NPPF: Keith's Shocking Theory (was Preliminary: The Epigraph)

[David Morris]

--- Paul Mackin <paul.mackin at verizon.net> wrote:
> On Wed, 2003-07-16 at 09:51, Jasper Fidget wrote:
> > > --- Jasper Fidget <jasper at hatguild.org> wrote:
> > > 
> > > From: David Morris [mailto:fqmorris at yahoo.com]
> > > I'm not sure if Keith has made this claim, but Kunin has speculated that
Kinbote/Shade are the same person, and the whole of Zembla and King Charles
(and thus Kinbote) is a manifestation of Shade's mental illness stemming fron a
childhood sexual trauma.  But the Nabokov list is very skeptical...
> > > 
> > > 
> > Given all the homosexual detail and escapades in the Commentary (not all of
which is indicated to by pederasty), it's difficult to believe Zembla created
by Shade.  There's no indication of homosexuality in the poem (that I'm aware
of anyway), although I suppose Zembla as the land of negatives and reflections
might be Shade's adamant insistence on what he determinedly is *not*....

I can't say that I ascribe to any particular theory yet, but if young Shade had
suffered a sexual trauma (the signs for which are very faint in the poem
standing alone - I think smoe echoes and corresponding dates in the Intro or
Commentary will be necesary to estabish this theory on firmer feet) at the
hands of Aunt Maud, then the world of Zembla could be his refuge from the world
of predatory females.  Just a thought...

David Morris


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