Mar 29, 2004 04:32 PM
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(Updated Mar 29, 2004 04:43 PM)
Lurid recollections of a forty something man about a twelve year old girl. On the face of it, it definitely sounds shockingly depraved, perverted and highly condemnable. But it is to Vladimir Nabokov’s credit that he imparts to the character of Humbert a disarming humanity which makes the content of his most famous novel Lolita considerably less unpalatable than it could have been.
An exquisite character study
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Though titled Lolita, the novel is more of an exquisite character study of the person smitten by her, Humbert - the abominable hero, who never deludes himself, alarmingly unapologetic about his pedophilia, grotesquely questioning conventions that according to him are hypocritical, not to forget is also unbelievably comical. An upsetting, interesting, and perverted character.
Humbert feels an intense and uncontrollable attraction to women only between the ages of 12-14. According to him, as women advance from this preferred age group, they only deteriorate progressively, thus making Lolita an appalling book for women above that preferred age.
Lolita does begin as a heartfelt and an almost sympathetic depiction of Humbert’s love for a twelve year old girl. But as chapters proceed, one realizes that Humbert is a sure couch case when he states some theories and historical examples to justify his pedophilia. It is his deep regret that,
” We aren't surrounded in our enlightened era by little slave flowers that can be casually plucked between business and bath as they used to be in the days of the Romans, and we do not, as dignified Orientals did in still more luxurious times, use tiny entertainers fore and aft between the mutton and the rose sherbet.”
His explicit preference for women of a very young age only makes one wonder whether he would still love the same childwoman after she outgrows his favoured age group. His is just an obsession with that age, with a near total lack of any real concern. Lolita’s misery and psyche is merely glossed over, as apparently that was of no consequence to the narrator.
Incidentally, Lolita herself comes across as only an ill-mannered brat, who was initially very ready for participating in sexual activities with Humbert. Without any exceptions, all of Humbert’s descriptions about Lolita sound like raptures about her various body parts. Studied details of Lolita’s physical aspects make Humbert sound only lustful and superficial.
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Stunningly crafted prose
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Exploring non-judgementally, an individuals preferences for under-age girls, Lolita is a novel of intense sexual desires. However, there is no obscene, term, nor any description of sexual acts, only lush description of Lolita’s body, gestures etc.
With sensuous and photographic details, Vladimir Nabokov’s language and choice of words is absolutely delectable. A parodying style, delightful word play and phrase jugglery make the text wicked, fantastic and imaginative.
This literary work of art can at times have the power to make one empathise with an otherwise marginalized character of a pedophile through beautiful manipulation of language.
Artfully crafted, comic, arousing, sickening, sarcastic and with brilliant handling of language Lolita cannot be missed.
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