Evil in Lolita

Evil as Metaphysical or Ethical

Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita takes an interesting, yet vague look at the irrelevance of Christian values and morals in general. Is evil metaphysical or ethical? This reflects Nabokov’s personal opinions on this as well through his writing. In Lolita, Humbert Humbert reflects the idea that evil is metaphysical, rather than ethical. By this, it seems that Nabokov is making an attempt to get the reader to see the metaphysical of evil, but it is rather difficult to do so because the reader so easily connects with the characters in Lolita. This connection comes from the characters’ self-subjectivity to inhuman treatment by others.

Through Vladimir Nabokov’s detailed descriptions of Lolita, the reader seems to mindlessly connect and evoke emotions toward the characters, whether they are considered to be “good” or “bad”. The characters are real to the reader; therefore we connect to the ethics of their thoughts and actions as well. Humbert Humbert for example is clearly a pedophile which is clearly shown through his intimate and often sexual descriptions of Lolita. While his descriptions incorporate a sort of beauty, they are also simply unnerving considering the fact that Lolita is a nymphet.

Humbert Humbert explicitly tells the reader that he is obsessed with Lolita. This idea of love in the form of obsession creates what some may refer to as impure thoughts for Humbert.

Humbert’s obsession leads to him having “stolen the honey of a spasm without impairing the morals of a minor. Absolutely no harm done” (Nabokov 62). But is this true? Has Humbert manipulated the morals of Lolita and perhaps harmed her in at least that way? Ethics and/or morals would relate to this issue significantly for some, while in Humbert’s mind it is more abstract and speculative for one to think so. Observing the situation through Humbert’s eyes, it is possible to realize that Lolita has subjected herself to Humbert’s imperious power and allowed him to manipulate her, yet at the same time, it is not manipulation or immorality.

Being that Lolita is a detective story adds a mysterious element to the metaphysical of the story. The abstract makes it more difficult to judge or blame either Humbert or Lolita for the situation or more specifically the act of involving themselves in a promiscuous, adulterous love affair. Virtues become nearly irrelevant when they are obscured by the complex relationship that Humbert and Lolita share. They encourage each other’s behavior by continuing on with their affair even though Lolita can relate to the unethical, whereas it seems Humbert undeniably avoids the ethics or idea of evil.

Lolita is a tragic and comedic representation of ethics and how they vary from character to character. There are many definitions and forms of evil. The perception of evil varies from person to person, therefore creating a complex distinction between whether Humbert’s actions and thoughts were metaphysical or purely evil and unethical. The comedic side to this would perhaps be less concerned with ethics, while the tragic would be more likely to highlight the evil of Humbert to evoke strong emotions regarding ethics.