CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
I've just started reading Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky--one of my favorite all-time authors. Have any of you read this book? If so, WITHOUT GIVING THE ENTIRE PLOT AWAY would you mind giving me your critical analysis of this book--perhaps in comparison with The Brothers Karamazov? Also, if any of you out there in the great blogosphere are into Russian writers in general--as I am--would you mind telling me who your favorite author is, and why? So many people say that Tolstoy was a far superior writer than Dostoevsky; I'm just not too sure about that. I just finished reading War and Peace this past summer; I suppose my thoughts on Crime and Punishment may inform who's writing I like the best. For now, I love them both! (Along with Gogol, too.)
Thanks for your input.
Love,
Bhakti
tags: Jaibhakti, Dostoevsky, Bhakti Brophy, Crime and Punishment, Tolstoy, Gogol
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Labels: Bhakti Brophy, Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky, Russian authors
posted by Unknown at 10:25 PM
10 Comments:
I studied Russian literature and history. this was not one of my favorites (if you ever get a chance read :# The Master and Margarita which is one of the best books ever written in my opinion)
Anyways back to crime and punishment. My memories of it 20 years later are of a dark and hard book which shows Russia and the nature of how we punish ourselves to the destruction of our greater free human nature.
Oh my vote for favorite Russian author by far is Bulgakov, followed by Gogol.
Bulgakov is interesting story as he wrote during the time of the revolution. The Master and Margarita is in my mind one of the ultimate political statements: as it tells the tale of the devil going to Moscow after the revolution. The problem is you have to make sure to get a good translation as some of the translations are incomplete.
YEAH! I knew at least ONE of my readers just had to be a Russian literature enthusiast!
Gogol's The Overcoat is one of my all-time favorite stories. I have never heard of Bulgakov! I'll have to check him out when I'm done with Crime....
Casey--Let me ask you this: Do you think The Idiot is superior to Crime and Punishment?
And, BTW--you've no doubt read Notes From Underground, so I'm curious to know if you have read Eric Bogosian's modern day hit on this story--written under the same title. I read it close to 15 years ago--and I recall that I loved it. The only thing I remember about it now is that it mentions CheezIts--or some other type of cheese cracker.
My favorite modern author has to be Paul Auster. Have you read his work? I read The Country of Last Things last weekend. Based on the subject matter, it could have been extremely depressing; however, as Auster famously does, he takes the mundane and horrific and makes it beautiful and extraordinary. I don't know how he does it, but I love him for it!
Bhakti dear,
Good to read you. I see i have missed many of your post.
This is an interesting post, i have learnt russian revolution in history, It definitely has been one factor for Down with IMperialism.
Definitely, Dostoevsky is one of my favourites. But this post has influenced me today to find a few more writers and get to know russian literature a little better than i do.
Thankyou for this post.
GOD Bless.erby
Hi Bhakti!
I actually don't have much to say about Crime and Punishment the book anyway :-P.
I wanted to direct you to one of my blogs (Overflow) where I posted some pics from my new DSLR. What do you think??
Mike
PASSERBY55--Hello! It's wonderful to hear from you again--thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your blessings; your blessings always bring a huge smile to my face! :) I know I don't post as often as I used to, but please keep in touch! Love and All Great Blessings to You, Bhakti
MIKE: Hey, buddy! I checked out your photos--I was WOW'd! You have a very natural sense of composition, which is, as you know, such an important part of getting people interested in not only looking at your photos--but you are able to guide them around the entire frame of the photo through the terrific composition. Well done! :)
Its been so long since I read those books Bhakti
my only memories of crime and punishment are now faded... Funny I only remember Dead Souls and The Master and Margarita out of the all the Russian books (and one story of a madman, but i don't remember its title) I have read
we become a merging of all we read, see, touch, love , fear, hope, live upon
and now in the moment I suppose threads of all those works are part of me, so much so I no longer remember them but rather live them in my humanity.
as do we all as the story of living
one thing about Taoism is to let go of so much of the past , and not worry on the future... embracing now as fully as only a living soul can.
:) peace Bhakti
Just a passing fan of classic Russian literature (a recent convert). I thought I'd just state the obvious and say Chekhov's short stories are just sublime.
Kuprin is fun.(sort of like a Russian Kipling).
Tolstoy what a writer what a man.
Becoming totally absorbed in Anna Kerenina was just magical. I remember quite keenly the sense of loss when I finished (And it’s a bit big to start straight over again).
Though The Brothers Karimazov is one of my all time favourites I have to confess I haven’t got round to Crime and Punishment yet.
Tolstoy the far superior writer I don't know. His novels maybe "perfect" and "writerly" than what I've read of Dosto' (the Idiot and The Brothers K) but I found the philosophy and passion in Dosoevsky's work so stimulating/moving.
MATTHEW: HI! Welcome to my blog.
I am nearing the end of Crime and Punishment, and I can actually say that this is my favorite all-time book! I love it! I somehow relate to the anguish that Raskolnikov is going through-- obviously for different reasons, though; I relate to the intensity of his anguish. I'm at the point where I can't put the book down. I don't want it to end either--but I want to know how it all turns out! It's a real page turner.
I didn't want War and Peace to end either; I think it could have gone on forever. I mean, Tolstoy could have very easily written about all of the characters throughout their entire lives! He created such rich characters, I wonder about their lives before and after the events that Tolstoy wrote about. However, they're 'just' characters in a (great) book, so I'll never know! :)
I haven't read The Idiot yet. I was going to read the new Paul Auster book and then The Idiot--but after reading your comment, I may go for Anna Karenina after Auster. However, like you also stated, no one writes with such passion as Dostoevsky. He just gets under his character's skin and shows them absolutely naked--yet he loves them all. There is a GREAT part in Crime and Punishment where Dostoevsky shows the innate greatness of a prostitute--I'm talking about Dostoevsky creating a protagonist that is able to see God (even though he is an atheist!) in everyone, including his friend, who is by default, a prostitute.
I love Dostoevsky. People say that Tolstoy is the greatest, but I have to say that I think Dostoevsky has more conviction for his characters, and he also portrays subtle spiritual nuances in a way that is very touching yet not overbearing.
In the end, I'm torn. I can't say that I have a favorite writer. However, my favorite writerS are:
Dostoevsky
Auster
Tolstoy
Gogol
Keep in touch. I will be posting more in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
Happy New Year,
Bhakti
Bhakti
Speak of the devil(s).
The todays Guardian has a charming little article that involoves Dostoevsky
http://www.guardian.co.uk/
britain/article/0,,1983886,00.html
And the BBC doing a radio adaptation of Tolstoy's resuurection.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts
/classic_serial.shtml
(it's still first episode on stream if you want to listen to it best to do it quick befor they update.).
About Anna Kerinina (or however you spell it), its SLIGHTLY less ludcrously ambitious than War and Peace (what wouldn't be?) but has a more perfect/conventional structure.
The characterisations are just as deep and satisfying.
My favourite Authors. I don 't know depends on my mood.
Tolstoy, Graham Greene, Satre
(Nausea had a big effect on me).
Kafka, Chekhov. All the usual suspects.
I love the precise and beautiful language Hazlitt's esays.
Been reading a lot of poetry of late John Donne always astounds me.
Very D.W.M, I know I really should read more contempoary fiction
(Hell, anything afer 1850 would be a step in the right direction). Will try Auster.
Anyway I should get on with some studying.
Matthew
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