Its best-known protagonist was played by Sue Lyon who in the 1962 film adaptation plays the role of “Lolita”. Let’s discover the story of Validimir Nabokov, creator of the novel of the same name and a great intellectual of Russian origins.
Who was Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Vladimirovič Nabokov (Petersburg, April 22, 1899 – Montreux, July 2, 1977) was a Russian writer and poet. It grows in one Noble family with his parents Elena and Vladimir, he is a well-known Russian politician who was murdered. With the advent of the revolution in 1917 it was time for them to leave the country and They move momentarily in the Crimea. Later they opt for Great Britain where Vladimir has the opportunity to complete his studies.
In 1922 he finished the university in Slavic studies and Romance languages al Trinity College and then he leaves for Berlin, then for Paris where he begins to publish his first writings under a false name.
He initially devoted himself to symbolist lyrics and in 1926 he published his own first novel.
The beginning of the literary career
The first great success was followed by numerous successes including “The defense of Luzin” in 1929, “The eye” in 1930 and “Camera obscura” in 1931. Surely the first literary production is not yet significant and capable of bringing out the great talent that’s in him, but it’s a great way to feel themulticultural environment where it comes from.
In fact, since he was a child he grows up talking three languages: Russian, English and French. To help him the numerous transfers and stays outside that lead him at a certain point in his career to switch to writing in English. The event coincides with the time he lives in the United States and with the need to tell the social reality where it is located.
Characteristic of this phase of writing is therefore the fremembrance of man in contemporary society and is seen above all in some of his novels including “The real life of Sebastian Knight” and “The bastards”.
The great success with “Lolita”
Without doubt, however, the great success comes with the novel “Lolita” released in 1955. It tells the world-wide public about the true identity of the United States, characterized by distinctive signs such as pleasure for sex.
The novel is definitely rough as it narrates the relationship born between an adult man to a girl and has become the symbol of this amorous intertwining also through the homonymous film by Stanley Kucrick.
Not just a writer: between criticism and entomology
Subsequently he proposes a series of highly appreciated titles including “Pale Fire” from 1962 or “Ada o ardore” from 1969 where his passion for games and the strong interest in sex. Finally, in 1967 he wrote a sort of autobiographical collection on the Russian past.
But Nabokov was not only a writer, he was also a critic of Russian literature, author of essays on 19th and 20th century writers and also a translator. One of his passions that not many know, however, is that forentomology, a branch of zoology specializing in insects which he also deals with at an academic level with technical essays.