Subject
RES: [NABOKV-L] from Ron Rosenbaum re VN's own words about the
<Pale Fire> narrator]
<Pale Fire> narrator]
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Clayton Smith: I am preparing to host a book discussion on this topic and
would be happy to share an index of the quotes I intend to use in support of
Hazel's transformation and influence over the text. I'm sure little would
not be covered by what Boyd has already provided, however.
Jansy Mello: Brian Boyd mentions another ghostly influence. Its the
Erlkönig as we can read in Goethes poem, plus various translations which
turn Erlkönig into Elfking, or as a Kinbote-like homosexual on the prowl
to snatch young children away and into his haunted or enchanted kingdom.
Theres Kinbotes curious note (that forgets to mention Goethes
Wind-Kind. ), his recitation of the lines while fleeing Zembla, the twigs
rasping against the windowpane on the night Hazel drowns and this takes
place long before Kinbote appears and turns over the lid of a metallic bin,
while Shade is reading the poem to Sybil.
If Nabokov conjured good ghosts, he also brought up those that are evil.
Why not spend some time wondering about the interference of evil spirits in
PF?
I recently mentioned a falsifiable theory (namely, that Machado de Assis had
Shakespeares lines in mind when he wrote The Vicious Circle). After all,
there are no sea swells in it, but stars and fireflies. The only argument in
favor of this line of borrowing is that Shakespeare also wrote about the
pale fire of a glowworm (Hamlet). Other spirits to consider: Castor and
Pollux ( related to will of the wisp or to beaver ) who are the patron
saints for sailors (Cf. The Nabokovian, n.63, fall 2009,p.28)
I found a translation of Machados sonnet in the internet, by Frederic G
William:
Vicious Circle
The firefly danced in the air impatiently:
"Oh how I wish that I could be that yellow,
That burns in the eternal blue, a candle far!"
And yet the star gazed on the moon with jealousy:
"If only I could copy such transparency,
Which, from the Grecian column to the Gothic sill,
Has contemplated lovers' faces sighingly!"
And yet the moon gazed on the sun with bitter will:
"Oh misery! If l could be that giant ball,
Immortal clarity, the sum of all that's light!"
The sun, though, leans his brilliant chaplet o´er the wall:
I´m burdened by this numen's aureole bright
Im wearied by this blue, unbounded parasol
Why could I not be born a firefly at night?"
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would be happy to share an index of the quotes I intend to use in support of
Hazel's transformation and influence over the text. I'm sure little would
not be covered by what Boyd has already provided, however.
Jansy Mello: Brian Boyd mentions another ghostly influence. Its the
Erlkönig as we can read in Goethes poem, plus various translations which
turn Erlkönig into Elfking, or as a Kinbote-like homosexual on the prowl
to snatch young children away and into his haunted or enchanted kingdom.
Theres Kinbotes curious note (that forgets to mention Goethes
Wind-Kind. ), his recitation of the lines while fleeing Zembla, the twigs
rasping against the windowpane on the night Hazel drowns and this takes
place long before Kinbote appears and turns over the lid of a metallic bin,
while Shade is reading the poem to Sybil.
If Nabokov conjured good ghosts, he also brought up those that are evil.
Why not spend some time wondering about the interference of evil spirits in
PF?
I recently mentioned a falsifiable theory (namely, that Machado de Assis had
Shakespeares lines in mind when he wrote The Vicious Circle). After all,
there are no sea swells in it, but stars and fireflies. The only argument in
favor of this line of borrowing is that Shakespeare also wrote about the
pale fire of a glowworm (Hamlet). Other spirits to consider: Castor and
Pollux ( related to will of the wisp or to beaver ) who are the patron
saints for sailors (Cf. The Nabokovian, n.63, fall 2009,p.28)
I found a translation of Machados sonnet in the internet, by Frederic G
William:
Vicious Circle
The firefly danced in the air impatiently:
"Oh how I wish that I could be that yellow,
That burns in the eternal blue, a candle far!"
And yet the star gazed on the moon with jealousy:
"If only I could copy such transparency,
Which, from the Grecian column to the Gothic sill,
Has contemplated lovers' faces sighingly!"
And yet the moon gazed on the sun with bitter will:
"Oh misery! If l could be that giant ball,
Immortal clarity, the sum of all that's light!"
The sun, though, leans his brilliant chaplet o´er the wall:
I´m burdened by this numen's aureole bright
Im wearied by this blue, unbounded parasol
Why could I not be born a firefly at night?"
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/