title: Lolita by: Nabokov, Vladimir published: 1955 read: 2016-02 preview

Lolita has a special role in my literature life. No, not what you think. But I started reading Nabokov at a rather early age, like before I was 20, and I always was adamant to not read the classical, extremely famous, made into zillion films, everyone knows it book of Nabokov. But his other books.

It’s like, I listened to all of Beethoven’s music. But his third symphony? No.

So, back then, I read almost everything there was from Nabokov. But not Lolita.

Well, it changed. And I picked up the book decades later.
In short: I love the book. Perhaps it was a wise decision to read it at a ripe age. Being comfortable with many aspects of sexual perversion – not including paedophilia, indeed – I could, when I read it, understand the attraction of Dolores Haze (aka Lolita) for Humbert Humbert.

Who rapes whom, we ask? Of course, it’s always the older man raping the younger woman. And certainly in this book. But there is also this view, which I copied from wiki: “In 1959, novelist Robertson Davies wrote that the theme of Lolita is “not the corruption of an innocent child by a cunning adult, but the exploitation of a weak adult by a corrupt child. This is no pretty theme, but it is one with which social workers, magistrates and psychiatrists are familiar.” And yes, Dolores does challenge Humbert Humbert, and plays their erotic game with him.

She’s 12. He’s 36. So, a clear case of rape, and no matter how you turn it, Humbert is guilty.

Which he admits in the novel. So why the debate?

Nabokov, 1963: I am probably responsible for the odd fact that people don’t seem to name their daughters Lolita any more. I have heard of young female poodles being given that name since 1956, but of no human beings. Think of that.

At all means, a great book. I’m not the first one to say that.