NPPF Comm2: Parents, part 2

[Don Corathers]

> I'm informed by Dr. Johnson (of the Nabokov-L) that VN often uses the
"uran"
> root in regard to homosexuality, which is common in Russian.  Therefore,
> with "grad" meaning "town," Uranograd means "Gay-town."
>
> I was wondering about Kinbote's phrasing there: "dubbing *my* capital
> Uranograd" (emphasis mine) instead of *the* capital or Onhava.  It helps
to
> resolve a question I've had regarding Zembla and homosexuality, whether
it's
> the norm there or just normal for Charles.  This would imply that the
latter
> is the case, and that other locals have taken note (assuming
Amphitheatricus
> is local to the Zemblan narrative column).
>
> Jasper

The "my capital" usage seems to me to be Kinbote lapsing into his Charles II
persona. But I think Kinbote's take on Zembla as a kind of YMCA of the
Baltic represents his own preoccupation. The "ribald ballad about
'Karlie-Garlie'" also suggests the general population is aware of the
then-prince's sexual orientation, and doesn't share it.

Don