship to Lolita in the novel, and what Nabokov meant readers to sense was missing: a mutual delight in what their minds can share, a sense of immediate attunement even when the tune is surprising or distant or momentarily jarring; a constant sympathetic awareness of her perspective and concern for her needs; a refusal to manipulate her, while always trying to enchant her. Very different indeed from The Enchanter, or Humbert’s attempted drug-rape of Lolita at the Enchanted Hunters.
Brian Boyd
On 3/09/2014, at 10:55 pm, Anthony Stadlen <STADLEN@AOL.COM<mailto:STADLEN@AOL.COM>> wrote:
I have always found Trilling's article deplorable: a paradigm case of psychoanalytically corrupted misunderstanding of, and debasement of, the concept of "love".
I didn't find the sound quality of the Nabokov-Trilling conversation prohibitive. It was all too audible. I was deeply disappointed by Nabokov's succumbing to Trilling's flattery and colluding with his psychobabble. The would-be fierce opponent of the "Viennese quack" was seduced without a murmur of protest.
I imagine Brian Boyd will understand what I am talking about, if nobody else does.
Anthony Stadlen
"Oakleigh"
2A Alexandra Avenue
GB - London N22 7XE
Tel.: +44 (0) 20 8888 6857
For Existential Psychotherapy and Inner Circle Seminars see:
http://anthonystadlen.blogspot.com<http://anthonystadlen.blogspot.com/>
In a message dated 03/09/2014 03:43:47 GMT Daylight Time, franassa@HOTMAIL.COM<mailto:franassa@HOTMAIL.COM> writes:
I've just reread Lionel Trilling's "Encounter" piece on Lolita. I was even more impressed than the first time I'd read it. I think it is one of the best things I've ever read on the book. I'm wondering what others might think. Also, I've tried to watch the youtube conversation with Nabokov and Trilling, but the sound quality is prohibitive. Does anyone know of a source with good sound quality? Did the Nabokovs and the Trillings see anything of each other socially?
Fran Assa
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On the other hand Trilling missed the fact that in Lolita Nabokov shows what love is, not by showing it in a form that conserves its intensity, but by showing exactly what it is not, in Humbert’s relations with Lolita. This strikes me more vividly than ever after my prolonged recent immersion in Nabokov’s Letters to Véra, which I have just finished editing and translating with Olga Voronina (864 pages, Penguin, September 23; Knopf will not publish it in the US until 2015). Nabokov’s relationship to Véra in the letters reveals exactly what’s missing in Humbert’s relationship to Lolita in the novel, and what Nabokov meant readers to sense was missing: a mutual delight in what their minds can share, a sense of immediate attunement even when the tune is surprising or distant or momentarily jarring; a constant sympathetic awareness of her perspective and concern for her needs; a refusal to manipulate her, while always trying to enchant her. Very different indeed from The Enchanter, or Humbert’s attempted drug-rape of Lolita at the Enchanted Hunters.
Brian Boyd
On 3/09/2014, at 10:55 pm, Anthony Stadlen <STADLEN@AOL.COM<mailto:STADLEN@AOL.COM>> wrote:
I have always found Trilling's article deplorable: a paradigm case of psychoanalytically corrupted misunderstanding of, and debasement of, the concept of "love".
I didn't find the sound quality of the Nabokov-Trilling conversation prohibitive. It was all too audible. I was deeply disappointed by Nabokov's succumbing to Trilling's flattery and colluding with his psychobabble. The would-be fierce opponent of the "Viennese quack" was seduced without a murmur of protest.
I imagine Brian Boyd will understand what I am talking about, if nobody else does.
Anthony Stadlen
"Oakleigh"
2A Alexandra Avenue
GB - London N22 7XE
Tel.: +44 (0) 20 8888 6857
For Existential Psychotherapy and Inner Circle Seminars see:
http://anthonystadlen.blogspot.com<http://anthonystadlen.blogspot.com/>
In a message dated 03/09/2014 03:43:47 GMT Daylight Time, franassa@HOTMAIL.COM<mailto:franassa@HOTMAIL.COM> writes:
I've just reread Lionel Trilling's "Encounter" piece on Lolita. I was even more impressed than the first time I'd read it. I think it is one of the best things I've ever read on the book. I'm wondering what others might think. Also, I've tried to watch the youtube conversation with Nabokov and Trilling, but the sound quality is prohibitive. Does anyone know of a source with good sound quality? Did the Nabokovs and the Trillings see anything of each other socially?
Fran Assa
Google Search <http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&hl=en%0A>
the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&hl=en%0A> Contact<mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu>
the Editors<mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> NOJ<http://www.nabokovonline.com/> Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> Nabokv-L <http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm>
Policies<http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm> Subscription options<http://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=NABOKV-L> AdaOnline<http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/> NSJ Ada Annotations<http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html> L-Soft Search the archive<https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L> VN Bibliography Blog<http://vnbiblio.com/>
All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
Google Search <http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&hl=en%0A>
the archive<http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&hl=en%0A> Contact<mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu>
the Editors<mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu> NOJ<http://www.nabokovonline.com/> Zembla<http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm> Nabokv-L <http://web.utk.edu/%7Esblackwe/EDNote.htm>
Policies<http://web.utk.edu/%7Esblackwe/EDNote.htm> Subscription options<http://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=NABOKV-L> AdaOnline<http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/> NSJ Ada Annotations<http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html> L-Soft Search the archive<https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L> VN Bibliography Blog<http://vnbiblio.com/>
All private editorial communications are read by both co-editors.
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
AdaOnline: "http://www.ada.auckland.ac.nz/
The Nabokov Society of Japan's Annotations to Ada: http://vnjapan.org/main/ada/index.html
The VN Bibliography Blog: http://vnbiblio.com/
Search the archive with L-Soft: https://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?A0=NABOKV-L
Manage subscription options :http://listserv.ucsb.edu/lsv-cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=NABOKV-L