The Story of Annabel Lee: Does it Justify Humbert Humbert's Actions

The story of the love affair between Annabel Lee and Humbert Humbert tells the reader a lot of information. The story of Annabel Lee tells us that Humbert Humbert's want for "nymphets" comes from the missed opportunity of sex with Annabel Lee (Nabokov 14-15). The story justifies Humbert Humbert's want for Lolita, a girl that is the age of 12 and the story of Annabel Lee tells us that Humbert Humbert did not always express his desires for younger girls, "nymphets." There is a possibility that this story can be false through different interpretations which can change the basis of Humbert Humbert's views. In chapter four of part one, Humbert Humbert states,

She [Annabel Lee] sat a little higher than I, and whenever in her solitary ecstasy she was led to kiss me, her head would bend with a sleepy, soft, drooping movement that was almost woeful, and her bare knees caught and compressed my wrist, and slackened again; and her quivering mouth, distorted by the acridity of some mysterious potion...then my darling would draw away with a nervous toss of her hair. (Nabokov 15)

Annabel Lee shows some resistance to Humbert Humbert's sexual actions through Humbert Humbert's descriptions. When Hubert Humbert states that Annabel Lee "caught and compressed" his wrists, Humbert Humbert is showing that Annabel Lee is resisting his sexual actions. When Humbert Humbert describes Annabel Lee's "quivering mouth," Humbert Humbert is showing Annabel's fear. When Humbert Humbert describes Annabel Lee giving a "nervous toss of her hair," Humbert Humbert is stating that Annabel Lee is having an unstable reaction to Humbert Humbert's sexual acts. These acts can be viewed as Humbert Humbert's attempted rape of Annabel Lee. If the love affair story is one of rape, then Humbert Humbert's want for "nymphets," and his want for Lolita is not justified through the Annabel Lee story. The Annabel Lee story can be viewed as an excuse for Humbert Humbert to desire adolescent girls.