Should the Reader Forgive Humbert?

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Should the Reader Forgive Humbert?

Lolita, by Vladamir Nabokov is a controversial book that elaborately represents and forces the reader to deal with a pedophiles obsession with his 12-year-old stepdaughter. As the reader finishes reading Lolita, he must establish a meaning for the novel which hinges heavily upon whether or not he should forgive Humbert for his rape of Lolita and for stealing her childhood away from her. This rape is legally referred to as a statutory rape because Humbert is having sex with Lolita who is under the age of consent. Humbert also figuratively rapes Lolita of her childhood and a normal teenage life. This decision to forgive Humbert will rely upon Humbert's words as he realizes what he has done to Lolita. In order for the reader to be able to forgive Humbert he must determine if Humbert is truly sorry for his actions.

One must overlook the fact that Vladimir Nabokov has written, Lolita has no moral in tow. (314). Nabokov has obviously anticipated the reader's response to his novel and so he discloses that he sees no moral value in the book. This is obviously a false statement that is used to complicate the book and make the reader think. Lolita is full of moral choices and situations that learned readers will recognize and make judgments on. Most readers have a conscience and thus look for the moral contained in the story. This argument thoughtfully represents Nabokov's Lolita with real world morals.

An ethical or moral reading of Lolita would lead the reader to the question of forgiveness of Humbert for his actions toward Lolita. To fully understand all that is involved in this question it is necessary to examine the word forgiveness. The word "forgiveness" has been used extensively throughout...

... middle of paper ...

... to see that Humbert is sorry for his sexual rape of Lolita and is regretful for taking her childhood away. Given that he is genuinely sorry for his actions there is a greater chance that the close reader will forgive Humbert for his molestation of Lolita.

Bibliography

Couturier, Maurice "Poerotic mode 'Lolita' and 'Ada'" "Novel and

Censorship, or Eros' Bad Faith."

http://www.libraries.psu.edu/iasweb/nabokov/coutur2.htm (3/12/67)

Nabokov, Vladimir, The Annoteted Lolita, notes Alfred Appel Jr., (New York: First Vintage Books. 1991)

Neufeldt, Victoria, Webster's New World Dictionary (New York: Simon, 1990), p. 380

Oxford English Dictionary, 1996 http://www.oed.com, query=forgivenes

Unger, Merrill F., Unger's Bible Dictionary, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1970), p. 377

Vladimir Nabokov, rev. of Lolita, by Charles Rolo, The Atlantic Monthly, Sept. 1958

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