Phedophelia is the main theme in Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita and involves a lot of the main character Humbert Humbert blaming the victim of the sexual crimes he committed by saying that she was essentially asking for it. Humbert will often break the flow of the story line to address the reader in such a way that seems as if he is begging the reader to believe him that none of the events that took place are his fault in the least bit. His constant insistence that he has done nothing wrong that it begins to cause the reader to question his motives and in a way completely turn away from believing or liking him, which was Nabokov’s intentions.
At the end of the novel Humbert is even regretful for what he did to Lolita because he feels that he robbed her of her childhood but this admission of regret is only more evidence that Humbert was fully aware of his actions and the instigator in the relationship. Regardless of his lack of details for his and Lolita’s actual sex acts his obsession with her and the way he describes her is enough for the reader to pick up on the fact that Humbert’s are anything but innocent and that Lolita was anything but aware of what was happening at first. Even though she does eventually become aware of what is happening and reciprocates Humbert’s actions she is simply reacting and acting in such a way that she feels are appropriate actions for the current situation.
What other ways could Humbert's confession of guilt be a sign of?
Is Lolita at fault for Humbert's actions or simply a victim of circumstance?
Is Lolita at fault by any means? I do not necessarily think so. She was a victim of his actions, and she regarded the situation as someone her age might have. She allowed his advanced and manipulated him, but I am not certain that she knew the full reality of what was occurring. On some degree, perhaps, but not completely.
ReplyDeleteAs an adult, no matter what Lolita was attempting to play out, H.H. was the responsible party that should have remained in control of himself and his desires. She fit his idea, his sick fantasy, and he acted on those impulses.
I agree with Kai she had a semblance of what was happening but not in the context that H.H knew regarding the nature of their relationship. She is a victim, even though people would argue that she seduces him multiple times. She is a barely budding curious girl coming into her sexuality, which is completely normal, so i would expect for her to act that way towards H.H, but he is the mature party and like Kai stated he should have kept his desires under control because he 100% knew what they were doing was wrong. I also noticed how he viewed Lolita as less 'pure' because he thought she was a "little lesbian" which reaffirms his homophobic nature that we see first with Gaston. As for his confession of guilt i think maybe he would have done it differently if only to make his affair with lolita last longer..
ReplyDeleteHumbert Humbert's confessions of guilt show that he knows what he is doing is wrong, and yet he continues to submit to his possessive and deviant sexual impulses. By explaining how he is in the right and Lolita is the one who is being seductive, Humbert needles the reader for sympathy, and in many cases, gains it with his honeyed words. Although Lolita is the child being taken advantage of, Humbert's eloquent way of speaking puts him in the position of the victim. There is something almost childish in Humbert himself, evident in his stunted, adolescent morals and constant need for affirmation.
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