Review: "Demons ," by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
So, Dostoyevsky again threw another brick in the wall . This is a socio-political work inspired by a real political killing in 1869 exploring 19th century ideas current in Russia at the time. Law is made according to the depth of reasoning level of lawmakers . Every living being is bound with the ties of lie. A nihilist watches the world full of absurdity. This chemical sucking nihilism invades his life like a plague. He founds no difference between the life made of cheating/ lies and death .The question is - will he live a life a little more to understand a bit or not ? In this novel possible permutations for liberalism and nihilism is portrayed and contrasted with Russian Orthodoxy . Expressionism, Suicide ,Nihilsm, Athesim, Liberalism, Despotism , Politics, Faith, Selfishness ,Greed ,Jealousy, Hatred , Suffering , Murder , Dark causes … all are played with deep seriousness by the characters lively .
There are many interesting conversations and the last encounter between Pyotr and Kirillov is one to remark.
Kirilov was determined to kill himself , but he was waiting for what ? His intention was real (**spoiler ……………….. ……………. he really did so ) He knew many people commit suicides . But , there is always reason behind their acts. He wanted to kill himself for self-will simply . He wanted to show he is the master of his fate. He is the God . He explained every doctrine comes from the fear of pain with an example of massive stone . He wants to prove everyone that if there is no fear then there will be no necessity to establish dogma to overcome one’s fear of helplessness.
Anyway,I found Kirilov a man of self-contradiction with this dialogue ‘He doesn’t exist, but He is. There’s no pain in a stone, but there’s pain in the fear of a stone.’ There is a reason behind his suicide too but he denies it. Pytor is one of five men who managed to manipulate his comrades for his own cause . His dishonesty helps him to live his life more than any unhappy man describes in this books. The most strange character was Stavrogin. His thoughts , motivation , actions seem inexplicable and arbitrary without the insights of the critical chapter “At Tikhon’s” . This chapter was deleted by the censor as immoral . Dostoevsky was forced to publish the book without it .
However the chapter was included in this edition (the Richard Pevear and LarissaVolokhonsky translation) . The confessions of Stavrogin shows a way to explain the psychology of his seemingly unpredictable character. This is a powerful writing , yet it is the absurd talks of a man attacked with delirium. Is it ? … I like to conclude with Dostoyevsky’s statement “I got entangled in my own data, and my conclusion directly contradicts the original idea from which I start. Starting from unlimited freedom, I conclude with unlimited despotism. I will add, however, that apart from my solution of the social formula, there can be no other.” Besides, Crime and Punishment , Notes from Underground this is another good piece to understand his psychology in his time .
