Valeria's Marriage and Betrayal

Chronicles Humbert's first marriage to Valeria, her affair, and their divorce.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Marriage to Valeria

The Illusion The Choice Humbert marries Valeria because she imitates a little girl, appealing to his pedophilic desires. He believes she will be a manageable wife. The Reality Valeria soon reveals her true nature: a large, brainless woman. Humbert is disappointed but tolerates her for the sake of convenience. The Dull Routine Their life in a small Paris flat is monotonous. Humbert works on his literary projects while Valeria reads Paris-Soir.

Valeria's Affair

The Revelation The Confession Valeria tells Humbert there is another man. She reveals her lover is a taxi driver, Maximovich. The Confrontation Humbert is furious but restrained. He meets Maximovich, who calmly discusses taking Valeria away. The Divorce Valeria leaves with Maximovich. Humbert feels humiliated but also relieved to be free.

Valeria's Later Fate

The Degradation The Experiment Humbert learns from a doctor that Valeria and Maximovich participated in a scientific experiment where they crawled on all fours on a diet of bananas and dates. The Irony Humbert finds grim satisfaction in this degradation, seeing it as poetic justice for her betrayal. The Unpublished Results He notes that the results were never published, leaving the story incomplete.

1935, in Paris

Summer 1939, in Paris

Around 1945, in California