The Agenda of the Ending of Nabokov’s “A Forgotten Poet” Emily Turner College

Recounting the tale of the beloved poet Konstantin Perov, Nabokov cultivates a compelling short story seemingly isolated from a political or social motive; however, in the concluding paragraph, the reader’s expectations swivel upon Nabokov’s exposure of the narrator’s perspective and the resultant closing sentiments. Initially, the narrative introduces the renowned poet and the posthumous celebration to honor his accomplishments. The Society for the Advancement of Russian Literature hosts the commemorative service, only to suffer an interruption orchestrated by an older man who claims Perov’s identity. A few of the subsequent sections describe the disorder and confusion imposed by the alleged imposter and those who react negatively to his presence. The final sections cover the remainder of the old man’s life, from his compensation to remove himself from further disrupting society to serving as groundskeeper to the ephemeral Perov museum to his abrupt, but inexorable death. The narrator lingers in the shadows of the narrative, waiting to implement his discourse until the final paragraph which ultimately shapes the short story into its intended revelatory caution against neglecting literature and its contributors.

Nabokov employs...