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“I have a certain liking, I admit,
For Parody, that last resort of wit…”
Charles Kinbote, professor, neighbor and supposed friend of the late, great poet, John Shade, here presents Shade's last poem, Pale Fire, which Kinbote has edited, provided with commentary and notes, and has personally seen through to publication, fending off all protests to the contrary.
The book is written in four sections: Foreword; Pale Fire: A Poem in Four Cantos; Commentary; and Index. In the foreword, Kinbote explains how he rescued the hand-written stanza notes on Pale Fire on the very day the poet was murdered, and obtained permission from the grieving widow to edit and publish said poem. Although Charles Kinbote claims to be a great friend of the Shades, he soon reveals himself to be a demented stalker and pest. Shades' wife describes Kinbote as: "an elephantine tick; a king-sized botfly; a macaco worm; the monstrous parasite of a genius."
Next the 999-line poem itself is presented, which is largely autobiographical and very interesting; followed by Kinbote's commentary, which at first purports to explain certain lines from the poem but soon turns into a fantastical tale of Zembla, Kinbote's native country, telling the story of the beloved, deposed king and the assassin obsessed with killing him. Kinbote has told his story to Shade on several occasions and fully expected the old poet to compose a poem based on his tale so the actual poem comes as a huge disappointment to Kinbote. Perhaps his revenge is to include his own story in the publication of Shade's last poem. Lastly, the index contains notes mainly on the Zemblan tale rather than the poem itself.
Imagining what the future holds for himself, Kinbote speculates that: "I may pander to the simple tastes of theatrical critics and cook up a stage play, an old-fashioned melodrama with three principles: a lunatic who intends to kill an imaginary king, another lunatic who imagines himself to be that king, and a distinguished old poet who stumbles by chance into the line of fire, and perishes in the clash between the two figments.”
This is a delightfully tongue-in-cheek parody of a learned work told by an insane narrator. Very different!
For Parody, that last resort of wit…”
Charles Kinbote, professor, neighbor and supposed friend of the late, great poet, John Shade, here presents Shade's last poem, Pale Fire, which Kinbote has edited, provided with commentary and notes, and has personally seen through to publication, fending off all protests to the contrary.
The book is written in four sections: Foreword; Pale Fire: A Poem in Four Cantos; Commentary; and Index. In the foreword, Kinbote explains how he rescued the hand-written stanza notes on Pale Fire on the very day the poet was murdered, and obtained permission from the grieving widow to edit and publish said poem. Although Charles Kinbote claims to be a great friend of the Shades, he soon reveals himself to be a demented stalker and pest. Shades' wife describes Kinbote as: "an elephantine tick; a king-sized botfly; a macaco worm; the monstrous parasite of a genius."
Next the 999-line poem itself is presented, which is largely autobiographical and very interesting; followed by Kinbote's commentary, which at first purports to explain certain lines from the poem but soon turns into a fantastical tale of Zembla, Kinbote's native country, telling the story of the beloved, deposed king and the assassin obsessed with killing him. Kinbote has told his story to Shade on several occasions and fully expected the old poet to compose a poem based on his tale so the actual poem comes as a huge disappointment to Kinbote. Perhaps his revenge is to include his own story in the publication of Shade's last poem. Lastly, the index contains notes mainly on the Zemblan tale rather than the poem itself.
Imagining what the future holds for himself, Kinbote speculates that: "I may pander to the simple tastes of theatrical critics and cook up a stage play, an old-fashioned melodrama with three principles: a lunatic who intends to kill an imaginary king, another lunatic who imagines himself to be that king, and a distinguished old poet who stumbles by chance into the line of fire, and perishes in the clash between the two figments.”
This is a delightfully tongue-in-cheek parody of a learned work told by an insane narrator. Very different!
