Despair

Main Ideas

• Theme of duality and identity: The protagonist, Hermann, finds a man he believes to be his double and devises a murder plan to assume his identity.
• Moral decay and self-deception: Hermann justifies his actions and convinces himself of his genius despite clear moral and ethical violations.
• Irony and sarcasm: Nabokov employs an ironic and sarcastic tone to highlight the absurdity and futility of Hermann's actions.
• Psychological analysis: An exploration of the protagonist's inner world, his motives, fears, and self-deception.
• Critique of bourgeois society: Through Hermann's behavior and thoughts, Nabokov critiques the hypocrisy and emptiness of bourgeois values.