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To the readers,
In my humble suggestion that there might be some correlation between
the name "Humbert Humbert" and the revered explorer and alleged
pederast Alexander von Humboldt, I was only inquiring as to whether
the similarity of the two names had been noted before or thought to
have influenced the choice of a rather unusual name for the main
character of a novel. In my ignorance I am no doubt uninformed of a
number of speculations concerning the origin of this name. I did not
intend to suggest that García Márquez had an unfavourable view of the
explorer; nor do I myself condemn homosexual pederasty (in my time I
have been a great practitioner of it).
>From the Wikipedia entry (forgive my source) of Humboldt's life: 'In
1908 the sexual researcher Paul Näcke, who worked with outspoken gay
activist Magnus Hirschfeld, gathered reminiscences of him from people
who recalled his participation in the homosexual subculture of
Berlin.[10] A travelling companion, the pious Francisco José de
Caldas, accused him of frequenting houses where 'impure love reigned',
of making friends with 'obscene dissolute youths', and giving vent to
'shameful passions of his heart'.[11] To be sure, none of this
necessarily proves homosexuality. On the question of homosexuality,
author Robert F. Aldrich concludes, "As for so many men of his age, a
definite answer is impossible."[12]'
No doubt Nabokov would have been more than familiar with the famous
explorer, and most likely, given Nabokov's fascination with such
inclinations (to the point that many of his villains are gratingly
effeminate), he would have known of the explorer's rumoured
indiscretions. It is only the author's tendency to weave sly
indicators of the world outside his novels that leads me to so
speculate such. It is but a trifling thought among many, and no one
need get too worked up.
My thanks for your detailed response and attention to the matter; I
would be eager to know if anyone has inquired more deeply than I into
"Humbert Humbert" and revealed more plausible sources for it.
Jordan
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jordanbowen.com