Russian Author Fyodor Dostoevsky

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Fyodor Dostoevsky's most influential works are "Crime and Punishment" (1866) and "The Brothers Karamazov" (1879-80), which, like most of his literary work attempted to justify the necessity of faith and of God as conditions of true freedom. The author points out that all works of Dostoevsky can be divided in two undying questions about the existence of God and about immortality of soul. The paper states that Dostoevsky was very interested in the theme of sin as related in his novel "Crime and Punishment": Sins can be different: when you offend a person, it is a sin; when you murder, it also is a sin.

From the Paper:

"In his works, Dostoevsky proves that God exists in, or for, every person. The choice between 'Yes' and 'No' - the two answers that can be given to the transcendent, personal existence of God - is for Dostoevsky the same thing as the alternative: 'To be or not to be.'" His works are filled with Evil, but at the same time he clearly proves how this Evil is defeated by the idea of Christian morality - or in other words - belief in God. Without God life is a complete inanity. With this idea, Dostoevsky tries to show to the people that before they want to see a change in the society, it must begin with them first. People that came to be Believers, accepted laws of Christ as a guide for their entire lives, become more understanding of moral values. Because of that the most important judge of their actions is their own conscience, namely - their soul. It judges a person and it punishes him."

More papers on Russian Author Fyodor Dostoevsky:

• Book Review # 87233 : "Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment"
• Book Review # 145970 : "Literary Techniques in Dostoevsky and Turgenev"
• Comparison Essay # 66453 : "The Metamorphosis" and "Notes From Underground"

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