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Juliania
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
Posts: 8979
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 Post subject: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 3:59 pm |
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Welcome to a discussion which will, I hope, help people who may wish to understand this important novel but are deterred by the unfamiliar settings, the names, the discussions within discussions which permeate the text - and often by the mistranslations which have inevitably occurred in all of the English translations to which we Westerners are exposed.
I propose that we do not discuss what other commentators have said about the text, but simply approach it as if for the first time and attempt to discover what the author is saying and why he is saying it. All comments are welcome, and any disruptive ones will be assessed and screened as this forum allows.
I would like to begin by saying that this novel is worth the effort. It speaks to us in our present day, even though it was written over a hundred years ago. For me, the discussion which I had about this book some 35 years ago did change my perspective in ways I could not then have changed without it. I began to look at books in general, at life in general, at this book in specific and at my life in specific in a new light.
Well, it will depend I guess on if anyone wants to join me in discussing this book. I am open to suggestions as to how we go about it in this format. My principle motivation, as I have said, is to encourage those who might want to make this effort, because I believe it is an effort worth making. Infinitely worth making.
I will start by posing an opinion on just the very first two pages of the novel, the preface entitled "From the author." In this preface is the following paragraph:
"I have only one life story and two novels on my hands. The main novel is the second one -- it deals with the activity of my hero in our time, I mean, at this very current moment. The action of the first novel, on the other hand, takes place thirteen years ago and is hardly even a novel, but just one moment in my hero's early youth. It is quite impossible for me to dispense with the first novel, because without it a great deal in the second novel would be unintelligible."
Most people will understand this paragraph to mean that Dostoievski intended to write a second novel, which as he says here would deal with 'the activity of my hero in our time.' Dostoievski finished the first novel in October of 1880. Three months later he died. Whatever he might have intended in the remark quoted above, what he did do was give many very popular readings of sections of the first novel, mostly to enthusiastic college audiences.
I propose that 'the activity of my hero in our time' refers also to our time, to the moment in which we pick up and discuss this novel. I propose we do so.
Any takers? |
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| Subject |
Author |
Date/Time |
| Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Juliania |
Sun Aug 28, 2005 3:59 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Bonefro |
Sun Aug 28, 2005 6:12 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Juliania |
Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:56 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Bonefro |
Sun Aug 28, 2005 10:06 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
netmd49 |
Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:22 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Juliania |
Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:20 pm |
| Re: The first pages as they appear in Russian |
Juliania |
Sun Aug 28, 2005 10:15 pm |
| Re: Names: Alexey Fyodorovich Karamazov |
Juliania |
Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:12 am |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Juliania |
Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:29 am |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
netmd49 |
Mon Aug 29, 2005 4:22 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Juliania |
Mon Aug 29, 2005 10:36 pm |
| Re: The Dedication |
Juliania |
Tue Aug 30, 2005 12:22 pm |
| Re: The Dedication |
netmd49 |
Tue Aug 30, 2005 4:15 pm |
| Re: The Dedication |
Juliania |
Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:40 pm |
| Re: In Beginning |
Juliania |
Tue Sep 06, 2005 11:32 am |
| Re: In Beginning |
Bonefro |
Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:40 pm |
| Re: In Beginning |
netmd49 |
Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:53 pm |
| Re: In Beginning |
Juliania |
Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:45 pm |
| Re: In Beginning |
Bonefro |
Fri Sep 16, 2005 12:41 pm |
| Re: Peasant Women who have faith |
Juliania |
Fri Sep 16, 2005 10:58 pm |
| Re: In Beginning |
Juliania |
Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:00 pm |
| Re:What is Happening Here? |
Juliania |
Mon Sep 19, 2005 5:41 pm |
| Re:What is Happening Here? |
Bonefro |
Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:32 pm |
| Re:What is Happening Here? |
Bonefro |
Tue Sep 20, 2005 3:57 pm |
| Re:What is Happening Here? |
Juliania |
Wed Sep 21, 2005 1:29 am |
| Some background |
Juliania |
Sat Sep 24, 2005 12:21 pm |
| Re: Some background |
Bonefro |
Sun Sep 25, 2005 2:32 pm |
| Re: Some background |
Juliania |
Mon Sep 26, 2005 3:31 pm |
| Re:What is Happening Here? |
Juliania |
Wed Sep 21, 2005 1:00 am |
| Re: In Beginning |
Bonefro |
Tue Sep 06, 2005 5:30 pm |
| Re: In Beginning |
Juliania |
Tue Sep 06, 2005 8:29 pm |
| Re: In Beginning |
Juliania |
Fri Sep 09, 2005 11:18 pm |
| Re: In Beginning |
Bonefro |
Sat Sep 10, 2005 4:50 pm |
| Re: The Inappropriate Gathering |
Juliania |
Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:06 pm |
| Re: Names: Alexey Fyodorovich Karamazov |
netmd49 |
Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:45 am |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Bonefro |
Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:19 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Juliania |
Sat Sep 24, 2005 10:46 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Bonefro |
Sat Oct 01, 2005 10:43 am |
| Re: The Seventh and Eighth Chapters of Book One |
Juliania |
Sat Oct 01, 2005 3:39 pm |
| Re: The Seventh and Eighth Chapters of Book Two |
Juliania |
Sat Oct 01, 2005 3:40 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
ciudadana |
Tue Oct 04, 2005 12:38 am |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Bonefro |
Thu Oct 06, 2005 1:43 pm |
| Re: In the Servants' Quarters |
Juliania |
Thu Oct 06, 2005 10:02 pm |
| Re: A Suggestion |
Juliania |
Thu Oct 06, 2005 11:12 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
ciudadana |
Sun Oct 09, 2005 10:18 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Juliania |
Mon Oct 10, 2005 11:32 am |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
ciudadana |
Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:53 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Juliania |
Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:12 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Bonefro |
Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:57 pm |
| Re: Reading Dostoievski's "The Brothers Karamazov" |
Juliania |
Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:15 pm |
| Re: A New Beginning |
Juliania |
Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:01 pm |
| Re: Some Questions about Women |
Juliania |
Sat Oct 22, 2005 11:25 am |
| Re: Some Questions about Women |
Bonefro |
Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:28 pm |
| Re: Some Questions about Women |
Juliania |
Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:16 pm |
| Re: Some Questions about Women |
Bonefro |
Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:51 pm |
| Re: Some Questions about Women |
Juliania |
Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:04 pm |
| Re: Some Questions about Women |
Bonefro |
Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:56 pm |
| Re: Some Questions about Women |
Juliania |
Tue Oct 25, 2005 12:10 am |
| Re: PART TWO, Book Four: Lacerations |
Juliania |
Sun Oct 30, 2005 9:42 am |
| Re: PART TWO, Book Four: Lacerations |
Juliania |
Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:09 am |
| Re: PART TWO, Book Four: Lacerations |
Bonefro |
Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:38 pm |
| Re: PART TWO, Book Four: Lacerations |
Juliania |
Mon Nov 07, 2005 5:33 pm |
| Re: PART TWO, Book Four: Lacerations |
Bonefro |
Wed Nov 09, 2005 1:06 pm |
| Re: PART TWO, Book Four: Lacerations |
Juliania |
Sat Nov 12, 2005 3:47 pm |
| Re: Engagement |
Bonefro |
Mon Nov 14, 2005 4:23 pm |
| Re: Engagement |
Juliania |
Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:12 pm |
| Re: Engagement |
Juliania |
Sun Nov 20, 2005 8:00 pm |
| Sverdyakov and his guitar |
Bonefro |
Sun Nov 27, 2005 4:43 pm |
| Re: Pro and Contra |
Juliania |
Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:04 pm |
| Re: Acquaintance and Rebellion |
Juliania |
Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:13 pm |
| Re: Acquaintance and Rebellion |
Bonefro |
Sun Dec 11, 2005 5:05 pm |
| Re: Acquaintance and Rebellion |
Juliania |
Mon Dec 12, 2005 1:32 am |
| Re: A Digression: One to one = one to many? |
Juliania |
Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:44 pm |
| Re: Acquaintance and Rebellion |
Bonefro |
Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:43 pm |
| Re: Acquaintance and Rebellion |
Juliania |
Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:57 pm |
| Re: The Grand Inquisitor |
Juliania |
Sat Dec 24, 2005 11:46 pm |
| Re: The Grand Inquisitor |
Bonefro |
Mon Dec 26, 2005 4:17 pm |
| Re: The Grand Inquisitor |
Juliania |
Mon Dec 26, 2005 6:19 pm |
| Re: The Grand Inquisitor |
Juliania |
Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:56 am |
| Still unclear* |
Bonefro |
Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:04 pm |
| Re: Still unclear* |
Juliania |
Mon Jan 02, 2006 2:05 am |
| Re: Book Six: The Russian Monk |
Juliania |
Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:12 pm |
| Re: Book Six: The Russian Monk |
Bonefro |
Fri Jan 13, 2006 5:23 pm |
| Re: Book Six: The Russian Monk |
Juliania |
Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:25 am |
| Re: Book Seven: Alyosha |
Bonefro |
Mon Jan 23, 2006 6:55 pm |
| Re: Book Seven: Alyosha |
Juliania |
Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:03 am |
| Re: Book Eight: Mitya |
Juliania |
Fri Feb 03, 2006 12:59 am |
| Re: Book Eight: Mitya |
Bonefro |
Fri Feb 03, 2006 10:42 pm |
| Re: Book Eight: Mitya |
Juliania |
Sat Feb 04, 2006 2:55 pm |
| Re: Book Nine: The Preliminary Investigation |
Juliania |
Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:10 pm |
| Re: Book Nine: The Dream and the Question |
Juliania |
Sun Feb 19, 2006 1:03 pm |
| Re: Book Nine: The Preliminary Investigation |
Bonefro |
Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:48 pm |
| Re: Book Nine: The Preliminary Investigation |
Juliania |
Mon Feb 20, 2006 3:40 pm |
| Re: Part Four, Book Ten: The Boys |
Juliania |
Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:36 am |
| Re: Part Four, Book Ten: The Boys |
Bonefro |
Thu Mar 02, 2006 2:56 pm |
| Re: Part Four, Book Ten: The Boys |
Juliania |
Thu Mar 02, 2006 3:53 pm |
| Re: "From Skotoprigonyevsk" |
Juliania |
Thu Mar 09, 2006 1:24 pm |
| Re: The beginning of Ivan's book |
Juliania |
Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:18 pm |
| Re: The Three Visits to Smerdyakov |
Juliania |
Sun Mar 19, 2006 8:17 am |
| Book XI: Ivan |
Bonefro |
Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:08 pm |
| Re: Book XI: Ivan |
Juliania |
Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:57 pm |
| Re: Book XI: Brother Ivan Fyodorovich |
Juliania |
Sun Apr 02, 2006 9:40 am |
| Re: Book XII: A Judicial Error |
Juliania |
Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:22 pm |
| Re: Book XII: A Judicial Error |
Juliania |
Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm |
| Re: Book XII: A Judicial Error |
Juliania |
Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:51 am |
| Re: Book XII: A Judicial Error |
Juliania |
Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:00 am |
| Re: Book XII: A Judicial Error |
Juliania |
Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:37 pm |
| Re: Book XII: A Judicial Error |
Juliania |
Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:02 am |
| Re: Book XII: A Judicial Error |
Juliania |
Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:19 pm |
| Re: Epilogue |
Juliania |
Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:45 am |
| Re: My Epilogue |
Juliania |
Mon May 29, 2006 8:15 pm |
| Re: And One From the World at Large |
Juliania |
Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:05 am |
| Re: BEGINNING THE REREAD |
Juliania |
Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:43 pm |
| Re: BEGINNING THE REREAD |
Juliania |
Sat Jan 27, 2007 11:54 am |
| Re: Returning to "A Misplaced Gathering" |
Juliania |
Thu Feb 08, 2007 11:07 am |
| Re: Ivan's essay |
Juliania |
Mon Mar 19, 2007 12:06 pm |
| Re: A last goodbye |
Juliania |
Sat Jul 28, 2007 10:31 am |
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