Dostoevsky uses character interaction to deepen the depictions of his characters. In particular, he uses dramatic confrontation to give the reader a greater understanding of Fyodor. When Fyodor comes to visit the monastery his interactions with the elder, Miusov, and Dmitri reveal his volatile temper, his tendency to play act, and his sarcastic indifference to religion. Throughout theses scenes, Fyodor “plays the buffoon,” and lets himself get carried away in the emotions and heat of the moment. When Fyodor and Dmitri get into their impassioned accusations toward each other, Fyodor reveals a very hypocritical side of himself. Fyodor accuses his son of asking for money, money, money, in order to pay a seductress, and Fyodor condemns Dmitri for doing all this right in front of Dmitri’s finance’s nose. This sounds strikingly similar to how Fyodor treated his second wife. In their confrontation, Fyodor even goes so far as to declare, “Dmitri Fyodorovich, if only you weren’t my son, I would challenge you to a duel this very moment…with pistols, at three paces…” (p73). Through outbursts such as these, Dostoevsky creates an image for his readers of Fyodor’s volatile temper in action. In addition, when Fyodor declines eating at the Superior’s and then later comes back, he rationalizes within himself that he cannot possibly dig a deeper whole for himself than he’s already in. Fyodor comes into the Superior’s and begins raving and “playing the buffoon again.” He speaks against the monastery and some supposed wrongs they have done to him. “But he was so carried away by his own sham tears that for moment he almost believed himself” (p90). Through Fyodor’s trip to the monastery, the reader sees his volatile temper, sensual nature, and play-acting habits in action.
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Blog 01-11-08
Dostoevsky uses character interaction to deepen the depictions of his characters. In particular, he uses dramatic confrontation to give the reader a greater understanding of Fyodor. When Fyodor comes to visit the monastery his interactions with the elder, Miusov, and Dmitri reveal his volatile temper, his tendency to play act, and his sarcastic indifference to religion. Throughout theses scenes, Fyodor “plays the buffoon,” and lets himself get carried away in the emotions and heat of the moment. When Fyodor and Dmitri get into their impassioned accusations toward each other, Fyodor reveals a very hypocritical side of himself. Fyodor accuses his son of asking for money, money, money, in order to pay a seductress, and Fyodor condemns Dmitri for doing all this right in front of Dmitri’s finance’s nose. This sounds strikingly similar to how Fyodor treated his second wife. In their confrontation, Fyodor even goes so far as to declare, “Dmitri Fyodorovich, if only you weren’t my son, I would challenge you to a duel this very moment…with pistols, at three paces…” (p73). Through outbursts such as these, Dostoevsky creates an image for his readers of Fyodor’s volatile temper in action. In addition, when Fyodor declines eating at the Superior’s and then later comes back, he rationalizes within himself that he cannot possibly dig a deeper whole for himself than he’s already in. Fyodor comes into the Superior’s and begins raving and “playing the buffoon again.” He speaks against the monastery and some supposed wrongs they have done to him. “But he was so carried away by his own sham tears that for moment he almost believed himself” (p90). Through Fyodor’s trip to the monastery, the reader sees his volatile temper, sensual nature, and play-acting habits in action.
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