Comparing Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Reliance
"It is only as a man puts off from himself all external support, and stands alone, that I see him to be strong and to prevail..." -Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson's stance on human nature as seen in Self-Reliance is antithetical to that of Dostoevsky's in Crime and Punishment. It is my sincere hope that, had Emerson read this novel, he would have considered more carefully the implications of embracing a self-reliant human nature. A self-reliant nature infers that the self is not relying on the divine for wisdom, but on personal judgments, scientific conclusions, and moral convictions. A self-reliant human being is one that believes that (s)he is capable of arriving at the same plane as God; divinity lies within. Following this nature leads to pervasive feelings of isolation from others because one feels independent from the thoughts of all human beings and thereby rejects any commonality among humans. By failing to recognize the fallibility of the self and the limitations of personal thought and experience, one transcends and also defies his own humanity.
Svidrigailov, the pernicious, obstinate character who successfully defies humanity, personifies Emerson himself. Emerson's words echo Svidigailov's resolute theory on human nature: "... If I am the devil's child, I will live then from the devil. No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature. Good and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this; the only right is what is after my constitution, the only wrong what is against it. A man is to carry himself in the presence of all opposition as if every thing were titular and ephemeral but he" (Emerson, 260). Emerson and Svidigailov share in the amoral belief that Truth is found only by following one's own nature. Because divinity lies within one's nature, it is logical that not following one's nature is to reject the will of God. Emerson's words spell out the very point Dostoevsky wishes to refute. Dostoevsky conveys that this notion of a personal "constitution" is the very cause of immorality and misery among human beings.
For it is in one's personal "constitution" where isolation begins and the common Truth in all beings is defied. Raskolnikov, the self-righteous student who tests his ability to transcend human nature by committing murder, cannot fully accept his personal constitution as truth. He is dubious of Svidigailov's character and thus Emerson's theory.
In the article “The Foul Reign of Self Reliance” by Benjamin Anastas the main topic being discussed is the topic of self reliance. It discusses how it is bad and how much the American society has been negatively effected because of it especially in politics because self reliance presents a self centered view. In the article Anastas’s uses rhetorical strategies such as pathos, logos, and to help the readers understand the concept of “self reliance”. Anasta’s uses pathos as well as logos, Anecdote and tone tone to let the reader know that the ideas that Emerson is discussing is not ok. Through out the article he explains that self reliance comes with one having to be selfish and self centered, Anasta uses examples from our society and challenges
In "Self-Reliance," philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson argues that people shouldn't be reliant on what others in society think. The main point of this essay is for people in society to realize that the only way to be comfortable is to be uncomfortable first. Throughout the essay it can be complicating to understand what Emerson is trying to accomplish. In the first paragraph Emerson states," The soul always hears an admonition in such lines." He also writes," Watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind." Lastly Emerson claims," we shall be forced to take with shame our own opinions from another."
Often times in literature, we are presented with quintessential characters that are all placed into the conventional categories of either good or bad. In these pieces, we are usually able to differentiate the characters and discover their true intentions from reading only a few chapters. However, in some remarkable pieces of work, authors create characters that are so realistic and so complex that we are unable to distinguish them as purely good or evil. In the novel Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky develops the morally ambiguous characters of Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov to provide us with an interesting read and to give us a chance to evaluate each character.
One of the primary issues that Emerson tried to convey was that one must follow what they believe is true for themselves and not listen to what other people think. He states, “It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps perfect sweetness the independence of solitude(Emerson 151).” One of the definitions of the word “world” is “human society.” The word “opinion” means “a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter.” By putting these words together, Emerson is implying that the “world’s opinion” is the general point of view accepted by most of society. Emerson also uses the word, “solitude” which means, “the quality or state of being alone or remote from society.” By also using the word “solitude” in this sentence, he shows a contrast between the majority (society), and the individual. What Emerson suggests is that if one can live in a world full of people who think a certain way because they were taught to believe that way, but still hold your own ground and follow what you believe, you are a great person.
Medina, Laurie Kroshus. 2003 ‘Commoditizing Culture – Tourism and Maya Identity’. Michigan State University, USA. pp 353-368
... a fugitive, a bank robber, and a murderer, but he was also an iconic outlaw and one of the toughest to be put to justice. In an interview of Mark Lee Gardner, author of “Shot All to Hell”, the true story of the robbery that lead to Jesse’s death, Gardner gives his insight on the outlaw. “One of the reasons I was fascinated with the real Jesse James was because the things he did were so nearly superhuman and larger than life, and they still remain incredible deeds--even in the 21st century. But I certainly don't want to preserve the idea that someone who's a murderer is someone who should be looked up to.” This is a great way to sum up the life and impact that Jesse James had on our society. Most people wouldn’t argue that he did some very immoral things, but to many people, he seemed like such a force to be reckoned with that all you can do is respect him for it.
Reed, William F. “Owens, Jesse.” World Book Student. World Book, 2014. Web. 21 March 2014.
In “Self Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, he promotes the importance of self reliance as an individual, and in society. Individuality to Emerson Opposed the traditional ideas of society, and to him it meant to oppose the conformity and consistency in society. He believes that the majority of people have given up their self reliance because of their fear of judgement by society. To be an individual, Emerson stresses that one has to be a risk taker, and disregard all things external.
Since the beginning of discovery, the Maya have always been known as “an indigenous people from Mexico and Central America” in 1800 B.C. to about 800 A.D. (“The Maya Civilization,” 1/1). One of the most dominant societies of Mesoamerica, the Maya geographically centralized in one “block”: the Yucatan Peninsula and Guatemala, Belize, Tabasco and Chiapas (Mexico), and the western part of Honduras and El Salvador (“Maya,” 1/1). Their constant location, over a period of almost 3000 years, shows that the Maya stayed safe from invasion by other peoples. The Maya Empire peaked at 600-800 A.D. and suffered a decline when the Spanish conquistadors rose.
Holloway, David. “Owens, Jesse (1913-1980).” St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 3. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000. 583-584. Student resources in context. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.
In the Central America, most notably the Yucatan Peninsula, are the Maya, a group of people whose polytheistic religion and advanced civilization once flourished (Houston, 43). The Maya reached their peak during the Classic Period from around CE 250 to the ninth century CE when the civilization fell and dispersed (Sharer, 1). Although much has been lost, the gods and goddesses and the religious practices of the Classic Maya give insight into their lives and reveal what was important to this society.
Palfrey, Dale Hoyt. "The Classic Period, Part 3 of 3-The Maya." Mexico Connect. *http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/hclassic3.html* (3 Feb. 2001).
This paper explores information gather from several articles that report on the Mayan Civilization throughout the years of their rise, their conquering, and their fall, as well as their interactions with other civilizations, specifically the Spanish. The Mayan civilization dates back before the 16th century, before they were conquered by the Spanish Conquistadors and the civilization diminished. During their reign, the Maya civilization thrived in what is now parts of Southern Mexico and Central America. However, their supremacy was struck down when the Spanish and their beliefs
Ultimately, the Mayan civilization was the most brilliant cultural stage not only in Mesoamerica, but throughout America, and his mysterious disappearance became an obsession for many investigators and people interested in the topic in the middle of the twentieth century. There have been many myths about the Mayans, but archaeological and historical research will allow us to know and admire who they were, how they developed their skills, and how they built their wonderful cities. In fact, as a Mexican immigrant in this country, I can also see the Mayan communities as the descendants of my culture and Mexicans feel proud of what they were, and the permanent mark that they will leave not only in Mexico’s history but the whole
The Maya’s were an ancient civilization that faced many difficult tasks in their everyday lives that needed to be completed in order for survival. The Mayan tribes existed from about 400 BC until around 1524 when they were taken over by the Spanish conquistadors (Sharer p.3). They occupied three separate areas of land.