I liked, as I like still, to make words look…
““I liked, as I like still, to make words look self-conscious and foolish, to bind them by mock marriage of a pun, to turn them inside out, to come upon them unawares. What is this jest in majesty? This ass in passion? How do god and devil combine to form a live dog?””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Nabokov celebrates playful language, using puns and wordplay to expose absurdity and paradox in meaning.
In simple terms: He enjoys twisting words to reveal humor and contradictions.
Key Takeaway
Embrace linguistic playfulness.
Themes
creativity
language
paradox
humor
Mood
playful
intellectual
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- poetry analysis
- creative writing exercises
- teaching literature
Key Concepts
postmodernism
literary play
semantic inversion
Questions to Reflect On
- How does humor change perception of serious topics?
- When does wordplay become pretentious?
A Different Perspective
Overuse of wordplay can obscure clarity for readers.