Abstract This essay examines "The Legend of the Grand Inquisitor," the parable that Ivan relates to Alyosha in Dostoyevsky's novel "The Brothers Karamazov." The essay compares four points of view in relation to the parable: the character of the Grand Inquisitor, the character of Christ (as portrayed in the parable), Dostoyevsky himself, and the philosophy of Nietzsche. The essay checks the parable against biblical Christianity and the ("God is dead") philosophy of Nietzsche in order to assess Dostoyevsky's stand in relation to religion and the Church.
From the Paper "Although deeply troubled by his inability to maintain a belief in the conventional forms of Christianity, Dostoyevsky was a deeply spiritual man, and even a deeply religious one. He was committed to what he saw as the essential core of Christian teaching ? that we must love each person equally and fight evil whenever possible by the simple imposition of our goodness in front of it. Friedrich Nietzsche, however, would probably have taken quite a shine to the Grand Inquisitor. He argued in one of his most important works ? Beyond Good and Evil ? that one should entirely reject the teachings of Christianity primarily because they lead one to concentrate upon a next (and in his view fictitious) world rather than addressing oneself to the problems of this world. He again rejected the practice and theology of Christianity in Twilight of the Idols and Genealogy of Morals a number of his later works, in which he argued that the idea of goodness and the idea that the weak are inherently noble as merely tricks played by the Church to control and thus weaken people. Nietzsche sees the force to make people obey certain often unnatural precepts as at the core of almost all socialization processes and human institutions. Religion, believed Nietzsche, teaches us not to think."
Abstract The paper shows that if Fyodor Dostoyevsky's "The Possessed" is measured against the conventional standards of naturalism it will seem somewhat feverish and improbable. It explains, however, that Dostoyevsky uses cleverly many of the devices of naturalism, the most obvious being his deliberately flat, blunt style. The paper shows how "The Possessed", similar to a Greek tragedy, is in essence a debate: a dialogue between characters in opposition who are at the same time immensely similar.
From the Paper "It is through Stavrogin, or more appropriately through the characters obsessions and possessions of Stavrogin's personality, that Stavrogin's true characteristics are unleashed. No one character could subsist solely on his or her own without the character of Stavrogin. His presence is felt continuously; like Peter, he, too, is everywhere, though few are capable of realizing it. Stavrogin is present in Peter Verkhovensky as his ?better half;? in Shatov as his God-fearing brethren; in Kirilov as his suicidally-matched twin; in Maria Lebyatkin as her demented soul; in Liza as her passionate lover; and surely in Stepan Trafimovich Verkhovensky as his tragic hero.
Abstract This paper will compare and contrast books by Jonathan Swift ("A Modest Proposal") and Fyodor Dostoyevsky ("Notes from the Underground"). By understanding how these two stories show the absurdity of the societies that the authors lived in, we can understand how the two different styles of satire and hard fiction can be made to show the contrast At the same time, the authors seem to invoke the dark truths that lie beneath the veneer of high society.
Abstract This article analyzes each of the 'Brothers Karamazov' both individually and as an integral part of the very fabric of this classic Dostoyevsky tale. The paper discusses how each brother's personality and motivation are not only fascinating, but also play an indispensable role in the gradual development of the story's spiritual theme.
From the Paper "His high-strung, sensitive temperament causes such devastating events as his learning that Smerdyakov murdered his father, believing he had Ivan's own silent complicity in the crime, to drive him to a nervous breakdown. (Of course, after Smerdyakov commits suicide, Ivan is unable to prove his allegation and his own fragile mental state prevents him from making a convincing case in court on behalf of his innocent brother, Dimitry.) He has, however, by this time devised a plan for Dimitry's escape, though it will, of course, be necessary, under the circumstances, for others to carry it out.
At the end of the book, Ivan has basically hit bottom. During his strange nightmare of the devil--which he believes is real--he exhausts all his arguments against the existence of God and faith in Christ, pouring out all his doubt through the dream "devil," which is himself; and soon, a few positive spiritual signposts begin to emerge. He expresses (covertly, through the "devil" persona,) his intense desire to "join the (heavenly) chorus and shout 'hosanna' (to God,)" as well as to receive a "tiny grain of faith...(which) will grow into an oak tree...and save (his) soul." It appears that there is, indeed, hope for Ivan yet, which is one of the final spiritual messages of the book."
Abstract The paper discusses and compares several works, and the characters in them, by Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky and English writer Iris Murdoch. The paper shows the a result of changing society and a disregard for nature characterizes both Dostoyevsky's and Murdoch's works. Books by Dostoyevsky discussed are "Notes from the Underground", "Crime and Punishment" and "The Brothers Karamazov". Murdoch's "The Philosopher's Pupil" and "The Severed Head" are also examined.
From the Paper "While Dostoyevsky's characters hold little regard for nature, Murdoch's characters unknowingly wrong nature by rejecting what slight animalistic qualities their friends and lovers may have. A Severed Head's Georgie, called a "child of nature" (Head 6) by Martin, who himself lacks animal courage, has remained separate from society. Only until Georgie cuts her long, dark hair, thereby becoming subdued and civilized, can Palmer take her to New York. Alex and Adam in The Philosopher's Pupil are other characters whose kinship with their animal counterparts isolates them from the McCaffrey family. Alex, obsessed with the foxes that inhabit her garden, feels anger when the animals appear to be indifferent to her presence. Despite her anger, Alex attempts to protect the foxes when the Town Hall offers to kill them; "she felt frightened and hunted, as if it were she herself who was to be locked in and gassed" (Pupil 493). Such a communion with nature through animals exists between Alex's grandson Adam and his dog Zed, who provides the boy a link with George, for George saves the drowning dog just as Adam keeps George's memory of his dead son alive."
Abstract The paper compares and contrasts two stories - "Notes from Underground" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and "The Fall" by Albert Camus. It shows the way in which the protagonists - a nameless anti-hero in Dostoyevsky's novel and Jean Baptiste Clamence in "The Fall" - deal with their disillusionment with society and humanity.
From the Paper "In 1864 Fyodor Dostoyevsky introduced his nameless anti-hero, an introverted individual who is introspective and self-conscious. The character's constant dilemma regarding his self worth causes him to alternately retreat into the safe anonymity of his 'underground' and to strike out and humiliate people in order to revenge himself for his own humiliation at the hands of others. In his own notebooks, Dostoyevsky asserts that he portrayed in his protagonist a "real man of the Russian majority" (Notes From Underground 9). Nearly a century later Albert Camus introduced Jean Baptiste Clamence as "a hero of our time" in The Fall which Lermontov defined as "a portrait but not of one individual; it is the aggregate of the vices of our whole generation in their fullest expression" (The Fall 3)."
Abstract An analysis of how Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Woody Allen portray the role of God in the Universe in their book and film respectively. In both cases the main characters, Raskolnikov and Judah, act as a godlike figure by allowing themselves to make a decision as to who has a right to live and who should die. They finally find their place in a godless universe. Woody Allen's view is influenced by his own Judaism. Allen emphasizes that people stray from this righteous path and allow themselves to be their own moral dictators. People do not need God to relieve themselves of remorse, for in the end the guilt goes away on its own. In Crime and Punishment Raskolnikov finds happiness in the religious beliefs Sonya presents to him. His recovery from his conflict in a world he saw as godless is aided by the very deity he once scoffed.
From the Paper "The novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and the movie "Crimes and Misdemeanors" by Woody Allen both present the creator's views on the presence of God in the universe. The main character in each piece, Raskolnikov and Judah, respectively, experiment with their role in what they feel is a godless universe. In both cases they act as a godlike figure by allowing themselves to make a decision as to who has a right to live and who should die. After a moral struggle they both come to terms with their position in the universe. Dostoyevsky chooses to have Raskolnikov find peace with Sonya's religious convictions, while Allen chooses to allow Judah to rationalize his decision in what he decides is a godless universe. These final decisions regarding God's presence are reflective of the creators? opinions."
Tags: crime, God, misdemeanors, punishment, Fyodor, Dostoyevsky, Woody, Allen
Compares and contrasts Dostoyevsky's "The Double" with Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", focusing on the differing uses of naturalism and psychology in the two works.
2,700 words (approx. 10.8 pages), 9 sources, 1993, $ 95.95
From the Paper "Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Robert Louis Stevenson were very different kinds of men and very different kinds of writers, yet certain themes and ideas prevalent at the end of the nineteenth century influenced both and can be discerned in their works. Dostoyevsky was a dour Russian with strong political views. He suffered from epilepsy from childhood. Stevenson was a Scottish author whose generally happy life was unfortunately cut short by the lung problems that had always plagued him. Dostoyevsky writes deeply philosophical works, while Stevenson is more noted for his adventure novels of pirates, historical figures, and his gentle poetry. Yet, he as well delved into the darker aspects of human nature in works like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and this book has a number of elements that can be seen as concerns for ..."
This paper examines the problem of individual freedom as represented in two novels, Fyodor Dostoyevsky's "The Possessed" and Herman Melville's "Moby Dick": Main characters are doomed and controlled by irrational urges beyond their control.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 2 sources, 1994, $ 47.95
From the Paper "This study will examine the problem of individual freedom as it is represented in two novels, Fyodor Dostoyevsky's "The Possessed" and Herman Melville's "Moby Dick". The study will argue that both authors are portraying human beings as creatures controlled by urges and impulses beyond their control. In this context, the books are arguments against individual freedom, at least in the specific cases illustrated in the two novels.
Melville paints the picture of an obsessed man driven to revenge against the whale who took his leg. Dostoyevsky paints the picture of many obsessed men who try to change a country but who in the process lose themselves.
The lesson which Ahab refuses to learn is the lesson that he is not God, that his only real freedom is surrendering to God that drive to vengeance so that he can remain a sane human being."
This paper describes and compares conflict between society and the individual in Henrik Ibsen's play "Ghosts" and section from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel "The Grand Inquisitor", .
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 2 sources, 1994, $ 47.95
From the Paper "One of the major themes in world literature is the conflict between society and the individual, with society poised to enforce its requirements and its proscriptions on individuals to enforce conformity, while the individual feels constrained and would break out to a life of greater self-expression if he or she could. Different writers have portrayed this conflict in different ways, and those who have offered solutions to this conflict have also offered varying answers. This theme is depicted in Henrik Ibsen's "Ghosts" and Fyodor Dostoyevsky's "The Grand Inquisitor", and both writers create a clear-cut choice in the situation without "solving" the problem. Ibsen hints that the proper answer for society would be to encourage the individual and that to do otherwise will in the long run be a detriment to society itself, while Dostoyevsky leaves the choice ... "
Abstract Analysis of Russian literature and how it is expressed by the authors Turgenev, Puskin and Dostoyevsky in their views about life in their home country. By understanding some of the symbolic traits in this literature, we can surmise their views in their work.
Covers the theme of despair in Dostoyevski's "Notes from the Underground" and seeks to understand its relevance in the meaning of existentialism throughout the tale.
1,650 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 4 sources, 2002, $ 62.95
Abstract By analyzing the theme of despair in Dostoyevski's "Notes from the Underground", we can see how despair plays a part in the meaning of existentialism in the story and dictates the central axis of feeling about the philosophy in the book.
Abstract This three-page undergraduate paper examines the intellectual and moral contradictions in the character of Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov in Feodor Dostoyevsky's novel Crime and Punishment.
Abstract There often exists great distance between laws and people's concepts of justice and truth. This paper examines what two authors have to say about the subject. Both Fyodor Dostoyevsky, in "Crime and Punishment", and Richard Wright, in "Native Son", write about men who have been pushed beyond reason into murder, and both authors ask us what justice means in such a context. The paper shows how both novels ask us to decide for ourselves what moral action is possible in a society in which justice is scarce.
From the Paper "Wright's depiction of such a world is the more disturbing to us because it takes place within our own culture. We like to believe that such thing, that such a level of injustice, happens in other places, but Wright brings it home to America, albeit to a time before we ourselves were born. Wright ? and Bigger ? make us see the fragile nature of social justice and the ways in which the courts are as likely to pervert justice as to ensure it."
Abstract This paper looks at how Razumikhin serves as Raskolnikov's foil in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment". It explains, however, that there are other foils present in the book. In many ways, the Razumikhin and Raskolnikov characters are similar, for instance, in their social and financial statuses; nevertheless, their personalities and ideals are quite different. It introduces the other foils, including Sonia and Svidrigailov, and shows that, in order to push the definition of a literary foil, Raskolnikov's split personality also serves as a foil to the other. This paper looks at Raskolnikov's foils with an emphasis on a comparison of Raskolnikov and Razumikhin.
From the Paper "One of the themes of the book is the conflict between two philosophical approaches or mindsets as to how to go about seeing life and how to rationalize situations in order to justify actions. Raskolnikov's approach to life is to diminish the worth of other people in order to lift himself to a higher level, at least in his mind. This is the classic psychological reaction of a lack of self-confidence or self-esteem. Raskolnikov has this perspective on life and those around him. He is an intelligent student who has to win at everything, no matter what the cost because he is convinced that he is better than everyone else. Not winning causes Raskolnikov stress, as seen in scenes where he thinks that his crime has been discovered and faints or gets sick. The thought of not winning causes him anger and motivates him to push himself harder order to maintain the high level that he has set for himself. Raskolnikov's approaches to life also puts him in a state of constant stress, which in turn, causes him to be sloppy, dream perturbing dreams and have what Razumikhin describes as a double personality."
