Nabokov's Permanent Mystery: The Expression of Metaphysics by David S. Rutledge

By David S. Rutledge

This severe textual content examines the ways that Vladimir Nabokov, one of many 20th century's nice writers, dependent his works to encapsulate his metaphysical ideals. It attracts examples from Nabokov's novels, tales and nonfiction, revealing a startling consistency in his ideals over the process his profession, while the constitution of his novels elevated in complexity. on the middle of his paintings is a profound admire for what is lacking, for unsolvable riddles, for questions even on the cost of solutions. Nabokov's techniques--from wordplay to plotlines--reveal an everlasting reverence for everlasting secret.

Show description

By David S. Rutledge

This severe textual content examines the ways that Vladimir Nabokov, one of many 20th century's nice writers, dependent his works to encapsulate his metaphysical ideals. It attracts examples from Nabokov's novels, tales and nonfiction, revealing a startling consistency in his ideals over the process his profession, while the constitution of his novels elevated in complexity. on the middle of his paintings is a profound admire for what is lacking, for unsolvable riddles, for questions even on the cost of solutions. Nabokov's techniques--from wordplay to plotlines--reveal an everlasting reverence for everlasting secret.

Show description

Read Online or Download Nabokov's Permanent Mystery: The Expression of Metaphysics in His Work PDF

Similar movements & periods books

The Power and the Glory (Cliffs Notes study guide)

This Christian parable is a compelling and enlightening learn. It tells the tale of a "whisky priest" in Mexico, who's at the lam. even though a self-confessed imperfect guy, the priest still upholds his tasks to the Church and to lifestyles.

How Far Is America from Here?: Selected Proceedings of the First World Congress of the International American Studies Association 22-24 May 2003 (Textxet Studies in Comparative Literature)

How a long way is the United States From the following? methods American countries and cultures from a comparative and interdisciplinary point of view. it's very a lot on the center of this comparative time table that “America” be regarded as a hemispheric and worldwide topic. It discusses American identities relationally, even if the relatives lower than dialogue function in the borders of the us, in the course of the Americas, and/or around the globe.

Freedom and the Arts : essays on music and literature

Is there a second in background whilst a piece gets its perfect interpretation? Or is negotiation consistently required to maintain the previous and accommodate the current? the liberty of interpretation, Charles Rosen indicates in those glowing explorations of song and literature, exists in a fragile stability with constancy to the identification of the unique paintings.

Extra resources for Nabokov's Permanent Mystery: The Expression of Metaphysics in His Work

Sample text

Nabokov writes, “Obvious trash, curiously enough, contains sometimes a wholesome ingredient, readily appreciated by children and simple souls” (Gogol 68). However, Knight and Nabokov both firmly believe that repetition deprives an idea of life. Repetition, 18 1. The Live Source of the Cliché rather than any particular genre, creates the cliché. Knight believes that the “adopted method of a detective story” is equivalent to a “malodorous corpse” (89). ” Thus Knight’s “detective” story, The Prismatic Bezel, is “not a parody of the Sherlock Holmes vogue but a parody of the modern reaction from it” (92).

I also want to emphasize that these dates add an additional complexity to the text, not a solution. One might also note that Humbert’s thoughts about Lolita which move beyond the clichés, discussed in the previous chapter, occur within that time period of the novel that is in question. At what level of reality should those thoughts be understood? Perhaps one should understand them as taking place within a realm that is not defined by standard time, a place where Humbert is able to think beyond the bars of his cage.

Time Frames the significance of the dates should be considered. I also want to emphasize that these dates add an additional complexity to the text, not a solution. One might also note that Humbert’s thoughts about Lolita which move beyond the clichés, discussed in the previous chapter, occur within that time period of the novel that is in question. At what level of reality should those thoughts be understood? Perhaps one should understand them as taking place within a realm that is not defined by standard time, a place where Humbert is able to think beyond the bars of his cage.

Download PDF sample

Rated 4.06 of 5 – based on 27 votes