"I want you to read the book for the sake of its contents, not for the sake of the 'message' or the 'significance'... We shall take our time and we shall go into the texture of the work."
In an age of "BookTok" and 30-second plot summaries, the stands as a barbaric yawp against speed reading. Nabokov demands slowness, obsession, and joy. vladimir nabokov lectures on literature pdf
For example, in his lecture on "Ulysses," Nabokov notes, "The book is a labyrinth, and the reader must navigate it." (Nabokov, 1980, p. 145). He then proceeds to guide the reader through the labyrinth, pointing out key features, and demonstrating how Joyce's innovative use of language and form creates a rich, complex, and deeply allusive work. "I want you to read the book for
For decades, the name Vladimir Nabokov has been synonymous with linguistic genius. As the author of the controversial masterpiece Lolita and the intricate Pale Fire , Nabokov is revered as a stylist. However, less known to the casual reader is Nabokov the . Between 1941 and 1958, while teaching at Wellesley College and Cornell University, Nabokov delivered a series of explosive, opinionated, and transformative lectures on the great works of Western fiction. For example, in his lecture on "Ulysses," Nabokov
“The truth is that the great novels are great fairy tales.”