Summary of Nabokov's Lolita: is Humbert to blame?

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The novel "Lolita" is one of the most controversial works of the 20th century. We are used to the fact that writers make the main characters most often positive characters. Here, Humbert is a negative hero, with a sick psyche and disgusting inclinations. So that you have a personal opinion about this book, you can read the summary of "Lolita" by Nabokov V. V.

The life of the teacher of French literature Humbert can be conditionally divided into two parts: "before" and "after" the appearance of Lolita (full name - Dolores Haze). From a very young age, the young man began to experience a painful passion for nymphets. So he called the little pretty girls 9-14 years old. As the protagonist himself suggests, such a mania is explained by the fact that as a boy he was passionately in love with a girl named Annabelle. But, unfortunately, Annabelle died as a child, and since then Humbert's life has changed dramatically. He kept looking for girls like her.

Even the briefest summary of Nabokov's Lolita is difficult to fit on several pages. Writer developstheme in such detail that it describes the deepest experiences of Humbert. Living in Paris, he managed to be married, but he never loved his wife Valeria. After his wife left him for another, he took part in various expeditions and was treated in sanatoriums for melancholy. After another exit from the clinic, he decides to go to America and live there for a while. Staying at Charlotte Haze's house, he meets the owner's daughter, Lolita, who is very similar to Annabelle.

From now on, the summary of Nabokov's Lolita needs to be expanded somewhat. Humbert begins to experience inhuman passion for Dolores. But a barrier is set in his path - her mother. Charlotte falls in love with this nymphet lover and demands to either reciprocate her feelings or leave her home. Humbert, in order to be close to Lolita, has no choice but to marry the girl's mother. First, Law is sent to a summer camp. Further, the mother's plans were to send the girl to a boarding school, and then to college.

During his family life, the protagonist tries in every possible way to get closer to Dolores. One day, Humbert even tries to strangle his wife, but a random witness prevents him.

One fine day, after finding her husband's diary, Charlotte learns about his feelings for Dolores. In a state of shock, she is about to send a letter to Dolores, but on the way she gets hit by a car.

A summary of Nabokov's Lolita says that after the death of their mother, a new stage begins in the life of Humbert and Lolita. The stepfather picks up the girl from the camp and takes her to the hotel,sleeping pills. But on the first night, he does not dare to enter into a relationship with Dolores. To his surprise, Lolita herself takes the initiative in the morning.

During the year, starting in August 1947, this unusual couple travels around America. In 1948, Humbert stays with Lolita in the town of Beardsley, where he sends her to the local gymnasium. At this time, the girl turns 14 years old, she begins to be rude and ask for a lot of money from Humbert. At the gymnasium, she plays in the theater, where she is fond of Quilty, the author of one of the plays.

Seeing the change in Lo's behavior, her loving stepfather again sets off with her on a trip to America. This time, he notices that his car is under constant surveillance. Humberta begins to constantly suspect Lolita that she wants to escape from him. In this, his expectations are justified. With a high temperature, his beloved ends up in the hospital, and after recovering, escapes from there with the object of her adoration.

It took Humbert three and a half years to find his beloved. He frantically tried to find his rival by following in his footsteps. But she never finds him, but receives a letter from Lolita, where she says that she lives on the outskirts of a small town, is married to a war veteran and is expecting a child. In addition, she is mired in debt and asks for financial assistance.

Taking a gun with him, Humbert goes to his beloved. No matter what they say, but there is a place for real feelings in the novel that Vladimir Nabokov wrote, "Lolita". The summary of the final chapter of the novel proves that even after seeing Lola in a couple of years,pregnant and tormented by a hard life, the protagonist confesses to himself that he still loves her. Despite the fact that there is no longer a drop of the nymphet left in her, he invites her to drop everything and return to him.

Lolita refuses him and confesses that she never loved him. Before Humbert left, the girl spoke about her life after escaping with the playwright. As it turned out, he needed her as a toy, which he very quickly threw away. After this story, Humbert goes berserk, finds Quilty and kills him with extreme cruelty.

While in prison, Humbert writes a confession called "Lolita". And without waiting for the trial, he dies. Dolores also soon dies in childbirth.

We advise you to read the brilliant masterpiece of literature that Nabokov gave to the world - "Lolita". The summary of the novel ends here. You can treat the main character in different ways, but one thing can be said for sure: his painful passion for a nymphet has grown into true love.