Lolita: The Experience Of Aesthetic Bliss

Based on the unique view of aesthetics in creation advocated by VladimirNabokov, a famous Russian-born American writer, the thesis analyzes hismasterpiece Lolita with regard to three different approaches to experience"aesthetic bliss"-the essential value of this novel, respectively by three differentsubjects: the creative subject (Nabokov), the narrative subject (Humbert), and thereading subjects (readers).As the creative subject, Nabokov refuses any social purpose in his creation andinsists that the sense of "aesthetic bliss"is the only norm of creating his Lolita. Theincomparable gifts of language and the unusual sensitivity of beauty endow him withthe outstanding ability of mastering the poetic and pictorial language, the vivid andfantastic description and the distinctive style with parody in Lolita which isprominent for its artistic perfection in the literary circle. For Nabokov, the perfectartistic creation is an ideal way to realize his "blissful"world which preconditions theendless exploring of the external world. The creator creates for the "bliss"and is alsoself-satisfied in his blissful world.As the protagonist and the only narrator in the novel, Humbert tells his sufferingand narcissistic pursuit of Lolita with completely artistic words. In fact, Humbert'sself-indulgent experience is not inclined to be sexual, but the quest for beauty andimaginary dream. More valuable, the advantageous narration position enables him tohelp readers give up their utilitarian perception and lead them to the aesthetic traps.Attracted by the delicate artistic skills, and persuaded to be relieved from thesolid moral judgment, good readers are invited into the pure artistic world. After theindividual dissolving of traps in novels and the active building of deeper themes inthe novel, good readers gain the sense of "aesthetic bliss"that they have neverexperienced before. Each individual perception helps readers to get closer to the truenature of the author's world and more sensitive to their external world. In theintelligent participation and independent understanding, they are rewarded by theblissful sense.From the analysis above, the thesis concludes that the sense of "aesthetic bliss"is the common experience and immortal share of the three subjects and is the realvalue of Lolita. As the subtle convergent point, it promotes the communicationbetween the author and readers which gives Lolita the endless vitality and charming.What's more, the attitude that the sense of "aesthetic bliss"acts as the reason for theexistence of a good novel can leave some valuable enlightenment to modern creatingand reading.