Center for Basque Studies University of Nevada, Reno 8/20/2009 Katixa Agirre

Main character in Nabokov's novel Lolita (1955): a 12-year-old orphan who gets sexually involved with his stepfather. A precociously seductive girl (Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary)

Main character in Nabokov's novel Lolita (1955): a 12-year-old orphan who gets sexually involved with his stepfather.

A precociously seductive girl (Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary)

“ Lolita is not a perverse girl, it is the sad satyr's imagination which makes a magical creature of this young American schoolgirl. There is no nymphet outside Humbert's gaze.”

“ Lolita is not a perverse girl, it is the sad satyr's imagination which makes a magical creature of this young American schoolgirl. There is no nymphet outside Humbert's gaze.”

… a narrative shared amongst members of the same culture … a means of disguising or masking ambiguities within a culture. Its role might be ideological Nowadays, myths are mostly narrated by the media

… a narrative shared amongst members of the same culture

… a means of disguising or masking ambiguities within a culture.

Its role might be ideological

Nowadays, myths are mostly narrated by the media

Ambiguities in the understanding of childhood (sexual/asexual, powerful/powerless) Obsession with youth and beauty Crisis of masculinity in the times of 3 rd wave feminism

Ambiguities in the understanding of childhood (sexual/asexual, powerful/powerless)

Obsession with youth and beauty

Crisis of masculinity in the times of 3 rd wave feminism

Rereading Lolita and finding the real girl behind the image Humbert has created Empowering girlhood and encouraging a sexuality non defined by patriarchy Discussing the new Lolitas the media has brought to life

Rereading Lolita and finding the real girl behind the image Humbert has created

Empowering girlhood and encouraging a sexuality non defined by patriarchy

Discussing the new Lolitas the media has brought to life

Its obsession with the seductress girl since its beginnings Its global impact on the world and on cultural imaginary Two versions of Lolita I like Hollywood movies!

Its obsession with the seductress girl since its beginnings

Its global impact on the world and on cultural imaginary

Two versions of Lolita

I like Hollywood movies!

Lolita (Stanley Kubrick, 1962) Lolita (Adrian Lyne, 1997)

Lolita (Stanley Kubrick, 1962)

Lolita (Adrian Lyne, 1997)

Major changes mostly due to censorship Lolita is older and sexier Humbert is a nice guy with no pedophilic past Time change: from the 40s to the 60s Not a road movie: family life at home

Major changes mostly due to censorship

Lolita is older and sexier

Humbert is a nice guy with no pedophilic past

Time change: from the 40s to the 60s

Not a road movie: family life at home

Lolita: same age and aspect. Same historical setting. Direct quotes from the novel (17) Humbert’s past is emphasized: his teenage love explains his current pedophilic tendencies It looks quite faithful to the novel, doesn’t it?

Lolita: same age and aspect.

Same historical setting.

Direct quotes from the novel (17)

Humbert’s past is emphasized: his teenage love explains his current pedophilic tendencies

It looks quite faithful to the

novel, doesn’t it?

With a tragic past And a poetic aura And Lolita is an evil girl She bribes Humbert And enjoys when Humbert rapes her! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCx1lUjD6Wc&feature=related

With a tragic past

And a poetic aura

And Lolita is an evil girl

She bribes Humbert

And enjoys when Humbert rapes her!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCx1lUjD6Wc&feature=related

Humbert drugs and bribes Lolita Lolita cries every night Lolita is an orphan with nowhere to go Lolita doesn’t enjoy Humbert: “Never did she vibrate under my touch” Lyne’s version seems more faithful to the Lolita myth than to the novel.

Humbert drugs and bribes Lolita

Lolita cries every night

Lolita is an orphan with nowhere to go

Lolita doesn’t enjoy Humbert: “Never did

she vibrate under my touch”

Lyne’s version seems more faithful to the Lolita myth than to the novel.

Using particular devices such as: pastiche, parody, intertextuality, open ends, irony, mix of genres… Postmodern portrays of Lolita shed new light on the myth but are connected with old Lolitas as well.

Using particular devices such as: pastiche, parody, intertextuality, open ends, irony, mix of genres…

Postmodern portrays of Lolita shed new light on the myth but are connected with old Lolitas as well.

New Lolita: same age, much more intelligent. Men immature / girl mature Constant references to Nabokov, Lolita , and other Humbertish characters: Roman Polanski, Jerry Lee Lewis… Nothing sexual happens General idea: men unable to commit to women.

New Lolita: same age, much more intelligent.

Men immature / girl mature

Constant references to Nabokov, Lolita , and other Humbertish characters: Roman Polanski, Jerry Lee Lewis…

Nothing sexual happens

General idea: men unable to commit to women.

Deconstruction of the myth of Lolita. Angela Hayes: the perfect Lolita? Older, cheerleader, takes the initiative, seductress… Last scene: Angela reveals she is just pretending. Male protagonist: Lester Burnham, anagram for Humbert Learns.

Deconstruction of the myth of Lolita.

Angela Hayes: the perfect Lolita?

Older, cheerleader, takes the initiative, seductress…

Last scene: Angela reveals she is just pretending.

Male protagonist: Lester Burnham, anagram for Humbert Learns.

Parody of Lolita. Neo-noir genre: classic noir marked by self-consciousness and irony. Timorous schoolgirl – expert sexual predator Reference to the car scene in Lolita

Parody of Lolita.

Neo-noir genre: classic noir marked by self-consciousness and irony.

Timorous schoolgirl – expert sexual predator

Reference to the car scene in Lolita

Retelling the story of Little Red Riding Hood Lolita takes revenge Girl power philosophy: the violent girl Mixed messages: seduction as a trap.

Retelling the story of Little Red Riding Hood

Lolita takes revenge

Girl power philosophy: the violent girl

Mixed messages: seduction as a trap.

A powerful cultural myth A model for girls’ sexuality A dangerous temptation But it’s being called into question by feminism, girl power movement, new gender relations… The myth won’t die, but it is changing all the time.

A powerful cultural myth

A model for girls’ sexuality

A dangerous temptation

But it’s being called into question by feminism, girl power movement, new gender relations…

The myth won’t die, but it is changing all the time.