Hey, Carolyn.
You wrote that both Shade's and Kinbote's mother's maiden-name was Lukin. Is that so? ( How interesting the CK for Kinbote and Kunin, also the Carolyn Lukin ...) Jansy
Concerning the hypothesis of split personality, I am not convinced at all, at least, I think it should not be taken so easily, almost as self-evident, to me it looks rather as a trap (one of many) prepared by Nabokov, and I easily imagine how he could ridiculize psychiatric zeal in the interpretations of the PF. Sergei
Dear Jansy & Sergei,
Yes indeed, it is so. In the index under "Shade, John Francis " you will find "his parents, Samuel Shade and Caroline Lukin, 71." Note that although CK is for Charles Kinbote and for moi aussi, Caroline Lukin would be either CL or CS. She is also apparently Queen Blenda.
I would hardly say that this solution is either easy or self-evident. It took me close to a year to find it and there are a few others (none on this List that I an aware of) who solved PF this way.
Here's another question for all of you who doubt - - who does Kinbote address on the very first page of the foreword when he refers to "Canto II, your favorite"? Is this not John Shade addressing Sybil? And if not, then who?
Carolyn