Several hours since I completed this wonderful novel, and I am still contemplating on whether to review or leave it with the rating. This happens to be my first read of the year that I shelved after completing Part I in about a week, due to the focus this required owing to the various layers to each monologue and conversation.
Being the most accomplished of Dostoyevsky's works, The Idiot's central character is an innocent, pure and simple man with a heart that is so forgiving and accommodating even for the worst sinner ever. Dostoyevsky contrasts the pretentiousness of the Russian Socialist society with the childlike innocence of Prince Myshkin, drawing parallels from the life of Christ himself.
The suicidal tendencies and emotions of Ippolit, self-realization of Ganya, murder instincts of Rogozhin, the shallow superficiality of General Ivolgin are all portrayed so wonderfully and against the compassion of Prince demarcates the evil and the good brilliantly. The story of Marie is one of my favorites.
Of the two women vying for Myshkin, Nastasya is more expressive and volatile with her emotions. Blame it on her impulsiveness or masochism for bringing on the world crushing over herself and Prince towards the end. Aglaya is a confused woman too, but she is more secretive about her attraction to Myshkin and her turning down Prince several times all the while shaming him brutally makes her more manipulative than Nastasya.
Being the most accomplished of Dostoyevsky's works, The Idiot's central character is an innocent, pure and simple man with a heart that is so forgiving and accommodating even for the worst sinner ever. Dostoyevsky contrasts the pretentiousness of the Russian Socialist society with the childlike innocence of Prince Myshkin, drawing parallels from the life of Christ himself.
The suicidal tendencies and emotions of Ippolit, self-realization of Ganya, murder instincts of Rogozhin, the shallow superficiality of General Ivolgin are all portrayed so wonderfully and against the compassion of Prince demarcates the evil and the good brilliantly. The story of Marie is one of my favorites.
Of the two women vying for Myshkin, Nastasya is more expressive and volatile with her emotions. Blame it on her impulsiveness or masochism for bringing on the world crushing over herself and Prince towards the end. Aglaya is a confused woman too, but she is more secretive about her attraction to Myshkin and her turning down Prince several times all the while shaming him brutally makes her more manipulative than Nastasya.
“One can't understand everything at once,
we can't begin with perfection all at once!
In order to reach perfection
one must begin by
being ignorant of a great deal.
And if we understand things too quickly,
perhaps we shan't understand them
thoroughly.”
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