Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Blossom]

I recently saw a review of Lolita, and it said, More recently, the film critic Richard Corliss describes Humbert in the movie Lolita: "The agenbite of inwit gnaws at him, robs him of the malefic majesty that makes screen villains entertaining."

What is the agenbite of inwit?

What is malefic majesty?

[clonc]

Agenbite of inwit is an archaic phrase that originated as the title of a French treatise on morality. It was translated into English in 1340 by Dan Michel, a monk at Canterbury. The title (originally spelled "Ayenbite of Inwyt") means 'the remorse of conscience', literally, 'the again-biting of inner wit'.

The phrase agenbite of inwit has been revived by modern writers. James Joyce used it at least eight times in Ulysses to portray Leopold Bloom's character as being afflicted by the repeated bite or wound of introspection, self-analysis, and self-awareness.

In the 1960s, Marshall McLuhan discussed the psychic numbness caused by the idolatry of technology: "With the telegraph Western man began a process of putting his nerves outside his body...Since the telegraph we have extended the brains and nerves of man around the globe. The electronic age endures a total uneasiness, as of a man wearing his skull inside and his brain outside. A special property of all social extensions of the body is that they return to plague the inventors in a kind of agenbite of outwit."

Malefic is an adjective; it means having or exerting a malignant influence. Used in your quotation, it just means that he is majestically exerting malignant influence.

[advoca]

Ooh, Blossom. Hardly the sort of phrase you are likely to be using everyday, is it?

Clonc has given a neat explanation. But here's a 1972 example from the London Times: "(Malcolm) Muggeridge is haunted...by plastic grass, the possibility that dawn will be photographed as though it were dusk. What agenbite of inwit must seize the old gentleman as they lard him with make-up prior to committing him to the arms of his camera."

If you knew Malcom Muggeridge you could imagine him chickling over that passage. It is just the sort of phrase he would adore.

And here is another quote: "Very probably Bond fans will be able to turn a blind eye to the bites and agenbites of new-Bond's inwit."

You see, although it is archaic it still pops up now and then by those who like to show off their erudition.

Incidentally, you will fimd malefic discussed in a dictionary on the web called Luciferous Logolepsy. It explains obscure words.

Luciferous = adj. - illuminating, literally and figuratively
Logolepsy = noun. - an obsession with words

[pugachevV]

Speaking as a Philistine, my only comment is, "eschew obfuscation".

[advoca]

Yes, I agree. The phrase is somewhat obnubilating, is it not. Certainly not lucifierous.