Fundamental to Nabokov’s Lolita is the persuasive and empathetic – yet undeniably shocking and monstrous – narration of Humbert Humbert. As an autodiegetic narrator, Humbert’s narration presents himself as the heroic protagonist who takes ownership of Lolita’s tragic story, and in using him as a character focaliser, Nabokov prevents the reader from perceiving any other account of the narrative, encouraging them to accept the monstrosity of Humbert’s recitation. The satirical tragic romance takes advantage of the prominence of themes of sexuality and psychology during the early 20th Century as a consequence of the influence of Freudianism on literature, as seen Joyce’s similarly scandalous Ulysses and Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Nabokov’s ultimate unreliable narrator entices the reader through enhancing the façade of romance and mysticism surrounding his paedophilia, encouraging sympathy and a common identity among the readership, and deluding Humbert’s depiction of himself within his narrative. However, central to the plot is the repulsive sexual relationship between Humbert and teenager Lolita, and the reader is unable to avoid recognising the unreliability and contradiction within the narrative and cannot disguise the inevitable shame and sympathy felt towards Lolita’s pain and loss of childhood. Therefore, while it is indisputable that Nabokov encourages the reader to accept his monstrous narrator, this is only to emphasise the tragic ending and evoke a sense of self-hatred and humiliation.

It could be argued that the reader is encouraged to accept Nabokov’s monstrous male narrator through his use of elaborate language to enhance the veneer of romance and mysticism surrounding his paedophilia which prevents the reader from truly acknowledging the violent and manipulative nature of the relationship. The purity of his love is enhanced through his narrative, with the discussion of ‘nymphets’ at the beginning of the novel immediately romanticising his attraction to justify the relationship, which is furthered by Nabokov’s listing of adjectives, ‘the elusive, shifty, soul-shattering, insidious charm’, which have clear otherworldly and mystical connotations. Additionally, th