Class Quote by Vladimir Nabokov
“Perhaps if the year was 1447 instead of 1947 I might have hoodwinked my gentle nature by administering her some classical poison from a hollow agate, some tender philter of death. But in our middle-class nosy era it would not have come off the way it used to in the brocaded palaces of the past. Nowadays you have to be a scientist if you want to be a killer.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle, Vladimir Nabokov, 1969
The speaker contrasts romanticized historical murder methods with modern scientific precision, suggesting killing now requires technical expertise.
In simple terms: Old ways of murder are romantic, modern killing needs science.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how technology changes moral landscapes.
Themes
ethics
technology
violence
history
romanticism
Mood
reflective
critical
somber
Type
literary
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- historical fiction
- modern crime
- ethical debate
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
moral relativism
technological determinism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does technology alter our perception of morality?
- What responsibilities come with scientific knowledge?
A Different Perspective
Modern tools can desensitize us to the gravity of killing.
![“...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)
