RHB: No wish to bug Nabokovians,
but a question in need of an answer. Why did Nabokov, a
lepidopterist, call Lolita a nymphet? Lepidoptera do not have nymphs, they
have larvae. Only ancient insects, primitive insects if you will, such as the
Plecoptera (stoneflies) and the Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have
nymphs.Should Lolita have been a larvalet instead of a nymphet?
JM: Lepidoptera have no nymphal stage and there
are no nymphic baby-butterflies hiding in an exo-skeleton. Most, if not all,
insects that go through nymphic stages follow an aquatic cycle.
Brides, or mythological nymphs, live close to
rivers, lakes and fountains and are held to be mortally dangerous to
men. Butterflies obey no water-cycle. Odonata specialist, Ruy
Penalva ( who offered me the explanation above) concluded: "Enquanto
Mulher e Jovem Lolita é uma Ninfeta, enquanto Borboleta jovem poderia ser uma
Lagarta ou Larvoleta."
While I leafed thru "Lolita" most references I
found confirmed Dr. Penalva's conclusion, for these were solely related to
"human" stages progressing from fairy-winged nymphets into "young-girl
- college girl- woman", unrelated to insects, ie no links to damsel-flies nor
to butterflies. At most, to mythological fauns and nymphs. Then we
read of "strange and
beautiful children, faunlet and nymphet".
Another mention describes "my
beauty and bride, imprisoned in her crystal sleep", like Snow-White in
her coffin.
When HH writes about Petrarch's Laureen she comes
closer to a flower, although not a water-nymph, "running in
the wind, in the pollen and dust, a flower in flight". Nymphet-love is
dangerous, deadly, painful, liquid.
Fran Assa: "This discovery of
Charlotte Haze-Hayes is indeed exciting. I must say I was taken aback
at the association of Lo's mother with a Madame, as well. But on
further thought, we are reading Humbert's madcap story--and as an effete,
snobby intellectual (to harken to Spiro Agnew) this otherwise inappropriate
association fits right in. The cur!"
JM: Humbert's story
teems with Madames and child-prostitutes. There is even a Marie with a "stellar
name", but no close link to the name Haze. There might be something along the
Mrs.Hayes line but she is soon taken over by Mary Lore. If VN had intended
to connect Charlotte and any scheming Madame I'm almost certain he
would have made it clear in one way or another.
Here we go:"Mrs. Hays, the brisk, briskly rouged, blue-eyed widow who ran the
motor court [...] gave me the key and a tinkling smile, and, still
twinkling, showed me where to park the car [...] With a heterosexual Erlkönig in pursuit, thither
I drove, half-blinded by a royal sunset on the lowland side and guided by a
little old woman, a portable witch, perhaps his daughter, whom Mrs. Hays had
lent me, and whom I was never to see again."
Next Dolores is related to Mary Lore: "her father, "lonely Joseph Lore was dreaming of Oloron, Lagore, Rolas"
[...] Mary Lore, the beastly young part-time nurse [...]
"Dolores," said Mary Lore, entering with me, past me, through me,
the plump whore,[...] the ripe young hussy, reeking of urine and
garlic."
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