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Smirnovsky, P.: Petr Vladimirovich Smirnovsky (1846-19??) is the author of a number of Russian Grammar textbooks, specifically "A Textbook of Russian Grammar" (Uchebnik Rousskoy Grammatiki) that the opening epigraph of chapter one comes from.
A Textbook of Russian Grammar: (Uchebnik Rousskoy Grammatiki) A real grammar textbook by P.Smirnovsky first published in 1898 in Moscow. Nabokov cites a passage as the epigraph to Chapter One.
A copy of the 1898 Edition first page that could have been known to Nabokov.
Tannenberg Street: Where Fyodor used to live, at the address of 7 Tannenberg Street. Tannenberg, a reference to "The Battle of Tannenberg" at the beginning of World War I wherein Russia was complied through treaty to help defend the French against a German invasion. Also, it could be a reference to the first battle of Tannenberg, alternately titled "The Battle of Grunwald." (G3, 5, 57).
Berlin: The capital of Germany and the major center of the Russian community in exile between the two World Wars. Provides the setting for the Chapters I, II, III, and V of The Gift (G5, 353). The Nabokovs lived in Berlin in 1922-1937.
Astrakhan Jacket: Russian name for Karakul lambs wool, a central Asian sheep breed known for its hardiness and ability to survive as well as their dark semi-coarse fur. Can be used in many applications such as felting, clothing and carpets, even found use in Haute Couture.
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Epistolary Novel: A novel written in the form of several documents, such as letters, diary entries, or newspaper clippings meant to engender greater realism by avoiding use of an omnicient narrator. The origins of this literary style are in dispute, but one of the first epistolary novels was the Spanish novel, Prison of Love (1492) by Deigo de San Pedro.
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Jack the Sack: A rough English translation of a Russian turn-of-phrase which possibly derives from the Russian lubok fairy tales of the 19th c. featuring the soldier "Yashka" (A. Dolinin's supposition). Apparently, Jack refers more to the name "Jakob" and "the sack" implies that his mind is being "of the sack" or "sad sack" - which refers to the mental state of an incompetent.
Chernyshevski, Alexandra Yakovlevna: Wife to Alexander Yakovlevich Chernyshevski and mother to Yasha. Encourages Godunov-Cherdynstsev to write the biography of Yasha. (G5, 32-40, 207,208). Mme Chernyshevski also helps Fyodor find lodging with the Shchyogolev family at 15 Agamemnon Strasse, by calling Tamara Grigorievna, the room's previous lodger (G 69, 139, 337).
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Stoboy, Klara: a German landlady and ex-doctor who rents out a room (7 Tannenberg Street, Berlin) to Fyodor Godunov-Cherdyntsev (G7, 352, 353, 354).
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Chernyshevski, Alexandr Yakovlevich: Husband to Alexandra Yakovlevna Chernyshevski and father to Yasha (G8, 35, 208). Maddened by his Son's death, he slowly slips into insanity. Dies before Fyodor can show him the negative biographical potrayl of his namesake.
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Sand, George (July 1, 1804 – June 8, 1876): George Sand was the pseudonym of the French novelist and feminist Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin, later Baroness Dudevant. Frau Stoboy is said to have a "George-Sandesque regality" (G9). The possiblilty that “his restive spouse should take to it into her head to wear male dress—in the manner of George Sand” is one of Chernyshevski’s points against marriage as he weighs the pros and cons in his “Diary of my Relations with Her Who now Constitutes my Happiness” (G229). (G9, 229)
An 1864 photo of George Sand by photographer Nadar.
Kiev: Exact dates are unclear, but Kiev was believed to have been founded around 480. In May 1982, the city decided to celebrate its 1,500th anniversary. It has been the capital of Soviet Ukraine since 1934, and was later named capital of independent Ukraine on August 24, 1991 (G9, 311).
"Lunar Reveries": A take on Nabokov's own juvenile poem “Lunnaia greza” (“Lunar Reverie”) that appeared in journal Vestnik Evropy in 1916.
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"The Lost Ball”: The title of the first poem in Godunov-Cherdynstev's book “Poems” (In Russian: polsukharia).
zwieback – zwieback is the German word for "twice baked." Refers to bread that has been baked, then sliced and returned to the oven and cooked until very crisp and dry. “Half a zwieback” (In Russian: polsukharia) appears in a line from Fyodor’s poem “The Lost Ball”.
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July 12, 1900: Date of birth of the protagonist Fyodor . In addition, Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky (1828 -1889), Julius Caesar (100 - 44 BC) and Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) share the same date of birth.
Leshino: The country estate of the Godunov-Cherdynstev's and the birth place of Fyodor. The estate lies “ten or so versts” from the nearest station and Fyodor imagines his return from exile when he will once again walk this distance. Konstantin Krillovich comes from town to Leshino to bid his family farewell before departing on his final trip to Asia. Although a fictional location in Nabokov's novel, there are a number of locations bearing this name present in Russia. Literally "leshino" means "wood-goblin." Fyodor refers to the estate as “Leshino village” (G12, 25, 131, 137, 156, G353).
Fedya: A pet-form of Russian name for Fyodor.
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Vereshchagin, Vasili (1842-1904): One of the most famous Russian battle-painters who was recognized widely outside of his homeland.
The Moscow Fire: The 1812 Fire of Moscow broke out on September 16, 1812 shortly after Napoleon's troops entered the city following the Battle of Borodino,the largest battle of the Napoleonic Wars. Fyodor mentions a painting depicting it by Vereshchagin.
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Srazhenie: Russian word for “battle”. Fyodor compares it’s sound to that of a spring-operated toy gun being loaded.
Neva: The third largest river in Europe in terms of average discharge. The length of the Neva is 74 km. 28 km of these are within the city boundaries of [St. Petersburg], while the rest are within Leningrad Oblast. Grigori Rasputin drowned in the Neva in 1916.It runs from through the city of [St. Petersburg], Russia. The Godunov-Cherdynstev mansion is located on the banks of the Neva (G14, 93, 216, 218).
Soyot snuffox: The Soyots are an ethnic minority in Russia - similiar to the Buryats of the Buryat Republic of Siberia (Established in 1923). Godunov-Cherdyntsev recalls his father having a "Soyot snuff box made of clouded-class" (G14).
Wapiti leather: A boot made of wapiti leather is one of many items described as adorning the dusty shelves of Fyodor’s childhood home. Wapiti leather is made from elk hide - Wapiti being the Native American word for elk (G14-15).
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Karlsbad: A German town in the district of Karlsruhe.
Karlsruhe: A German district containing the town of Karlsbad.
Lawson: The American dentist of Tanya and Fyodor and has a French mistress named Mme. Ducamp. As for the namesake, Nabokov had an American orthodontist in Berlin (circa 1910) named Dr. W. G. Law.
Ducamp, Mme: The “gray-haired harpy” mistress of the dentist Lawson.
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Danzas, Monsieur: The fictional character who has an appointment at the dentist (Lawson's) directly after Tanya and Fyodor Godunov-Cherdyntsev. A possible namesake could be Louis Danzas, who fought for Napoleon at Waterloo before starting a world famous freight company in the mid-19th century.
Peter the Great (1672-1725): A Ruler of Russia well known for his “Westernization” of the country and the establishment of Russia as a major European power. A statue of him is mentioned in Pushkin's The Bronze Horseman (1837).
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Sangalli’s: The store from which Fyodor and Tanya's belly sleds were purchased and the name of the St.Petersburg factory that produced them.
Tavrichesky Park: A grand park adjacent to the Tavrichesky Palace in [St.Petersburg] on the Neva. It is mentioned in a poem by Godunov-Cherdyntsev.
Przhevalsky, Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhaylovich (April 12 1839 - November 1 1888): Russian geographer and explorer in central and eastern Asia. Though Przhevalski never reached his goal (Lhasa, Tibet), he significantly contributed to European knowledge of Central Asia and discovered the only extant species of wild horse, known as "Przhevalsky's Horse." A statue of him is mentioned; he was a contemporary of Fyodor’s father. ("Przhevalski's gazelle and Strauch's pheasant tempted the hunters.") (G20, 102, 121).
Alexandrovsky Park: Created between 1845 to 1855, Alexandrovsky Park is said to be near the Godunov-Cherdyntsev home in St. Petersburg. The park's opening day coincided with the saint’s day of Alexander Nevsky (November 23), hence the name.
Kokand: Kokand is a city in Eastern Uzbekistan. Russian Imperial forces captured the city in 1876 and it subsequently became part of Russified Turkistan.