Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0015558, Mon, 8 Oct 2007 13:34:47 -0300

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Re: THOUGHTS re: Kinbote's academic discipline
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RS Gwynn: Among other things, I suspect that he (and thus Kinbote) is the little "Christopher" mentioned in a strange aside. C. K. is certainly the only "bearer of Christ" in this book, and I take his Christianity seriously; it is only in his Christian musings that he expresses remorse for his life ("We who borrow in filth every day . . . .").


Jansy: There is a famous quiz: Christophorus Christum, sed Christus sustulit orbem: Constiterit pedibus dic ubi Christophorus? which was quoted by S.Freud ( SE. vol. I ) both in Latin and in German.
Konrad Richter: " Der deutsche S. Christoph" Christoph trug Christum,Christum trug die ganze Welt, Sag´wo had Cristoph/ Damals hin den Fuss gestellt?
In my poor rendering, in English: Saint Christopher carried Christ/Christ carried the whole world / Now tell me where did Christoph find a place as a foot- hold?

The problem about references and "standpoints" was succinctly stated by Archimedes: Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth ( Pappus of Alexandria) I think it is difficult, if not impossible, to establish any "central reference" in VN's works. Could the little Christopher ( not a giant saint) serve to imply this absence of a fixed "standpoint" in Pale Fire, and elswhere in VN?

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