Nabokov’s writings, whether novels or short stories, are much like games where Nabokov is the game-master. As an author, he plays with the reader, and with a playful tone leads them through carefully crafted illusions. Possibly the best explanation for the effect of his deception is given by Nabokov, or rather by the character Cincinnatus in his novel Invitation to a Beheading when Cincinnatus refers to certain sounds and claims that “they are also a deception but right now I believe in them so much that I infect them with truth” (Invitation 138). While deception runs ramped in Nabokov's writing (and is often the focus of analysis), consistency lies within the descriptions of scenery. For example, while Invitation to a Beheading's entire plot relies on manipulation of reality - as this is related to the crime of which the main character is accused - it is also unified through consistent references to the past and present setting. Nabokov's famous short story, "Cloud, Castle, Lake" similarly immerses the reader into a new reality - in this case a world in which Vasily Ivanovich wins a pleasure trip accompanied by strangers; however, it also contains consistency in the constant references to the natural world. The story follows not only Vasily's internal thoughts, but also his developing relationship with the other passengers aboard his train. Although the two works differ in their plot, they also share key aspects including obvious link in characterization between Cincinnatus and Vasily, and a focus on imagery related to the natural landscape. Through imagery and naturalistic themes, Nabokov highlights the dichotomy between the beauty of nature that surrounds humans and humanity’s true brutishness. 

Nature plays an important role in Nabokov's Invitation to a Beheading, especially as something Cincinnatus longs for as a representation of his past life  and a stark contrast with his current state in the prison. Invitation to a Beheading is told from a third-person point of view which follows Cincinnatus in his final days before execution for the crime of gnostical turpitude. The entirety of this novel, much like the crime of Gnosticism, challenges reality and immerses the reader into a playful, but also gloomy world. One of the more positive aspects of the first few pages is when Cincinnatus and his jailer, Rodion, engage in dance. Here, Cincinnatus is described as “light as a leaf” and the narrator makes special notice of the “wind” which “made the tips of [Cincinnatus’] long but thin mustache flutter” (Invitation 13). The introduction of nature here presents itself as a freeing force and as something that becomes a connection to the outside world beyond the fortress. Nature is referenced frequently concerning Cincinnatus’ past and especially with his relationship with his wife Marthe. The story of Marthe and Cincinnatus is central to Cincinnatus’ character development, and it is no mistake that the two would often spend time together in the Tamara Gardens. These gardens, described as a “green turfy tamarack park” are mentioned frequently as Cincinnatus reflects on his past. In this way, they act as a literary tool to both set up the plot and Cincinnatus’ backstory, but also to represent something unrestrained where “whenever life seemed unbearable, one could roam, with a meal of chewed lilac bloom in one’s mouth and firefly tears in one’s eye” (Invitation 19). It is no surprise then that nature is a central part of the final scene, where Cincinnatus frees himself either through death or possibly by entering a different realm as per Gnosticism. While everything in his world, often described as a stage, falls apart, so too is the natural landscape affected. The narrator specifically describes the trees in this scene, stating that “the fallen trees lay flat and reliefless, while those that were still standing, also two-dimensional, with a lateral shading of the trunk to suggest roundness, barely held on with their branches to the ripping mesh of the sky” (Invitation 223). 

Nature imagery plays a large role in Nabokov’s Cloud, Castle, Lake as a way of displaying the drastic differences between human nature and human surroundings. During Vasily Ivanovich’s pleasure trip, he is introduced to various other travelers, who are often described in negative, unappealing terms, such as the leader of the group, who is described as “a lanky blond young man in Tyrolese garb” who was “burned the color of a cockscomb, had huge brick-red knees with golden hairs, and his nose looked lacquered” (Cloud 431). Contrastingly, as Vasily looks out the window of the train car to “enjoy the fleeting gifts of the road,” the narrator paints a beautiful picture of nature abundant with imagery: “The sun crept toward a corner of the window and suddenly spilled over the yellow bench. The badly pressed shadow of the car sped madly along the grassy bank, where flowers blended into colored streaks… Trees appeared in groups and singly, revolving cooly and blandly, displaying the latest fashions. The blue dampness of a ravine. A memory of love, disguised as a meadow. Wispy clouds-greyhounds of heaven” (Cloud 433). The contrast between the descriptions of human characters and the imagery of nature mirrors the tone in which Vasily sees both groups. While Vasily is mistreated by his travel mates, as he is “forced to eat a cigarette butt” and is beaten at the conclusion of the story (Cloud 434), he sees nature in a positive and artistic light. Vasily decides upon the conclusion of the trip that he wants to stay at the final destination where through the window “one could clearly see the lake with its cloud and its castle, in a motionless and perfect correlation of happiness;” however, his travel companions do not see the rationality of this and violently abuse Vasily for his irrational thinking (Cloud 435). The way in which both characters and nature are seen in this short story indicates how Nabokov feels towards the natural world as compared to humanity. Much like how Vasily feels towards nature, Nabokov sees nature as beautiful and magical, whereas humanity is cruel and attempts to stamp out any form of deviation from the considered norm. Vasily, like Cincinnatus, occupies the role of an outcast artist, or rather as someone thought of as insane primarily due to their different views. 

While Invitation to a Beheading and Cloud, Castle, Lake certainly have differences in plot, message, and style, the constancy in natural imagery is a deliberate tool for highlighting the mistrust of individualism in Russian society in 20th century Russia. Cincinnatus and Vasily both occupy unique roles in society in that they are both different from the norm in each of their respective realities. While Cincinnatus is imprisoned for Gnosticism and being able to do things others in his society are not able to, Vasily is mistreated for his impulse and differences from his travel mates. Cincinnatus’ relationship to nature is one of longing, in that his experiences with it are something of the past before imprisonment. Similarly, Vasily strives for the happiness that nature holds, which becomes clear in his final decision to want to stay at the final destination with the beautiful clouds, castle, and lake related to the title of the short story. In this way, nature for both acts as a freedom from other aspects of humanity. Contrastingly, the other characters and aspects of human society in both Invitation to a Beheading and Cloud, Castle, Lake are described with much less eloquence and take a more dull, negative tone. The disagreement between nature and human society as a generalized concept lives in Nabokov’s masterful imagery and seeks to highlight the benefits of individualism and creativity. 


Bibliography 

Nabokov, Vladimir. Invitation to a Beheading. Vintage International, 1989

Nabokov, Vladimir. "Cloud, Castle, Lake". Penguin, 2005.