Matt Roth: "As I read it, the genius of this syllogism is
that the error we all see (the notion that mortality hinges on “other” rather
than on “men”) hides a more telling second flaw (the notion that Shade is not
another) [...] There are legitimate cases to be made against a theory of
secondary personalities, but this passage is one that reveals itself most fully
and marvelously only in the context of a reading where Shade and Kinbote share a
body. In a traditional reading, Shade’s assertion, “I am not another,” has no
meaningful resonance at all, as the weight of our attention falls merely on the
conclusion’s ironic foreshadowing. I consider that a
loss.
JM: By adding a frame to the theory of secondary
personalities, Matt Roth establishes a thriving parallel reality in
which Shade's assertion gains a particular resonance. Non-canonic
interpretations may add more parallel worlds to that one. For example,
because Shade takes resurrection for granted and deduces that there's a
powerful something who decides his fate, the premiss "I am
not another" may indicate that, for a fleeting
moment, Shade is aware of his creator and imagines that he
is one and the same with Nabokov (in SO, though,
Nabokov denies their shared identity, inspite
of entertaining some of Shade's opinions. He also lent him one or
two of his poems in English, like he'd done it before with a
favorite Russian poem, in "Dar").
In that context who ( the Author? Shade?) placed IF
in italics in PF's line 217?:"Yet, if prior to
life we had/Been able to imagine life, what mad,/Impossible, unutterably weird,/
Wonderful nonsense it might have appeared!"
What does it mean, since the wonder Shade feels
already shines through, with or without the italics?
Shade is certainly writing "if" in English.* The first italicized
"if" is probably important.
After the rereader
discovers the relation between "if", "peut-être" and how Rabelais
indicated a Godhead (Le grand peut-être, ie, the grand potato, the big if
), the italics in line 217 serve to reinforce the supposition about Shade
intuiting his "God".
btw: I found no italics for "if" (line
217) in the Brazilian, "Fogo Pálido"; in the French Feu
Pâle by Girard-Condreau nor in D.Zimmer's Fahles
Feuer.
The "if" is present in the Library of America edition,
in Everyman's. and it's found twice in Gingko Press (in the printed
brochure and by shade's own hand in the "facsimile"). Shade begins
Canto Three with "L'if, lifeless tree..."**
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
* - In Kinbote's comments to line 501, we perceive that in it
Shade's "L’if" was
written in French. Kinbote explains that it stands for "
The yew in French. It is curious that the Zemblan word for
the weeping willow is also "if" (the
yew is tas)."
There are tons of possible
associations, most already well explored by N-L but in a different
context. Here it suffices to remind you that Nabokov wrote Pale Fire-the-poem
while wandering in a park, close to a weeping willow that reminded him of a
skye-terrier etc etc. Kinbote also reveals that "gradus" means "tree" in
Zemblan.
** - "L’if, lifeless tree! Your
great Maybe, Rabelais:/ The grand
potato./I.P.H., a
lay/ Institute (I) of Preparation (P)/For the Hereafter (H), or If, as
we/
Called it — big if! — engaged me for one term/To speak on death..."