Lolita

Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Nabokov
• 1899-1977
• A Russian novelist, poem
writer, translator
• Emigrated to the USA where
he wrote his work
• ,,the most original author of
20th century“
• Expressionism, symbolism
• Delicate subjects
• Let's readers think what they
want about the theme
 • Post WWII American fiction
(postmodernism)
• 40s-70s of 20th century
• Blending of cultures and art

Literary Period • There is more than one truth

• Multiple layers and scandalous
themes
• Other authors: Umberto Eco, William
Clark Styron
 Genre of the Book
• Fiction
• Psychological novel
o main theme is psychological
state of the central character
o complicated
o reader is forced to think
about the characters'
decisions and thinking
 Material
• First inspiration by newspaper
article about a chimpanzee
• First version of Lolita: short
story about a French nymphet
 Subject matter
• One-sided love
• An unhealthy relationship
• Obsession
 Theme
• Main theme
o coexistence between a 12year
old girl and an adult man
o the power of language
• Secondary theme
o description of sickening
addiction
o travelling in the US
o morals of the youth of that
time
o sadness after mother‘s death
 Motifs
• Passion
• Urges
• Jealousy
• Love
• Blackmail
• Young age
 Symbols
• The theater
• Prison
• Nymphets
• The Enchanted Hunters
 Settings
• France
• The USA
• Years 1947-1952
 Main characters
• Humbert Humbert: a 40 year-old
professor and writer with
weakness for nymphets
o jealous, possessive, smart
• Dolores Haze: a 12 year-old girl
who grew up too fast
o beautiful, wild and cheeky
• Charlotte Haze: Lo‘s mother,
Humbert's second wife
o naive and reckless
• Clare Quilty: a writer,
homosexual, degenerate who
films child pornography
 Plot
Humbert Humber had always liked nymphets. Before he
moved to USA, he used to cheat on his wife with prostitutes
who were barely 18. His wife left him with another man.
Humbert then moved to the USA and rented a room in Miss
Haze‘s house. There he met Dollores (Lo/Lolita) for the first
time. She was 12. He was obsessed with her. He sneaked a
little touches from her, wrote a diary about her and what he
liked about her.
Charlotte Haze fell in love with him and Humbert married her,
so he could be closer to Lo. Charlotte found the diary and
when she was angry, she run out of the house and got hit by
a car. At that time, Lo was at a summer camp. Humbert went
for her and didn‘t want to tell Lo about her mother. Lolita
eventually found out. They were on road for years, staying at
motels. Lo once ran away with Quilty. Humbert found her
years later (she was 17-18), she was married and pregnant.
Humbert killed Quilty and was writing the story in prison.
sources

• https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/lolita/
• https://rozbor-dila.cz/lolita-rozbor-dila-k-maturite/
• https://www.litcharts.com/lit/lolita/symbols/the-enchanted-hunters
• https://rozbor-dila.cz/lolita-rozbor-dila-k-maturite-4/