/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.9285337]

What does /lit/ think about Pale Fire (the poem)?

[Anonymous No.9285362]

>>9285337
The poem itself or the book?

[Anonymous No.9285525]

>>9285362
Are you fucking retarded?

[Anonymous No.9285569]

>>9285337
As far as /lit/ goes, I know it's a pretty contentious topic around here. One side thinks it's (intentionally) trash/mediocre, satirizing sterile American poetry like Frost, and the other thinks it's either straightforwardly good (the part with the daughter isn't overdone or overly sentimental, so it seems silly Nabokov would tack that onto a 'bad' poem) or even of a patronizing, ironic nature---'lemme write a good poem using all of the cliches and stylistic touches I loathe.'

I like it, though some parts are obviously poking fun.

[Anonymous No.9286391]

Hey lit

I don't feel like reading entire collections of short stories. Please rec me some great short stories

[Anonymous No.9286808]

>>9285337
It's pretty good on its own, but great within the context of the novel.

[Anonymous No.9286815]

>>9285525
No.

[Anonymous No.9286961]

>>9285569
I'd say it's both. Some parts like the opening are amazing while the middle drags with cliche and awkward meter and rhyme. One thing to keep in mind however is that the poem is a first draft. Kinbote stole it from Shade as soon as he was finished and the poet presumably would not have published it in the state included in the book. Hence why the first section is the strongest and course the fact that it's missing its last line.

[Anonymous No.9287130]

>>9286391
Signs and symbols by Nabokov
tlön uqbar orbis tertius by Borges
The Pederson Kid by Gass

[Anonymous No.9287152]

>>9285337
It's passable, to re-purpose one of Nabokov himself's critiques, and appraise the poem, I would say:

Conventional and drab, redeemed from utter insipidity only by infrequent snatches of heavenly intonations.

[Anonymous No.9288012]

>>9286961
>I am the shadow of the waxwing slain
>By the false azure of the window pane