Up to this day, scientific research has examined Vladimir Nabokov’s penultimate novelAda or Ardor: A Familiy Chroniclefrom a multitude of theoretical perspectives. But although it displays highly problematic relationships between the different sexes (and also between members of the same sex) and albeit the “male” narrative point of view demands a great amount of caution from the reader, purely feminist approaches are virtually non-existent. This might partly be attributed to the facts that firstly the splendour ofAda’sstylistic expression tends to distract the reader from its possibly “contentious contents” and that secondlyAdais generally regarded as a perfect example of a postmodern novel and therefore considered to be immune to any allegation of adherence to fixed categories.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Parody
A. Playing on genre
B. Playing with motifs
1. The body
2. Incest
III. Mise en abyme
A. Language and art
B. Philosophy and fiction
IV. Point of view
A. Van’s story
B. On closer inspection
1. Who speaks?
2. What does “really” happen?
V. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle through the lens of feminist literary theory, specifically by comparing the author’s narrative strategies with Hélène Cixous’ concept of écriture féminine. The central research question explores whether the hierarchical dichotomies traditionally associated with patriarchal discourse are maintained or deconstructed within Nabokov's work.
- Analysis of parodic elements regarding literary genre and conventions.
- Investigation of recurring motifs, particularly the (female) body and the theme of incest.
- Exploration of linguistic self-reflection through the mise en abyme device.
- Examination of the narrative point of view and the reliability of the narrator.
- Critical evaluation of the novel's stance on patriarchal structures and discourse.
Excerpt from the Book
1. The body
During Van’s first summer at Ardis, the idyllic domicile of Daniel and Marina Veen, it is the body of his alleged cousin, 12-year-old Ada, which arouses his sexual desire. In this context, the narrator occasionally recalls his impressions of the girl’s appearance as exactly and vividly as if he still watched her immediately, for instance, when describing her drawing an orchid on a hot July afternoon:
Ada liked to sit on a cool piano stool of ivoried wood at a white-oilcloth’d table in the sunny music room, her favourite botanical atlas open before her, and copy out in color on creamy paper some singular flower. She might choose, for instance, an insect-mimicking orchid which she would proceed to enlarge with remarkable skill. Or else she combined one species with another (unrecorded but possible), introducing odd little changes and twists that seemed almost morbid in so young a girl so nakedly dressed. The long beam slanting in from the French window glowed in the faceted tumbler, in the tinted water, and on the tin of the paintbox – and while she delicately painted an eyespot or the lobes of a lip, rapturous concentration caused the tip of her tongue to curl at the corner of her mouth, and as the sun looked on, the fantastic, black-blue-brown-haired child seemed in her turn to mimic the mirror-of-Venus blossom. Her flimsy, loose frock happened to be so deeply cut out behind that whenever she concaved her back while moving her prominent scapulae to and fro and tilting her head – as with air-poised brush she surveyed her damp achievement, or with the outside of her left wrist wiped a strand of hair off her temple – Van, who had drawn up to her seat as close as he dared, could see down her sleek ensellure as far as her coccyx and inhale the warmth of her entire body. (81)
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the theoretical framework, noting the lack of feminist research on Nabokov’s Ada and introducing Hélène Cixous’ theory of écriture féminine as a lens for examining patriarchal dichotomies.
II. Parody: Explores how Nabokov parodies literary conventions, including genre classifications and traditional motifs like the female body and incest, to undermine patriarchal authority.
III. Mise en abyme: Analyzes the novel’s self-reflexive linguistic patterns, focusing on wordplay and the Scrabble motif to demonstrate the constructed nature of language and art.
IV. Point of view: Investigates the reliability of the narrator, Van Veen, and the influence of other "obscure agents" in the text, while questioning the ideological implications of the characters' behaviors.
V. Conclusion: Summarizes that while Nabokov does not pursue an explicit feminist agenda, his subversive narrative techniques significantly align with deconstructive practices found in feminist theory.
Keywords
Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Hélène Cixous, écriture féminine, Parody, Mise en abyme, Incest, Gender Studies, Patriarchal discourse, Deconstruction, Narrative authority, Literary theory, Subjectivity, Texture of Time, Scrabble.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work focuses on analyzing Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Ada or Ardor by applying feminist literary theories, specifically investigating how the novel’s narrative techniques interact with or deconstruct patriarchal discourse.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The study centers on genre parody, the significance of recurrent motifs like the body and incest, the concept of subjective time, and the self-reflexive nature of the text's narrative construction.
What is the main research objective?
The primary goal is to determine whether the hierarchical dichotomies associated with patriarchal traditions are maintained or subverted within Nabokov’s writing, using Cixous' theories as a comparative framework.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author employs a literary-theoretical methodology, utilizing textual analysis to evaluate narrative strategies, such as parody and mise en abyme, in the context of feminist critique.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body systematically analyzes how Nabokov employs parody, explores the body and incest as pervasive motifs, examines linguistic self-reflection, and critiques the reliability of the narrative perspective.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
The paper is characterized by terms such as écriture féminine, deconstruction, mise en abyme, narrative authority, and intertextuality.
How does the Scrabble game function within the narrative?
The Scrabble game serves as a mise en abyme, exposing the linguistic "artificiality" of the text and the complex, often incestuous relationships between the characters through wordplay.
What is the significance of the "Texture of Time" section?
This section is interpreted as a mise en abyme of the novel’s narrative paradigm, illustrating how Van Veen’s subjective perception of time undermines conventional, realistic narrative discourses.
- Quote paper
- Heike Stindt (Author), 2005, Ardis, its Ardors and Ideologies - Measuring Vladimir Nabokov against Hélène Cixous, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/59652
