The Pathological Protagonist of Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground

2589 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Psychological theories of crime essay

The Pathological Protagonist of Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground

Dostoevsky’s vision of the world is violent and his characters tortured; it is no wonder that many have viewed his work as prophetic of the 20th century. However, though Dostoevsky, in his unflinching portrayal of depravity, gives the Devil some of his best arguments, the Gospel often triumphs. Ivan Karamazov is at least offered the possibility of repentance when kissed by his saintly brother Alyosha. Raskolnikov, the nihilistic antihero of Crime and Punishment, is eventually redeemed through the love of the pure prostitute Sonja.

Notes from the Underground, however, breaks this pattern. The protagonist of this novel, who, uncharacteristically for Dostoevsky, is also the narrator, is not redeemed by his encounter with a prostitute, but rather degrades both her and himself by his actions. While Notes from the Underground has often been analyzed from a philosophical perspective, as Dostoevsky’s defense of free will against the mechanistic determinism and utilitarian moral theories popular in his day, it is more properly viewed as a character study. This view is necessitated, Ralph Matlaw writes, by the unreliability of the underground man as a guide to his own character and motivations (102). One who consistently proves to be a liar in matters of fact is not likely to be an honest theoretician either. The underground man himself, nearing the conclusion of his philosophical reflections, writes, “I swear to you, gentlemen, there is not one thing, not one word of what I have written that I really believe. That is, I believe it, perhaps, but at the same time I feel and suspect that I am lying like a cobbler” (Dostoevsky 212).

Regarding the novel as prima...

... middle of paper ...

...y, NY: Anchor Books, 1960.

Lethcoe, James. “Self-Deception in Dostoevskij's Notes from the Underground.” The Slavic and East European Journal 10.1 (Spring, 1966): 9-21.

Matlaw, Ralph. “Structure and Integration in Notes from the Underground.” PMLA 73.1 (March 1958): 101-109.

Meerson, Olga. “Old Testament Lamentation in the Underground Man’s Monologue: A Refutation of the Existentialist Reading of Notes from the Underground.” The Slavic and East European Journal, 36.3 (Autumn 1992): 317-322.

Morson, Gary Saul. “Paradoxical Dostoevsky.” The Slavic and East European Journal 43.3 (Autumn 1999): 471-494.

Paris, Bernard. “Notes from Underground: A Horneyan Analysis.” PMLA 88.3 (May 1973): 511-522.

Rosenshield, Gary. “The Fate of Dostoevskij's Underground Man: The Case for an Open Ending.” The Slavic and East European Journal 28.3 (Autumn, 1984): 324-339.

Show More
Related

  • The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA)

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) provides certain employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave and job protection for childbirth, adoption or foster care; to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, or parent; or for an employee’s own serious illness (Cañas & Sondak, 2011). It also requires that their group health benefits remain intact during the unpaid leave of absence. The employee must have worked for the employer for at least a year and must have earned 1,250 hours of service during the previous 12 months ((Cañas & Sondak, 2011, pg. 70).

    Read More

  • Morally Ambiguous Characters in Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA)

    1905 Words  | 4 Pages

    During the 1992 presidential campaign, Governor Bill Clinton promoted implementing an act that would grant families a temporary medical leave under certain circumstances. He pushed for a change in the labor law that would protect workers that were caring for their families. Once elected in office, he made the Family Medical Leave Act a top legislative priority. The 103rd U.S. Congress enacted the FMLA bill. Bill Clinton signed the bill into law on February 5th, 1993 and it took effect six months later on August 5th, 1993 (Advantages). The Family and Medical Leave Act is administered by the Wage and Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor.

    Read More

  • Theodicy and Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov

    2495 Words  | 5 Pages

    Hansen, Bruce. “Dostoevsky’s Theodicy.” Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, 1996. At . accessed 18 November 2001.

    Read More

  • Notes from the Underground, the Tormented Narrator

    656 Words  | 2 Pages

    To put it briefly, the Underground Man is the sole reason that he himself cannot be free despite is overwhelming desire. His obsessive behavior will not permit him to lead a normal life and he will forever be a prisoner of his own mind. The only reason that any other people have a hand in this imprisonment is because the Underground Man allows them to. Even when writing his “Notes” the Underground Man cannot help but to become consumed with scribbling down every little bit that he can, to the point that his “notes” must be cut short by an outside source.

    Read More

  • Literary Techniques Used by Fyodor Dostoyevsky in Crime and Punishment

    2235 Words  | 5 Pages

    It was both this interesting plot and the philosophical nature of Dostoyevsky's writing, which initially attracted me to this book. It also features many themes and characters, as well as an effective setting. As a result, I will examine the literary techniques used in "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky to convey the downfall and subsequent rise of the main character, Raskolnikov. I will begin by looking at how the setting formed Raskolnikov's character, and then discuss the structure and other characters of the novel. The setting plays a primary role in forming Raskolnikov's character.

    Read More

  • Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment

    2299 Words  | 5 Pages

    Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment begins with Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov living in poverty and isolation in St. Petersburg. The reader soon learns that he was, until somewhat recently, a successful student at the local university. His character at that point was not uncommon. However, the environment of the grim and individualistic city eventually encourages Raskolnikov’s undeveloped detachment and sense of superiority to its current state of desperation. This state is worsening when Raskolnikov visits an old pawnbroker to sell a watch. During the visit, the reader slowly realizes that Raskolnikov plans to murder the woman with his superiority as a justification. After the Raskolnikov commits the murder, the novel deeply explores his psychology, yet it also touches on countless other topics including nihilism, the idea of a “superman,” and the value of human life. In this way, the greatness of Crime and Punishment comes not just from its examination of the main topic of the psychology of isolation and murder, but the variety topics which naturally arise in the discussion.

    Read More

  • Comparing Crime and Punishment and Notes from the Underground

    490 Words  | 1 Pages

    Dostoyevsky's characters are very similar, as is his stories.  He puts a strong stress on the estrangement and isolation his characters feel. His characters are both brilliant and "sick" as mentioned in each novel, poisoned by their intelligence.  In Notes from the Underground, the character, who is never given a name, writes his journal from solitude. He is spoiled by his intelligence, giving him a fierce conceit with which he lashes out at the world and justifies the malicious things he does.  At the same time, though, he speaks of the doubt he feels at the value of human thought and purpose and later, of human life.  He believes that intelligence, to be constantly questioning and "faithless(ly) drifting" between ideas, is a curse.  To be damned to see everything, clearly as a window (and that includes things that aren't meant to be seen, such as the corruption in the world) or constantly seeking the meaning of things elusive. Dostoyevsky thought that humans are evil, destructive and irrational.

    Read More

  • Discrimination Against Gay Adoption

    2163 Words  | 5 Pages

    In recent years, same-sex relationships have become more encompassing in US society. State legislation is changing such as accepting gay marriages, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and legal gay adoptions; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is becoming public. Gay-headed families, like heterosexuals, are diverse and varying in different forms. Whether a created family is from previous heterosexual relationships, artificial insemination, or adoption, it deserves the same legal rights heterosexual families enjoy. Full adoption rights needs to be legalized in all states to provide a stable family life for children because sexual orientation does not determine parenting skills, children placed with homosexual parents have better well-being than those in foster care, and there are thousands of children waiting for good homes.

    Read More

  • Homosexuals’ Rights on Raising Children

    662 Words  | 2 Pages

    Wolpert, Stuart. "Foster Kids Do Equally Well When Adopted by Gay, Lesbian or Heterosexual Parents." Newsroom. UCLA Newsroom, 18 Oct. 2012. Web. 05 May 2014.

    Read More

  • Character Development in Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

    1278 Words  | 3 Pages

    In his novel Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky uses Raskolnikov as a vessel for several different philosophies that were particularly prominent at the time in order to obliquely express his opinions concerning those schools of thought. Raskolnikov begins his journey in Crime and Punishment with a nihilistic worldview and eventually transitions to a more optimistic one strongly resembling Christian existentialism, the philosophy Dostoevsky preferred, although it could be argued that it is not a complete conversion. Nonetheless, by the end of his journey Raskolnikov has undergone a fundamental shift in character. This transformation is due in large part to the influence other characters have on him, particularly Sonia. Raskolnikov’s relationship with Sonia plays a significant role in furthering his character development and shaping the philosophical themes of the novel.

    Read More

  • Benefits Of Adoption Persuasive Essay

    1793 Words  | 4 Pages

    Homosexual couples should be granted the same freedom to adopt children like heterosexual couples because there are so many children in the foster care who need a nurturing home; it is narrow-minded to think that only heterosexual couples have the capability of raising a child properly; and it is prejudice to exclude homosexuals from adopting a child based on their sexuality. A parent-child relationship may be one of the most sacred and cherished gifts in life but it is also a privilege. The main purpose of adoption is not just for the satisfaction of a couple, regardless of their sexuality—ultimately, it is for the well-being of the adopted child.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Maternity Leave

    1655 Words  | 4 Pages

    While the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act theoretically guarantees all workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a new child or sick family member, it applies only to businesses with more than 50 employees, only covers workers that have been with their employer for at least one year, and doesn’t extend to part-time workers. These exemptions are significant; they ensure that just over half of American workers and less than a fifth of all new mothers are actually covered by FMLA. And they disproportionately affect low-income workers, who are more likely to work for small businesses, change employers frequently, and piece together multiple part-time

    Read More

  • Gay or Lesbian Parenting and the Psychological Effects on Their Adoptive Children

    892 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gateway Child Wellfare Information. "Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Parents: Resources for Professionals and Parents." n.d. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. 28 Jan. 2014. .

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Underground Man By Dostoevsky

    320 Words  | 1 Pages

    Dostoevsky’s narrator points out that while the “direct” people have certain, desirable qualities, they lack the advantages that accompany one with a conscious mind. The direct person, what the Underground Man refers to as, “the real normal man,” can act on instinct and perform an act of revenge or some other action without contemplating the implications. As such, the “direct” person is stupid according to the Underground man. However, he states there is beauty in this stupidity. A sort of, “ignorance is bliss.”

    Read More

More about The Pathological Protagonist of Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground

Open Document