English 166

Special Topics: Vladimir Nabokov


Section Semester Instructor Time Location Course Areas
2 Fall 2010 Naiman, Eric
TTh 9:30-11 213 Wheeler Special Topics

Book List
Nabokov, Vladimir: The Defense, Laughter in the Dark, Despair, Lolita, Pnin, Pale Fire
Description

We will study the work of Nabokov as a novelist on two continents over a period of nearly sixty years. The course will be structured (more or less) chronologically and evenly divided between novels translated from Russian and written in English. After beginning with Nabokov’s third novel and two short stories, we will examine some of the fiction of his European period, before turning our attention to Lolita and Pnin. Competing interpretations of Nabokov will be considered, but our emphasis will be on metafiction, the theme of perversity and Nabokov's cultivation of a perverse reader.

Since Nabokov was prolific and this course is comprehensive, students should expect to devote a considerable amount of time to reading and should come to class prepared to discuss the assigned texts. Participants in the class should anticipate reading 200 pages per week. Written work will consist of two papers (5 to 10 pages) on topics to be chosen in consultation with the professor. Penalties will be assessed for late papers. There will be a midterm and a final examination.

This course is cross-listed with Slavic 134F.

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Spring, 2012
166/1 Special Topics: Specters of the Atlantic Ellis, Nadia
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Fall, 2011
166/1 Special Topics: Engaging the Play: Being the Player Gotanda, Philip Kan
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