In this quote from Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita," the speaker addresses the jury and presents a compelling image of envy. He refers to the seraphs, often seen as pure and noble beings, suggesting that even they experience a longing for something they cannot obtain. This imagery sets a tone of conflict between innocence and desire, hinting at deeper themes of obsession and unattainable beauty.

The "tangle of thorns" symbolizes the complexities and painful realities surrounding the object of envy. It suggests that what may seem desirable is often fraught with difficulties and suffering. Nabokov’s use of contrasting elements—the ethereal nature of seraphs and the harshness of thorns—underscores the duality of human desires, reflecting on the intricate relationships we maintain with passion and suffering.