This paper examines the running theme of Humbert's sexuality and lust in Nabokov's "Lolita". It looks at how, for Humbert,
love can only be seen in the context of his powerful desire to sexually possess the
object of his attention and how, thus, he is unable to express any love for the teenage Lolita, filial or romantic, without turning her into an object of his lust. It analyzes how Humbert treats the other women in his life, from Annabel Leigh, Valeria, and Charlotte Haze to the insane Rita. It also discusses how, for Humbert, the level of sexual attraction determines whether or not a woman would be treated with love. It then contrasts Humbert's relations with these other women with his defining relationship with the
nymphet, Lolita. It evaluates arguments that Humbert Humbert's attentions were akin to pedophilia or rape or that his lust was brought on by its forbidden nature versus other theories that state how Humbert's sexual desire is also an expression of his love for the adolescent Lolita. It argues that Humbert's willingness to commit murder on her behalf is proof that he not only lusted, but also loved the nymphet, Lolita.