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Introduction to Russian Thought: Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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Introduction to Russian Thought: Fyodor Dostoyevsky Introduction to Russian Thought: Fyodor Dostoyevsky An exploration of the literary, philosophical and cultural legacy of Fyodor Dostoevsky through The Brothers Karamazov. We will enjoy the literary mastery of Dostoevsky’s last novel, considered by many a masterpiece of world literature, while relying on topics and themes in the novel to discuss the problem of evil, the psychology of human mind, the limits of rationalism, the concept of religious faith in the world of injustice and suffering, and other “eternal the.” The best text to read is the original Russian; we will be using English translations and our discussions will be conducted in English. Those who are able to read in Russian are encouraged to do so. Instructor: Dr. Konstantin Starikov Dr. Starikov is an academic librarian and instructor of Russian at Boston University. A poet and an independent scholar, Dr. Starikov did his graduate work in Slavic Studies and Literature at Brown, Yale, and the University of Chicago. He is a recipient of Dr. Pranas A. Sveikauskas Award in Recognition of an Outstanding Dissertation The Poetic Riddle in Eighteenth-Century Russia (2016). Readings: The Brothers Karamazov / Братья Карамазовы During our seminar meetings, you will be given page references to the English editions listed below. However, you are welcome to use other editions of the three translations or another translation. Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Brothers Karamazov. Trans. Constance Garnett (1999) Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The Brothers Karamazov. Trans. Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Farrar, Straus and Giroux edition. (2002) Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The Brothers Karamazov. Trans. Susan McReynolds. Norton Critical. Second edition. (2011) You are also encouraged to explore other texts by Dostoyevsky, about Dostoyevsky’s major fiction and non-fiction, as well as critical interpretations of Dostoyevsky’s work. Selected bibliography will guide you in supplementary readings. Seminar Schedule All Class Meetings are from 6:30pm-8:00pm First Session: Tuesday, February 5th Introduction: Why read Dostoyevsky? Second Session: Father and Sons Tuesday, February 12th Books One, Two, Three and Four Third Session: Problems of good and evil Tuesday, February 19th Books Five, Six and Seven Fourth Session: The significance of suffering Tuesday, February 26th Books Eight, Nine, Ten Fifth Session: What is justice? Tuesday, March 5th Books Eleven, Twelve Sixth Session: Responsibility and active love Tuesday March 12th the Epilogue, and summation NO MEETING, SPRING BREAK Tuesday March 19th Seventh Session: Visualizing humanity Tuesday March 26th Movie and other adaptations of The Brothers Karamazov Eighth Session: Tuesday April 2nd Conclusion: What is the purpose of reading The Brothers Karamazov in the 21st century? Ground Rules for Discussion The goal of ground rules is to establish a friendly and intellectually stimulating environment to ensure that discussions help participants work together toward greater understanding and that each participant is heard. Be respectful of each other • Arrive on time • Turn your cell phone off • Listen actively and attentively, do not engage in private conversations while others are speaking. • Do not interrupt one another. • Challenge one another, but do so respectfully. • Critique ideas, not people. • Avoid put-downs (even humorous ones), blame, speculation, inflammatory language. • Do not monopolize discussion. • Build on one another’s comments; work toward shared understanding. • Consider anything that is said in class strictly confidential. Be open-minded, curious and respectful of yourself • Take responsibility for the quality of the discussion. • Speak from your own experience, without generalizing. • If you are offended by anything said during discussion, acknowledge it immediately. • Speak your discomfort. If something is bothering you, please share this with the group. Often our emotional reactions to this process offer the most valuable learning opportunities. • Ask for clarification if you are confused and/or in disagreement. • Do not offer opinions without supporting evidence. • You are not expected to agree with or to convince others. Rather, the higher goal of learning is to examine different points of view and opinions. About the instructor: Konstantin Starikov (Ph.D. Brown University, M.Phil. Yale University, MA The University of Chicago, MLS Simmons College, BA Boston University) Dr. Konstantin Starikov is librarian and part-time instructor of Russian at Boston University. He is a recipient of Dr. Pranas A. Sveikauskas Award in Recognition of an Outstanding Dissertation The Poetic Riddle in Eighteenth-Century Russia (2016). A poet and independent scholar, Konstantin is active in local Russian-speaking cultural events of Greater Boston. He enjoys learning foreign languages, reading, and travelling. Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881) (also spelled Dostoevsky, Dostoevskii) “Russian novelist and short-story writer whose psychological penetration into the darkest recesses of the human heart, together with his unsurpassed moments of illumination, had an immense influence on 20th-century fiction. Dostoyevsky is usually regarded as one of the finest novelists who ever lived. Literary modernism, existentialism, and various schools of psychology, theology, and literary criticism have been profoundly shaped by his ideas. His works are often called prophetic because he so accurately predicted how Russia’s revolutionaries would behave if they came to power. In his time he was also renowned for his activity as a journalist.” Gary Saul Morson, “Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Biography, Books, Philosophy, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fyodor-Dostoyevsky. Accessed 28 Dec. 2018. “Dostoevsky, the only psychologist, incidentally, from whom I had something to learn; he ranks among the most beautiful strokes of fortune in my life, even more than my discovery of Stendhal.” Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols. (trans. Walter Kaufman and R.J. Hollingdale; London, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1985). "Freud's essay ‘Dostoevsky and Parricide’ was published in 1928 as an introduction to a German collection of materials on The Brothers Karamazov. This was a highly appropriate place of publication since both the essay and the novel dealt with parricide and epilepsy. Sixty years have passed since then but Freud's essay is still useful, filled with brilliant insights that have proved quite influential, even among those scholars who do not accept his theory about the nature of Dostoevsky's epilepsy. Freud's achievement was to bring together, to unify and illuminate as no one had done before him, the most diverse strands in Dostoevsky's life and works: relations between father and son, Dostoevsky's epilepsy, his political and religious views, his gambling, and his obsession with crime and moral responsibility. Were it not for Freud, we would still be examining each of these strands separately, unable to see how they are all interwoven." Nathan Rossen, “Freud on Dostoevsky’s Epilepsy: A Revaluaiton.” Dostoyevsky Studies 9 (1988): 107-25 “The kernel of Camus’s affinity with Dostoevskii brings us to the fiercely combative, atheistic spirit of Ivan Karamazov. ‘If God is dead, then all is permitted’ rings through all Ivan’s thinking, which leads Camus to tussle, like the Russian character, with the logic of totalitarian atheism. Camus emerges towards some form of humanism while Ivan slides into insanity. But, Ivan remains with Camus to the end of his days. He proved for Camus the most attractive, fascinating of all Dostoevskii’s characters. The facts are eloquent enough in themselves. Not only did Camus direct the theatrical adaptation of The Brothers Karamazov in March 1938, in Algiers, for the Théâtre de l’Équipe, but also and most significantly, he chose to play the part of Ivan, as opposed to that of the other brothers, the sensual, earthy Dimitry, and the spiritually-minded, non-earthly Alyosha, psychological dynamos in themselves.” Ronald Batchelor, “Dostoevskii’s Ivan Karamazov: Inspiration to Albert Camus.” FifteenEightyFour | Cambridge University Press, 27 Mar. 2014, http://www.cambridgeblog.org/2014/03/dostoevksiis-ivan- karamazov-inspiration-to-albert-camus/ Chronology of Dostoevsky’s Life and Works: Dates are given according to the Julian calendar (or Old Style), which was retained in Russia until the 1917 Revolution and ran twelve days behind the Gregorian calendar. 1821 Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky is born in Moscow on October 30 in Hospital for the poor, the second of seven children. 1831-37 Fyodor and his older brother, Mikhail (b. 1820), together attend boarding schools in Moscow. Following the death of their mother in 1837, they are sent to a preparatory school in St. Petersburg. 1838 Fyodor, but not Mikhail, is admitted to St. Petersburg’s Academy of Military Engineers. 1839 Father possibly murdered by his own serfs at his estate, Chermashnya, in province of Tula. 1843 Dostoevsky graduates from the Academy as lieutenant. Translates into Russian Honore de Balzac’s Eugenie Grandet. 1844 He translates George Sand’s La derniere Aldini and works on Poor Folk, his own first novel. 1845 Friendship with the liberal Vissarion Grigorievich Belinsky, Russia’s most influential critic. 1846 Publication of Poor Folk, The Double (appearing two weeks later), and Mr. Prokharchin. Acquaintance with the utopian socialist M. V. Butashevich-Petrashevsky 1846 Anna Grigorievna Snitkina (Dostoevsky’s future wife) is born in Petersburg on October 30th.
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