Lolita Quote by Vladimir Nabokov
““I insist the world know how much I loved my Lolita, this Lolita, pale and polluted, and big with another's child, but still gray-eyed, still sooty-lashed, still auburn and almond, still Carmencita, still mine; Changeons de vie, ma Carmen, allons vivre quelque part oы nous ne serons jamais sиparиs; Ohio? The wilds of Massachusetts? No matter, even if those eyes of hers would fade to myopic fish, and her nipples swell and crack, and her lovely young velvety delicate delta be tainted and torn--even then I would go mad with tenderness at the mere sight of your dear wan face, at the mere sound of your raucous young voice, my Lolita.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, 1955
A narrator expresses obsessive, conflicted love for a young girl, mixing erotic desire with guilt and cultural references.
In simple terms: Obsessive love for a young girl.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the danger of idealizing harmful relationships.
Themes
obsession
desire
guilt
cultural identity
Mood
conflicted
intense
melancholic
Type
literary
psychological
controversial
When to use this quote
- literary analysis
- psychotherapy
- ethical debates
Key Concepts
psychology
power dynamics
forbidden love
Questions to Reflect On
- How does the narrator justify his feelings?
- What does this reveal about power and desire?
A Different Perspective
The narrator’s romanticization ignores the moral and legal realities of incest and exploitation.
![“...under no circumstances would he [Humbert Humbert] have interfered with the innocence of a child, if there was the least risk of a row.” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f0/vladimir-nabokov-198_children_under-no-circumstances-would-he-humbert_16228.jpg)
