Throughout American literature, American novelists often subversively critique issues surrounding the American obsession with romantic idealism. However, with the publication of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the conventions of subversive American literature are drastically altered. Consequently, American literature published after Huckleberry Finn explore the issue of realism and romanticism that Twain’s novel serves to critique in American national identity through the use of unique, yet controversial characters. In Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, the readers’ interpretation of Humbert Humbert’s actions is influenced by the narrative tension between realism and romanticism, which undermines their perception of truth. By examining …show more content…
As Humbert’s “poetic and lilting … and evocative language” (2) mythicizes Lolita, it distorts the stark reality of “[Lolita’s] sexual trauma” (2) at the exploitation and pornographic commodification that she endures not only from Humbert the Hunter, but also from Clare Quilty. This suggests that Humbert’s ability to utilize the tension between realism and romanticism to frame his narrative “hoodwinks the reader into holding Dolores Haze responsible for her own victimization” (2) because she is depicted as a beautiful seductress, “a sexually savvy, prepubescent teenager” (2) that displays “not a trace of modesty” (Nabokov 133) in stereotypical American perceptions of teenage sexuality. Conversely, Humbert is the vulnerable, wide-eyed “doe … trembling in the forest” (129) for being hunted by the huntress goddess, Diana. It is from under this compelling, yet troubling view that Lolita — the Diana of Humbert’s vision — performs the “perilous magic of nymphets” (134), one that places Humbert “under the intentional spell” (Murphy 2) of pursuing her to the point of sexually assaulting her. Consequently, Humbert is able to absolve himself of all blame and guilt for “pinning away with infatuation” (2) for a twelve-year-old girl. Ironically, this subversively critiques American commercialization that presents seemingly innocent youth in provocative ways that illicit amoral and unnatural desire for