Question
Is the protagonist Humbert Humbert of Lolita by Nabokov the victim of Lolita’s desires or a paedophile?
Answer
Humbert Humbert, the protagonist of Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita,” is predominantly characterised as a pedophile rather than a victim of Lolita’s desires. Academic insights consistently highlight his sexual aberration and psychological issues that drive his actions.
When characterising Humbert as a pedophile, the following may be considered:
Psychological analysis: Multiple studies identify Humbert as a pedophile, driven by unresolved childhood experiences and psychological imbalances. His fixation on young girls, particularly Lolita, is linked to his past and a stunted psychosexual development (Pramukti, 2015; Ismiadita and Intan, 2014; Aprilian, 2012; Fera, 2016).
Freudian perspective: Humbert’s actions are analysed through Freud’s psychoanalysis, emphasising the dominance of his Id, which seeks pleasure without moral consideration. This imbalance leads to his immoral conduct and obsession with Lolita (Meng, 2023; Ismiadita and Intan, 2014).
Ephebophilia: Some analyses describe Humbert as an ephebophile, attracted to adolescents, which further complicates his character as someone who cannot escape his desires for younger women (Amelia and Dintasi, 2018; Amelia and Dintasi, 2019).
When evaluating Humbert’s relationship with Lolita, the following may be considered:
Courtly love vs. pedophilia: One perspective suggests that Humbert’s feelings could be seen as a form of courtly love, distancing his actions from modern interpretations of pedophilia. However, this view is not widely supported and is often contested by the predominant interpretation of his character as a pedophile (Zuraikat, 2023).
Victimisation claim: Humbert’s claim that Lolita seduced him is a common defense in cases of statutory rape, but it is generally not accepted as a valid justification for his actions (Guerrina, 1998).
Overall, academic opinion portrays Humbert Humbert as a pedophile whose actions are driven by deep-seated psychological issues and a dominant Id, rather than as a victim of Lolita’s desires. His character is complex, but the consensus leans towards his culpability in the relationship with Lolita.
References
Pramukti, H., 2015. HUMBERT HUMBERT’S SEXUAL ABERRATION AS A PEDOPHILE IN VLADIMIR NABOKOV’S LOLITA. **.
Meng, W., 2023. The Study of Humbert in Lolita from the Perspective of Freud’s Psychoanalysis. Applied & Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.23977/appep.2023.040602
Ismiadita, I., & , I., 2014. A Pedophile Characterization in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita. **.
Zuraikat, M., 2023. Contextualizing the Medieval Tradition of Courtly Love in Nabokov’s Lolita. International Journal of Arabic-English Studies. https://doi.org/10.33806/ijaes.v23i2.459
Amelia, D., & Dintasi, F., 2018. Ephebophilia Suffered by the Main Character in the Novel Lolita by Nabokov. **.
Amelia, D., & Dintasi, F., 2019. Ephebophilia Suffered by the Main Character. TEKNOSASTIK. https://doi.org/10.33365/TS.V15I2.103
Aprilian, I., 2012. “Pedophilia Sex Disorder Reflected In Humbert As The Main Character” Of Novel “LOLITA” BY VLADMIR NABOKOV. **.
Guerrina, B., 1998. Mitigating Punishment for Statutory Rape. University of Chicago Law Review, 65, pp. 3. https://doi.org/10.2307/1600263
Fera, Y., 2016. Psychological Analysis Of Pedophilia Character In Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita (Skripsi Sastra Inggris, 2016). **.
