Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0009150, Tue, 13 Jan 2004 19:28:41 -0800

Subject
Fw: Scatological observations...
Date
Body
EDNOTE. The perfect quote. Those of you itothe topic might ponder the
pairing of "scatological" & "eschatological."
----- Original Message -----
From: <tom@discobolus.co.za>
>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (130
lines) ------------------
> Dear Don and List,
>
> VN told the students when lecturing on "Ulysses"
>
> "In Bloom's mind and in Joyce's book the theme of sex is continually mixed
> and intertwined with the theme of the latrine. God knows I have no
> objection whatsoever to so-called frankness in novels. On the contrary, we
> have too little of it,and what there is has become conventional and trite,
> as used by so-called tough writers, the darlings of the book clubs, the
> pets of clubwomen. But I do object to the following : Bloom is supposed to
> be a rather ordinary citizen. Now it is not true that the mind of an
> ordinary citizen continuously dwells on physiological things. I object to
> the continuously, not to the disgusting. All this very pathological stuff
> seems artificial and unnecessary in this particular context. I suggest
that
> the squeamish among you regard the special preoccupation of Joyce with
> perfect detachment." P287, Lectures on Literature.
>
>
> And since we're on the subject, let's not forget the seething lava in the
> bowels of Gradus as he arrives at Wordsmith.
>
> Regards,
>
> Tom (Rymour)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Jansy Berndt de Souza Mello" <jansy@aetern.us>
> >>
> >> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (72
> > lines) ------------------
> >
> >> Concerning Van´s "greasy matters" discussed in this posting, I
> > remember
> >> that VN was very critical of James Joyce´s clear enjoyment of
defecatory
> >> themes ( I can find the quote for you if you don´t have it at hand )
and
> >> this is why VN´s comments concerning Van´s very succesful stools came
to
> > me
> >> as a surprise.
> >> Best,
> >> Jansy
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
> >> To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> >> Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 8:45 PM
> >> Subject: Fw: Fw: creepy thoughts on ADA
> >>
> >>
> >> > ----- Original Message -----
> >> > From: "Julia Sky" <juliasky@inbox.ru>
> >> > To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> >> > >
> >> > > ----------------- Message requiring your approval (32
> >> > lines) ------------------
> >> > > Thank you Dane for your intrepid question!
> >> > > A question, What For? also occupies me for quite a time. Actually,
> >> in
> >> > > STANDARD novels the theme of defecation, etc. is a taboo, and Ada
is
> > not
> >> > > standard. The scene you are writing about is in part 2, chapter 3.
> > There
> >> > are
> >> > > some more things of that kind e.g. the very end of part 4: Van
> > welcomed
> >> > the
> >> > > renewal of polished structures after a week of black fudge fouling
> >> the
> >> > bowl
> >> > > slope so high that no amount of flushing could dislodge it (p 441
in
> >> > Penguin
> >> > > classics' book). Or else, part 1 chapter 38: "Tranquilly,
> >> innocently,
> >> > side
> >> > > by side in their separately ordained attitudes, they added a
trickle
> > and
> >> a
> >> > > gush to the more professional sounds of the rain in the night:" (p
> > 208).
> >> > >
> >> > > My idea is that for the scene in Villa Venus we can look for
> > explanation
> >> > > starting from demons and their hidden flaws in The Gift / DAR
(sorry
> >> I
> >> > have
> >> > > only Russian text of the novel): мир прекрасных демонов; но в
> > прекрасном
> >> > > демоне есть всегда тайный из� ян, стыдная бородавка на заду у
> >> подобия
> >> > > совершенства; лакированным лакомкам реклам, об� едающимся
желатином,
> >> не
> >> > знать
> >> > > тихих отрад гастронома (New York, 1952, p 20) (I wouldn't dare
> > translate
> >> > VN
> >> > > myself)
> >> > >
> >> > > "Polished structures" appear to be an answer to structuralism
> >> theory,
> >> > aren'
> >> > > t they?
> >> > >
> >> > > Those who study Ada tend to avoid these greasy places but why
> > shouldn't
> >> we
> >> > > try to find out the reason of their existence? And one more thing
> >> for
> >> > > bilingual readers, Akhmatova wrote: <когда б вы знали, из какого
> >> сора
> >> > > растут стихи, не ведая стыда>, a pop-star echoed <я тебя слепила из
> >> того,
> >> > > что было, а потом что было, то и полюбила>.
> >> > >
> >> > > Sincerely, JS.
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> >
> >>
> >
>
>
>