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Can you recommend a good english translation? I've always wanted to read that poem. But, you're citing a book by Pushkin (or the anti-hero within?) as illustra

Can you recommend a good english translation? I've always wanted to read that poem. But, you're citing a book by Pushkin (or the anti-hero within?) as illustrative of Nabokov's worldview? While he affected amused disdain I think Nabokov did care about the world. Doesn't Onegin too? I think it's hard to square writing a book about a manipulative child abuser with being utterly disinterested in moral or social issues, because the book probes deeply into both (even if it is a little fantastical and hyper-real). I agree Nabokov has a very dry, aristocratic and distant style, but he wouldn't write about such things if he didn't want to provoke debate. Art has meaning and his has a lot more depth than surface. His position is of course very ambiguous but there is a lot of empathy for Humbert in Lolita, which is partly why it is so entrancing and discomfiting.

slibhb 6y ago
I read James Falen's translation, which I thought was great. I don't speak Russian though so who knows. > But, you're citing a book by Pushkin (or the anti-hero within?) as illustrative of Nabokov's worldview? While he affected amused disdain I think Nabokov did care about the world. Doesn't Onegin too? That's my view, yeah. The figure here is the disaffected noble (or intellectual) who disdains society, creates his own values, and eventually tragically fails partly because he can't totally leave society behind. I think Nabokov loves those characters. I don't think he's criticizing them. I am of course not saying you have to agree with Nabokov.
- grey-area 6y ago
  That's my view, yeah. The figure here is the disaffected noble (or intellectual) who disdains society, creates his own values, and eventually tragically fails partly because he can't totally leave society behind. I think Nabokov loves those characters. I don't think he's criticizing them. Yes I agree he probably would have loved a character like that, though I think part of the attraction is the recognition of their inevitable tragic end (with the implicit recognition that they are mistaken about the world). Humbert of course is not in that mould (or not entirely), and I'm not saying Nabokov would be so crass as to write himself into Humbert, but he shows a lot of sly sympathy for him in Lolita, and his other books also show a preoccupation with transgressive sexuality in children (Ada), it's a weird obsession.
- deleted 6y ago
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lovelyviking 6y ago
Looks like James Falen manages to preserve the feel of orgiginal rythm. Also Kozlov(1998) is close. You can check others by yourself there: English Versions of Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin: https://www.york.ac.uk/depts/maths/histstat/pml1/onegin/ https://www.york.ac.uk/depts/maths/histstat/pml1/onegin/ It's hard to tell which one is the best, because I do not like the original ... too boring. I've tried it again today and it's boring again but today I have found that a few primitive tricks were used many times when rythm doesn't work. I think the common view about beauty of the poem is greatly exaggerated.
- grey-area 6y ago
  Thanks. Just found Nabokov's too, which looks interesting but ungainly (atypical for him).

slibhb 6y ago

I read James Falen's translation, which I thought was great. I don't speak Russian though so who knows. > But, you're citing a book by Pushkin (or the anti-hero within?) as illustrative of Nabokov's worldview? While he affected amused disdain I think Nabokov did care about the world. Doesn't Onegin too? That's my view, yeah. The figure here is the disaffected noble (or intellectual) who disdains society, creates his own values, and eventually tragically fails partly because he can't totally leave society behind. I think Nabokov loves those characters. I don't think he's criticizing them. I am of course not saying you have to agree with Nabokov.

grey-area 6y ago
That's my view, yeah. The figure here is the disaffected noble (or intellectual) who disdains society, creates his own values, and eventually tragically fails partly because he can't totally leave society behind. I think Nabokov loves those characters. I don't think he's criticizing them. Yes I agree he probably would have loved a character like that, though I think part of the attraction is the recognition of their inevitable tragic end (with the implicit recognition that they are mistaken about the world). Humbert of course is not in that mould (or not entirely), and I'm not saying Nabokov would be so crass as to write himself into Humbert, but he shows a lot of sly sympathy for him in Lolita, and his other books also show a preoccupation with transgressive sexuality in children (Ada), it's a weird obsession.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

lovelyviking 6y ago

Looks like James Falen manages to preserve the feel of orgiginal rythm. Also Kozlov(1998) is close. You can check others by yourself there: English Versions of Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin: https://www.york.ac.uk/depts/maths/histstat/pml1/onegin/ https://www.york.ac.uk/depts/maths/histstat/pml1/onegin/ It's hard to tell which one is the best, because I do not like the original ... too boring. I've tried it again today and it's boring again but today I have found that a few primitive tricks were used many times when rythm doesn't work. I think the common view about beauty of the poem is greatly exaggerated.

grey-area 6y ago
Thanks. Just found Nabokov's too, which looks interesting but ungainly (atypical for him).