Unconventional Love Essay Example

the road with Delores, lovingly referred to as 'Lolita' for his own selfish reasons. An effective technique employed by Nabokov to portray unconventional love in the novel is through the use of names and personal identity.

The novel begins with protagonist Humbert Humbert reciting all of Delores' pet names, each one representing a different fantasy-like version of her: "She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock..." This demonstrates the significance of names and introduces the idea that Humbert's imagination has formed a perpetual reverie, stripping Lolita of her true sense of self. Consequently, Lolita has no say in her own identity and instead conforms to Humbert's desires. In contrast, Humbert's name represents stability.

The repeated use of a name implies authenticity and genuine identity, contrasting with Lolita who has multiple insignificant and otherworldly names. Humbert must strip Delores of her humanity to turn her into Lolita, as he acknowledges, "but in my arms, she was always Lolita." This statement is significant because it highlights the degree of control Humbert has over her and reinforces his belief that he has brought the imagined character of Lolita into actual existence.

The name 'Delores', which is the true name of Lolita, has a sad and mournful meaning, while the name 'Lolita' has a more captivating and otherworldly connotation. Eventually, it becomes associated with a sexually advanced girl in popular culture. Humbert's pursuit of this relationship demonstrates his indulgent and addictive nature, reflecting the novel's underlying theme of solipsism. Furthermore, Humbert's repetitive name reinforces his distinct personality and self-confidence.

The protagonist is self-assured and shares details about

his past, like his initial romance with Annabel. Despite certain unappealing aspects, his in-depth examination enables us to empathize with his genuine feelings and lovelorn despair.

In various ways, the novel emphasizes the significance of names. One example is the character 'Vivian Darkbloom', whose name is an anagram of the author's own name. Furthermore, Humbert derives excitement and stimulation from a printed list of Lolita's classmates (page 54). Throughout the book, Nabokov consistently incorporates themes of melancholy, as seen in phrases such as "I leaf again and again through these miserable memories" and "There is nothing more cruel than an adored child." By utilizing this technique, Humbert presents himself as a victim of his condition, evoking sympathy from the reader.

After three years of being apart, Humbert and Lolita are finally reunited at the end of the novel, marking a shift in his feelings towards her. Initially, his love for her was primarily driven by physical desire and possessiveness; however, it is now evident that his emotions are much deeper and more genuine. Despite Lolita growing up and becoming independent, Humbert's unwavering adoration for her reveals that his love has always been sincere. This depiction evokes sympathy for Humbert as it underscores that despite his questionable actions, he is also capable of experiencing universal and conventional love.

Nabokov discusses convention in Lolita by depicting brief commonplace relationships. These relationships serve as a contrast to the main theme of unconventional love. The narrator first describes his relationship with Valeria before Lolita, followed by his artificial relationship with Charlotte Haze. He manipulates this relationship to get close to the child. Lastly, he mentions his

temporary and deceptive association with Rita near the end of the novel.

The descriptions of these women lack passion and close observation, in stark contrast to the depiction of Lolita in the novel. Lolita is always heavily incensed and acute. Adult females have a sense of anonymity as only adolescent girls, who appeal to the narrator, and males who may threaten him, are described in detail. For instance, Humbert's neighbor is simply referred to as 'old Miss. Opposite' and Charlotte (who later becomes his wife) as 'the Haze woman'.

The way in which he refers to Lolita (‘my Lo’ or similarly, ‘my Carmen’) contradicts this, showing not only a committed interest but also an extremely possessive type of love. This connects to the aforementioned erasure of independent identity that objectifies Lolita. Following the theme of naming, Nabokov gives adult female characters mundane and conventional names like Charlotte and Jean, while girl-characters are given beautiful and exotic names like ‘Delores Haze’, ‘Grace Angel’, and ‘Rose Carmine’.

Nabokov's use of language and imagery in Lolita effectively enhances the attractiveness of immature characters. The author's colorful choice of words and vivid descriptions depict a nonconventional form of love. With imagery, Nabokov appeals to the reader's moral instincts, exemplified on page 21 where Humbert discusses his "mossy garden" and the "mirror reflecting our small Eden" shared with Lolita.

Nabokov incorporates Christian references to appeal to the reader's moral compass and enable them to recognize the unconventional nature of Humbert's infatuation with Lolita. However, rather than condemning it, these references also allow the reader to empathize with Humbert's feelings. The unorthodox nature of Humbert's infatuation

with a young girl is not diminished by this; instead, it helps the reader understand how such an unconventional kind of love can arise. Additionally, these references represent Humbert's inner turmoil as he grapples with his dark desires. By comparing his corrupt relationship with Lolita to a pure and divine paradise, Humbert seems to find solace for his guilty conscience.

The legitimacy of religion, which has been debated extensively, is also connected to Humbert's disillusioned lifestyle. Through introducing global conflicts like the debate between religion and science, Nabokov cleverly links something on a large scale to Humbert's personal doubts about morality. In terms of language, words such as 'magic', 'spell', and 'enchanted' serve as proof of the illusory and dreamlike nature of Humbert's infatuation with Lolita.

Humbert creates a unique and stylish language, incorporating words like 'girleen' and 'nymphet', which adds to the unconventional love he feels and cannot express in standard English. Additionally, he incorporates various French expressions to convey his emotions. While French is typically seen as a romantic language, its combination with English here, interspersed casually, gives it an irregular and somewhat eccentric appearance. Moreover, Humbert's descriptions of Lolita using words like 'delicious' and 'gorge' imply that she nourishes his soul.

The novel incorporates elements of surrealism, as it was inspired by a newspaper story about an ape in the Jardin des Plantes who, after months of coaxing, created the first ever drawing by an animal. This sketch depicted the bars of the ape's cage, symbolizing Lolita's imprisonment throughout the novel. Similar to the ape, Lolita is controlled by a powerful force that denies her the opportunity to

be a child.

In addition to its connection to surrealism, the novel Lolita by Nabokov references the work of Lewis Carroll. According to Nabokov, there are similarities between Lolita and the juvenile Alice in Wonderland, making Carroll "the first Humbert Humbert." Carroll's characterisation of pubescent Alice and her involvement in a dream-like world mirrors the nymphet archetype seen in Lolita. Furthermore, Nabokov associates his work with Edgar Allan Poe of the Romantic Movement. He draws parallels between his character Humbert Humbert and Poe's doppelganger-haunted protagonist in the poem "William Wilson." He also connects Humbert Humbert to character Clare Quilty, Lolita's kidnapper, as well as to his own use of a double name.

While Lolita emphasizes a man's infatuation with a young girl in a singular relationship, other texts that explore unconventional love often incorporate various forms of abnormal romance. Great Expectations, a bildungsroman in the Victorian literature genre, is Charles Dickens' thirteenth novel. Its memorable characters are known for their lack of conventional love, which is portrayed both subtly and obviously.

This passage centers around Pip's pursuit of Estella, a beautiful but cold-hearted woman whom he initially dislikes when he visits Satis House. However, Pip's love for Estella becomes more complicated upon further examination. Alongside his yearning for her, Pip also has a strong desire to become a gentleman. The story traces Pip's emotional and moral development from childhood to adulthood as he navigates different social circles after discovering that he has inherited a significant fortune from an unknown donor.

The connection between Pip and Estella can be perceived as depending on Pip's aspiration to belong to the upper-class. If he

were to marry Estella, it would not only signify that he has discovered true love but also confirm his lifelong goal of becoming a gentleman. Great Expectations, much like Nabokov's Lolita, delves into the idea of unconventional love by underscoring the importance of names. Similar to Humbert Humbert, the main character Pip initially presents himself as Philip Pirrip.

However, instead of instilling a strong sense of self, in this specific case, the similarities in Christian name and surname and the substitution of a plosive single syllable name lessen the importance of the character and highlight his position in a lower social class. In contrast, 'Estella', which means 'star' in Spanish - a traditionally romantic language - adds to Dickens' portrayal of a beautiful but distant female. Stars are unreachable and ethereal, universally seen as guides in the darkness. Throughout the novel, Pip's yearning for Estella directs his actions and impacts every decision he makes.

Moreover, while Joe is consistently connected to the countryside and Mr. Jaggers to London, stars exist in the sky universally, symbolizing Estella's constant presence in Pip's thoughts and clouding his every decision. Additionally, Dickens highlights unconventional love by contrasting parental relationships, such as Miss. Havisham's with Estella and Pip's with Joe and Magwitch, which are fundamentally dissimilar.

The resentment Havisham feels towards men, due to being abandoned on her wedding day, is projected onto her adoptive daughter, Estella, causing her to become apathetic. Havisham's revenge is represented by Estella, who uses her beauty to seduce men but shows them no affection or respect. Throughout the novel, Pip is drawn to Estella's cold allure, but his love for her

is unrequited and brings him no joy. Havisham seems to enjoy seeing Estella break Pip's heart and even encourages it. "She says many hard things of you, but you say nothing of her."

The novel raises a question on page 61 about a girl and seeks the reader's opinion on her. Before her death, Miss. Havisham asks for love from Estella but she rejects it, claiming that she is unable to love. She believes that she should be accepted as she is because her success and failure shape her identity. This unusual parent-child dynamic between Miss. Havisham and Estella proves challenging for readers to comprehend as it diverges from their expectations. In contrast, Pip's relationship with Joe coexists with Miss. Havisham's relationship.

Havisham’s relationship with Estella disproves this idea entirely. Although their relationship is unconventional because Joe is not Pip’s biological father and they treat each other almost like siblings, it is entirely based on love. There is mutual respect and a strong sense of loyalty between them. Despite constantly being surrounded by critical adults, Pip always has the support of Joe, who offers rationality in his life. The kindness of Joe is what shapes Pip’s virtues and makes him a likable character to the reader.

Dickens compares relationships to present the nature versus nurture debate, suggesting that nurture determines a person's character. Magwitch develops a strong bond with Pip after witnessing his loyalty and bravery in the marshes. Pip's generosity greatly impacts Magwitch, who rarely experiences kindness, ultimately causing him to become Pip's benefactor. This relationship is founded on love and gratitude from Magwitch's viewpoint.