Many hate this saga of ardent sibling incest, others think it nabokovs. The famous american poet john shade was murdered in 1959. Charles kinbote, shades neighbor and the man who decides to provide commentary for the reader, is a poem in heroic couplets, of nine hundred ninetynine lines, divided into four cantos, composed by john francis shade born july 5, 1898, died july 21, 1959 during the last twenty days of his life, at. Yet pale fire is more outrageously hilarious, and its narrative convolutions make the earlier book seem as straightforward as a fairy tale. It is arguable, and debatable, whether this title or lolita is nabokov s masterpiece, but what is certain is that pale fire is once of the tightest, beststructured books of the 20th century. The novel is presented as a 999line poem titled pale fire, written by the fictional john shade, with a foreword and lengthy commentary by a neighbor and academic colleague of the poet, charles kinbote. Mccarthy argued from submerged clues in the commentary that the real author of the commentary and foreword and index in pale fire, the real zemblan fantasist, was a figure barely. This is undeniably an excellent book, the idea and execution are just incredible. Pale fire goes further than any of his previous novels toward defining such a utopia. Jacketed the urbane authority that vladimir nabokov brought to every word he ever wrote, and the ironic amusement he cultivated in response to being uprooted and politically exiled twice in his life, never found fuller expression than in pale fire published in 1962 after the critical and popular success of lolita had made him an international literary figure.
The novel, pale fire, includes a foreword, the text of shades poem, extensive commentary, and a table of contents. Pale fire, a poem in heroic couplets, of nine hundred ninetynine lines. John updike was spot on decades ago, describing nabokov as the grandmaster of english prose. This brilliant parody of literary scholarship is also an experimental synthesis of nabokovs talents for both poetry and prose. Together these elements form two story lines in which both authors are central characters. Hello, i juste finished pale fire, my first book by nabokov. Literary criticism as an autobiographical form in vladimir nabokovs pale fire. Pale fire commentary on cantos 12 summary and analysis. His last poem, pale fire, is put into a book, together with a preface, a lengthy commentary and notes by shades editor, charles kinbote. Like lolita, vladimir nabokovs pale fire is a masterpiece that imprisons us. It provides a thorough exploration of the novels plot, characters and main themes, as well as a useful discussion of its innovative form. The novel is presented as a poem titled pale fire with commentary by a friend of the poets. The book that prompted these reflections and confirmed me in my choice for novel of the century was brian boyds remarkable, obsessive, delirious, devotional study, nabokov s pale fire.
Kinbote tells us that he is a literature professor. The book initially appears to be an unfinished poem, pale fire, by a dead writer named john shade, together with a foreword, detailed commentary and index by a friend of his, charles kinbote. Pale fire is a pretty enigmatic novel, written as a commentary on a poem called pale fire by a famous poet and neighbor to the narrator named john shade. Pale fire is widely considered vladimir nabokovs masterpiece. This book contains his last poem, pale fire, together with a foreword, a lengthy commentary and notes by. John shades pale fire opens with an extraordinary series of images whose initial impact lingers in the mind as it expands. Commentary about the author books by vladimir nabokov foreword pale fire, a poem in heroic couplets, of nine hundred ninetynine lines, divided into four cantos, was composed by john francis shade born july 5, 1898, died july 21, 1959 during the last twenty days of his life, at his residence in new wye, appalachia, u. Vladimir nabokov led a life of exile and tactical retreat.
The story in pale fire, no linear tale, is told by charles kinbote during the course of a commentary on the poem of a renown writer, close friend and next door neighbor, john shade. Although he is better known for lolita, pale fire is an experimental form of literature published in 1962 as a 999line poem by the fictional poet john shade with notations by fictional editor john kinbote. In an elaborate spoof, nabokov takes us to the nevernever land of zembla. The novel has been hailed as one of the most striking early examples of. Nabokov s darkly witty, richly inventive masterpiece is a suspenseful whodunit, a story of oneupmanship and dubious penmanship, and a glorious literary conundrum. Together these elements form a narrative in which both fictional authors are central characters.
The novel is presented as a 999line poem titled pale fire, written by the. This attractive box contains two booklets, the poem pale fire in a handsome pocket edition and the book of essays by renowned nabokov authority brian boyd and poet r. It has as its subject a delightful 999line poem in heroic. In pale fire nabokov offers a cornucopia of deceptive pleasures. Feb 16, 2011 in pale fire nabokov offers a cornucopia of deceptive pleasures. Charles kinbote whose morality, identity and authority are questionable throughout the entire text. Pale fire is regarded by many as vladimir nabokovs masterpiece.
Picking up pale fire, i had no idea what to do with it. Pale fire, novel in english by vladimir nabokov, published in 1962. Pale fire vladimir nabokovit is arguable, and debatable, whether this title or lolita is nabokov s masterpiece, but what is certain is that pale fire is once of the tightest, beststructured books of the 20th century. Despite the commentary section of the book which makes up the majority jumping from topic to topic with almost no rhyme or reason to it i found it an incredible read. Charles kinbote is the author of the foreword and commentary. But i was a little underwhelmed by the prose, its wellwritten, no doubt about it, but having heard that nabokov have one of the best prose ever, it was a bit of a letdown. Ada 1969 the novel in the nabokov canon that provokes the wildest disagreement. Together these elements form a narrative in which both authors are central characters. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of pale fire. Dec 02, 2011 some books, like the institutionalist approach to public utility regulation, defeat commentary. This brilliant parody of literary scholarship is also an experimental synthesis of nabokov s talents for both poetry and prose. If charles kinbote is the ostensible narrative voice of pale fire, the one who writes the footnoted commentary to the poem that opens the novel. Some books, like the institutionalist approach to public utility regulation, defeat commentary. From vladimir nabokov, the writer who shocked and delighted the world with his novels lolita, pale fire, and ada, or ardor, comes a magnificent collection of stories.
Written between the 1920s and the 1950s, these 68 tales 14 of which have been translated into english for the first time display all the shades of nabokovs imagination. On one hand it feels like the work of a madman, which was obviously nabokovs intention. Today this novel reads like a parody of postmodernism. Pale fire project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read.
Like lolita, vladimir nabokovs pale fire is a masterpiece that imprisons us inside the mazelike head of a mad emigre. The novel is presented as a 999 line poem titled pale fire, written by the. The interaction between kinbote and shade takes place in the fictitious small college town of new wye, appalachia, where they live across a lane from each other. Known on campus as the great beaver, kinbote is haughty, inquisitive, intolerant, but is he also mad, bad and even dangerous. The novel is divided into a forwardthe actual poem pale firethe commentary on. Pale fire, vladimir nabokovs resplendent rare bird of a novel, comes with its own commentary built in. Part of a major new series of the works of vladimir nabokov, author of lolita and pale fire, in penguin classics. It consists of a long poem and a commentary on it by an insane pedant. His last poem, pale fire, is put into a book, together with a preface, a lengthy commentary and notes by shades editor. Dec 18, 20 vladimir nabokov, pale fire penguin hardback classics pale fire is a great prank of a novel masquerading as a work of nonfiction. Gwynn, as well as facsimiles of the index cards that john shade like his maker, nabokov used for composing his poem, printed exactly as vladimir nabokov described them. Vladimir nabokov books list of books by author vladimir nabokov. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the us or from the uk, depending on stock availability.
In fact, im very ashamed of this i did research on the best way to read nabokov s 1962 novel. The novel is presented as a 999line poem titled pale fire, written by the fictional poet john shade, with a foreword, lengthy commentary and index written by shades neighbor and academic colleague, charles kinbote. Buy pale fire penguin modern classics by nabokov, vladimir from. But kinbote is less interested in the poem than he is in discussing the.