My apologies for the self-promotional element of this message,
but followers of this thread might be interested in my article on the web-site Zembla
called “Synthesizing Artistic Delight: The Lesson of Pale Fire,”
which argues for the manifold applicability of this chess problem passage from Speak,
Memory to the structure of Pale Fire and the inexhaustible slipperiness
(‘unreliability’) of Kinbote as annotator/author/character.
The article is paired with “A Guide to Kinbote’s Commentary,”
a series of diagrams that track the reference patterns in Kinbote’s notes.
Here’s a link:
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/walter.htm
Brian Walter
From:
Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] On Behalf Of jansymello
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 8:49 PM
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: Re: [NABOKV-L] Aisenberg's thoughts on PF]] ultimate answer]
VN:.[The pleasant experience of the roundabout route (strange
landscapes, gongs, tigers, exotic customs, the thrice-repeated circuit of a
newly married couple around the sacred fire of an earthen brazier) would amply
reward him for the misery of the deceit, and after that,]... his arrival at the simple key move
would provide him with a synthesis of poignant artistic delight."]--
JA:... not because there is an ultimate answer to anything,
but just because the fever itself is fun -- L Hochard:
as your own quotation shows, there IS an ultimate answer to VN's chess
problems, but VN says this "simple key move" gives the reader /
player more pleasure if we take the "roundabout route"
JM:
Isn't that a roundabout route to describe one of the multiple
games related to solving chess problems? Or
a "yarn-spinner's" plot?
Please,
confront this to VN's:
"the enchanter interests me more than the
yarn-spinner or the teacher"
All private editorial communications, without exception, are
read by both co-editors.