Vladimir Nabokov: The Luzhin Defense

[SFG75]

It's been awhile since I've last read Nabokov. The Enchanter was of course, a precursor to Lolita. I enjoyed both works immensely and the popularity of the books here on the forum are a testament to the caliber of writing that he produced. I have been in a mini-rut of sorts since The Enchanter. Other than Dostoyevsky, I have found it hard to really "get into" the given books that I was reading.

One similarity to Lolita and other works, is Nabokov's love-hate relationship with psychology. In the foreword, he leaves a special message for the "Viennese delegation" and warns them against making comparisons between Luzhin and his creator. he wraps up the foreword by admitting that he left Luzhin the French governess, a chess set, his temper, as well as a peach-pit. Having discussed this attitude of Nabokov in the other threads, I had a good chuckle about this, as well as the recollection of memories of threads of old.

The Defense was published when Nabokov was thirty. The novel portrays an isolated young man who comes to find himself in chess. He's not very sociable and is a mystery to his father, who is at a loss as to why his son isn't the life of the party at school. The story opens with the family leaving their country vacation spot to go back to the city so Alexandr can start school again. He of course, dreads it and makes a futile attempt to run back to his nature inspired isolation.

In writing about Luzhin and his isolation, I don't believe that Nabokov did as well of a job as say, Chekhov in expressing to the reader, the stinging isolation and rebuke from others that Luzhin experienced. The reader is given a litany of abuses and bullying that the boy goes through, only to be given the impression that the boys doesn't mind it at that much and as a matter of fact, prefers it to any positive attention that he would get from them. The biggest drawback to this work so far as the relative inability to really feel sorry for Luzhin, as well as to show how depressing his plight truly was. If only Anton could edit the script in the first half of the book.

I was impressed by Luzhin's breakthrough experience in finding himself in chess. It's a minor role in the book and isn't something that is highlighted a lot in reviews. I'm reminded a bit of existentialism and humanist psychology(particularly the thinking of Rollo May and Carl Rogers) when:

Luzhin perceived something, something was set free within him, something cleared up, and the mental myopia that had been painfully beclouding his chess vision disappeared.

I'm half-way through the book right now and I'm very much hooked. Luzhin has a girlfriend now and his father has passed away. His story only gets worse from here, though the long descent to the end of his psychological well-being has just begun. This is an excellent book to read. Definitely an enjoying work to experience.

Luzhin's Defense book review

 

[SFG75]

Well, where to begin? For one, The Defense is a correct title of the book. As a matter of fact, it's the title of the Nabokov book that I'm reading now. It's also known as The Luzhin Defence. No matter what the title, both options(and the early title) are correct. In case anyone is reading, or will be reading this fine book, the middle portion is filled with some classic VN wit as the mother of his girlfriend first meets him. She needles him with questions about respectability and of earning an honest living. He tires of her but doesn't take her criticism too much to heart.

Madam:

I imagine you've managed to debauch my little girl thoroughly? People like you are great lechers. But my daughter is chaste, not like today's girls. Tell me, you're a lecher aren't you.?

Luzhin:

No Madam

Madam:

I shall have to make inquiries about you-yes, yes,. . .

Now I don't know why, but I have a vision of a very nosy mother in this case and in reading the book, you can just see this poor, worked up thing fretting over a sloppily put together mess of a man. My post doesn't do it justice, but can only hint at the fine humor that is contained therein.

Next post: Luzhin's defeat.