Mills75--
but not in the beginning!!!!!
I do not believe that Dostoevsky was technically an existentialist, but he does have ideas that lean in that direction. The root of all sin is dishonesty with the self that leads to sensuality. Hell is the inability to love others. His religious views are more grounded than most interpretations: the other-wordly heaven is the institution of God's Kingdom on earth, not in a literal other world. To that extent, he could be called existentialist because the focus is upon the individual and his freedom to love and be truthful to himself.
Regarding Raskolnikov, Dostoevsky was against intellectualism, as far as I know. The repurcusions of unresolved intellectual thought are seen also in the case of Ivan in Brothers Karamazov. This is obvious in his "underground man." In that work, if I remember correctly, he had had religious elements that indicated a resolution to man's desire to rebel against determinism and cause himself suffering - Christianity - the Christian elements were removed by his editor upon publication, leaving apparently no solution to man's desire to be something beyond a simple determinate being.
Thalion wrote:I do not believe that Dostoevsky was technically an existentialist, but he does have ideas that lean in that direction. The root of all sin is dishonesty with the self that leads to sensuality. Hell is the inability to love others. His religious views are more grounded than most interpretations: the other-wordly heaven is the institution of God's Kingdom on earth, not in a literal other world. To that extent, he could be called existentialist because the focus is upon the individual and his freedom to love and be truthful to himself.
Regarding Raskolnikov, Dostoevsky was against intellectualism, as far as I know. The repurcusions of unresolved intellectual thought are seen also in the case of Ivan in Brothers Karamazov. This is obvious in his "underground man." In that work, if I remember correctly, he had had religious elements that indicated a resolution to man's desire to rebel against determinism and cause himself suffering - Christianity - the Christian elements were removed by his editor upon publication, leaving apparently no solution to man's desire to be something beyond a simple determinate being.
so just because they (the publishers) did not want any mention in the book about Christianity the ending is ruined?!!!!
i don't see the need for reading the book then
The ending isn't ruined. The pyschological solution is simply removed. It is still a good read. I'd recomend it, especially being as short as it is. (I am refering to the work "Notes from Underground" if it was unclear.)
Yes, the Notes from Underground is a distinct work from The Brothers Karamazov. Sorry for being ambigous - my reference to the "underground man" is the narrator of Notes from the Underground.
Thalion--
so the book is by a diffrent author as well...don't worry you're not ambigous just i'm a bit slooooowww here
Notes from the Underground is also by Dostoevsky. It's typically considered the first of his "mature" works.
mature meaning for older more "elevated" persons?
I haven't read any of his earlier work but I think that he was more of an Idealist/Radical (not sure if radical is the right word) early on in his career. Kind of Utopian. Hopefully someone else here knows more about this. "Mature" refering to intellectual level and depth. Saying it's for "elevated" people almost sounds like only certain people should read it. Simply saying they are "better" in a way. Maybe some younger or less "mature" people wouldn't get the entire point, but that's the only way you get to that level.
hmmm....quite interesting...so if one was not ..."in the correct mind set" then they would not get it however if they understood and grasped the concept of like works then they would
who wrote it? Dan Brown? I completly agree with you and I loved his books angels and demons as well as the da vinci code (which one came first i think i read them out of order lol)
"The Historian" was written by Elizabeth Kostova.
I liked it much better than either of Dan Brown's books.
oh...such a shame i will try and get it though sounds interesting
narcissus and goldmund ..(herman hesse) ....
who is that referring (who are you calling that) to or is that a book?
I don't know why Alien is laughing, Bsingh5. Herman Hesse is the author of "Narcissus and Goldmund". Hesse's best known work was "Siddhartha" and he was a popular writer in the 60's. Many people under the age of say 35, might not know him.
