Crime and Psychological Disorders in the Notable Works of Fyodor Dostoevsky
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-3, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in Crime and Psychological Disorders in the Notable Works of Fyodor Dostoevsky Ms.Mohammed Zainab1 & Dr.Khaja Moinuddin2 1Research Scholar, Gondwana University, Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, India 2Asst.Professor, Shree Shivaji Mahavidyalaya, Rajura, Gondwana University, Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, India Abstract: Fyodor Dostoevsky is one of the most famous names in world literature. Author of eleven Dostoevsky wrote The Idiot in 1867–1869, novels, some of which are among the most and today it is considered one of his greatest works, acclaimed in history, Dostoevsky has been praised along with Notes from Underground (1864), Crime for his superb grasp of psychology and his interest and Punishment (1866), The Possessed (1872), in both philosophical and religious themes. He and The Brothers Karamazov (1880). In The published his first novel, Poor Folk, in 1846. In Idiot Dostoevsky hoped to portray the ideal of a 1849, he was arrested for his involvement with a "positively beautiful individual," a man who wishes group of radical liberal utopians and sentenced to to sacrifice himself for others. Prince Myshkin is a death by firing squad. In pure literary fashion, sort of Russian Christ who represents the values Dostoevsky was spared minutes before his sentence Dostoevsky deemed the highest and most noble: was to be carried out and instead was sentenced to altruism, meekness, kindness, and brotherly love. four years labor in Siberia. After his release, he As Dostoevsky saw sexual passion as inherently struggled for years financially but later in life he selfish, it is not surprising that Prince Myshkin is a became known for his writing abilities and completely asexual character. Though he develops produced some of the masterpieces of western romantic feelings toward Aglaya, he subordinates literature. Although he wrote eleven novels in total, them to a higher ideal of pity and compassion that Dostoevsky is primarily remembered for five: Notes he expresses in his relationship with Nastassya from Underground, Crime and Punishment, The Filippovna. Facing the "dark world" of corruption Idiot, and The Brothers Karamazov. All the four and moral decay that he meets in society, he are among the best books. inevitably perishes. Keywords: Radial, Utopians, Psychology, The themes in the writings of Russian Philosophical, Insightful, acclaimed, writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky, which encompass novels, novellas, short stories, essays, epistoarynovels, poetry, spy fiction and suspense, 1. Introduction include suicide, poverty, human manipulation and morality. Religious themes are found Fyodor Dostoyevsky, in full Fyodor Mikhaylovich throughout his works, especially after his release Dostoyevsky, Dostoyevsky also from prison in 1854. His early works spelled Dostoevsky (born November 11 , emphasized realism and naturalism, as well as 1821, Moscow, Russia—died February 9 ,1881, St. social issues such as the differences between the Petersburg), Russian novelist and short-story writer poor and the rich. Influences from other writers are whose psychological penetration into the darkest evident, especially in his early works, leading to recesses of the human heart, together with his accusations of plagiarism, but his style gradually unsurpassed moments of illumination, had an developed over his career. Elements of Gothic immense influence on 20th-century fiction. fiction, romanticism and satire can be found in his Dostoyevsky is usually regarded as one of the writings. Dostoyevsky was "an explorer of finest novelists who ever lived. Literary ideas" greatly affected by the sociopolitical events modernism, existentialism, and various schools of occurring during his lifetime. After his release from psychology, theology, and literary criticism have prison his writing style moved away from been profoundly shaped by his ideas. His works are what Apollon Grigoryev called the "sentimental often called prophetic because he so accurately naturalism" of his earlier works, and became more predicted how Russia’s revolutionaries would concerned with the dramatization of psychological behave if they came to power. In his time he was and philosophical themes. also renowned for his activity as a journalist. Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1832 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-3, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in NOTES FROM UNDERGROUND (1864) and embarrassed by his situation. He also recalls the moment of hurting Liza which makes him “Notes from Underground” is perhaps upset. Dostoevsky's most difficult work to read, but it also functions as an introduction to his greater novels Psychological Disorders later in his career. The ideas expressed in Notes Paralysis of the Conscious Man in from Underground become central to all of “ Modern Society Throughout the novel we see Dostoevsky's later novels, and therefore this work ” that the Underground Man is unable to make can be studied as an introduction to all of decisions or take action with confidence. He Dostoevsky's writings. One reason that the work is explains that this inability is due to his intense so difficult is that Dostoevsky included so many degree of consciousness. The Underground Man is ideas in such a short space, and thus the ideas are able to imagine the variety of consequences that expressed with extreme intensity and are not every action could have, he is aware of the possible elaborated upon. The student who has read other of arguments that can be made against every Dostoevsky's works will immediately recognize statement, and he is conscious of the multiplicity of many of Dostoevsky's ideas in this work. “Notes different motives that inform every decision he from Underground “ marks the starting point of makes. As a result, the Underground Man sees that Dostoevsky's move every choice a person makes is more complicated from psychological and sociological themed novels than it may seem on the surface. This complexity to novels based on existential and general human throws every decision into doubt. Action becomes experience in crisis. impossible because it is impossible to determine The novel is written in first-person the best course of action to take. narrative, the "I" is never really discovered. The In earlier times, when religious and writing style is very dense and at times difficult to moral imperatives existed, people allayed any understand. When the narrator would say that he is doubts about action and decision by following "underground", he would be speaking these imperatives in absolute confidence. In the metaphorically; he is not actually underground. He modern era, however, most of these absolutes have refers back to his inferiority to everyone around dissolved. The only people who can act with him and describes listening to people like "listening confidence, according to the Underground Man, are through a crack under the floor”. The main issue narrow-minded people who are too stupid to for the Underground Man is that he has reached a question themselves. The one remaining absolute, point of ennui and inactivity. according to the Underground Man, is reason. Even educated men pursue the laws of science and The narrator's desire for happiness is reason without questioning them. The Underground exemplified by his liver pain and toothache. The Man—along with Dostoevsky himself—believes narrator mentions that utopian society removes that such mindless adherence to the laws of reason suffering and pain, but man desires both things and is misguided. Dostoevsky does not necessarily needs them to be happy. According to the narrator, believe, however, that total inaction is the best removing pain and suffering in society takes away strategy for conscious people. He does believe, a man's freedom. This parallels Raskolnikov's though, that an active person with a totally fixed behavior in Dostoyevsky's later novel, Crime and mind—one that is not open to different Punishment. He says that the cruelty of society possibilities—is more dangerous than an inactive makes human beings moan about pain only to person whose mind moves and changes. spread their suffering to others. He builds up his own paranoia to the point that he is incapable of CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (1866) looking his co-workers in the eye. He always hopes everyone to be liberal, Crime and Punishment is a novel by the Russian mostly the upper-class society people. He compares author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It was first published his liberal mindedness to the mathematical in the literary journal The Russian Messenger in equations such as “The Stone Wall is one of the twelve monthly installments during 1866. It was symbols in the novel and represents all the barriers later published in a single volume. It is the second of the laws of nature that stand against man and his of Dostoyevsky's full-length novels following his freedom. Put simply, the rule 2+2=4 angers the return from 10 years of exile in Siberia. Crime and Underground Man because he wants the freedom to Punishment is considered the first great novel of say 2+2=5, but that Stone Wall of nature's laws his "mature" period of writing. stands in front of him and his free will. This is his intense belief. He begins to criticize himself and Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov a former states that he is in fact horrified by his own poverty student who lives in a tiny garret on the top floor of Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1833 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-3, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in a rundown apartment building in St.petersburg. He goes to the back room, overcoming an urge to give is sickly, dressed in rags, short on money, and talks up and leave. He takes a purse that had hung on her to himself, but he is also handsome, proud, and neck but is unable to find more than a few trinkets intelligent.