Motif of Infidelity in V. Nabokov’s Laughter in the Dark

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the model and function of infidelity in one of V. Nabokov's Russian-language novels, The Laughter in the Dark. The infidelity motif plays a key role in character creation and the development of the action. The characters are immersed in a complicated infidelity scheme, interchanging and forming an unusual plot spider web. The novel under discussion, in terms of structure and subject, recalls the previous novel by the Russian-American author – King, Queen, Knave. Moreover, the infidelity motif is additionally complemented by other motifs recurring in Nabokov's works (butterflies, mirrors, crime and punishment, and more).