Wanderers. Plays 1918–1924

This collection brings together plays by Vladimir Nabokov created during his life in Crimea, England, Germany, and France from 1918 to 1924. These works, especially such as “The Potockers” (Skitaltsy), “Death” and “The Pole,” played a significant role in shaping the writer’s literary style, which later became famous through works like “Lolita” and “Ada.” The early plays already contain all the characteristic features of Nabokov: a unique form, dramatic tension, hidden layers of meaning, precision in depicting characters and settings, and rich metaphors. In this edition, the play “In Spring” is presented for the first time, along with the complete text of “The Speech of Mr. Pozdnyshev,” which is close in genre to a dramatic monologue. The book is supplemented with a detailed article and commentary that describe the circumstances of the plays’ creation and reveal their literary sources.