Nabokov’s First English Novel Explores Identity & Language

Vladimir Nabokov, the author of Lolita, published his first English novel, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, in 1941 after fleeing the October Revolution and later, Nazi-occupied France, to the United States. Nabokov had already written nine novels in Russian before embarking on this project, deliberately choosing to write in a new language. The novel centers on Sebastian Knight, a writer who also switches from Russian to English, but is narrated by his half-brother “V.” who attempts to reconstruct Knight’s life after his death.

The narrative intentionally blurs the lines between the author, the fictional characters, and Nabokov himself, creating a complex interplay of identities. Influenced by Proust and Kafka, Nabokov infused the work with a distinctive ironic style and a self-aware narrator who confidently undertakes a biography despite having no prior writing experience.

While Sebastian Knight received critical acclaim, it didn’t immediately resonate with a broad audience, but it did open doors for Nabokov at The New Yorker. He believed no other writer of his caliber had undertaken such a linguistic shift.