Dmitri should have never interfered in Katerina’s life in the first place. The relationship between Dmitri and Katerina is a great example of how Dostoevsky reveals the nature of his characters through character interaction: dialogue and action. Dmitri is a wild sensualist and a scoundrel in his treatment of Katerina. His erotic pleasures, untamed passions, selfishness, and pride all led him in to a bad decision with regards to Katerina.
Katerina is the second daughter of one of Dmitri’s previous officers. When Dmitri first met Katerina she became an “unattainable prize” in his eyes. Unlike other girls who were easily wrapped around his fingers with a few schmoozy moves, Katerina came across as educated, independent, and proud. One day at a social gathering, she showed the slightest interest in Dmitri by sizing him up from a distance. Later when Dmitri came up to her to talk, she was distant and not easily charmed. Dmitri’s pride became inflamed, and from that moment he decided that he would get revenge on Katerina at all costs. Dmitri meditated: “I simply wanted revenge because I was such a fine fellow and she didn’t feel it,” (111). Dmitri’s entire scheme to get revenge stemmed from his arrogant sense of pride and over self-evaluation. Katerina didn’t do anything except simply size Dmitri up, and Dmitri thought she was expecting a proposal of marriage.
As Dmitri’s revenge scheme unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that Dmitri is a scoundrel. He doesn’t deserve such a virtuous, educated, and beautiful woman. Dmitri proposes to Katerina, even after she pays him back the money her family owed him. He should have turned down her letter of wanting to love him for the rest of her life, because he knew he would never change his wild sensual ways for her. Instead, Dmitri built up her hopes for reform in him through empty promises, and then brought her back to his father’s town as his fiancé.
Grushenka is a further example of the erotic, sensual, untamed, and selfish nature of Dmitri. Katerina gives Dmitri three thousand rubbles to send to her sister back in Moscow. Contrary to her request, however, Dmitri goes to a seductress, and with Grushenka he spends all of Katerina’s money in a gypsy camp on sensual pleasures and erotic behavior.
Dmitri is a scoundrel and has treated Katerina like a scoundrel. At many points in their relationship he could have made a different choice or decided to change himself in order to right the wrongs he had done to her. Nevertheless, Dmitri continued to use and abuse Katerina to bolster his own reputation and wealth. Hopefully, he will finally make a better decision in regards to Katerina’s future and the possibility of her marrying Ivan instead.
1 comment:
[real blog entry]
Dmitri should have never interfered in Katerina’s life in the first place. The relationship between Dmitri and Katerina is a great example of how Dostoevsky reveals the nature of his characters through character interaction: dialogue and action. Dmitri is a wild sensualist and a scoundrel in his treatment of Katerina. His erotic pleasures, untamed passions, selfishness, and pride all led him in to a bad decision with regards to Katerina.
Katerina is the second daughter of one of Dmitri’s previous officers. When Dmitri first met Katerina she became an “unattainable prize” in his eyes. Unlike other girls who were easily wrapped around his fingers with a few schmoozy moves, Katerina came across as educated, independent, and proud. One day at a social gathering, she showed the slightest interest in Dmitri by sizing him up from a distance. Later when Dmitri came up to her to talk, she was distant and not easily charmed. Dmitri’s pride became inflamed, and from that moment he decided that he would get revenge on Katerina at all costs. Dmitri meditated: “I simply wanted revenge because I was such a fine fellow and she didn’t feel it,” (111). Dmitri’s entire scheme to get revenge stemmed from his arrogant sense of pride and over self-evaluation. Katerina didn’t do anything except simply size Dmitri up, and Dmitri thought she was expecting a proposal of marriage.
As Dmitri’s revenge scheme unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that Dmitri is a scoundrel. He doesn’t deserve such a virtuous, educated, and beautiful woman. Dmitri proposes to Katerina, even after she pays him back the money her family owed him. He should have turned down her letter of wanting to love him for the rest of her life, because he knew he would never change his wild sensual ways for her. Instead, Dmitri built up her hopes for reform in him through empty promises, and then brought her back to his father’s town as his fiancé.
Grushenka is a further example of the erotic, sensual, untamed, and selfish nature of Dmitri. Katerina gives Dmitri three thousand rubbles to send to her sister back in Moscow. Contrary to her request, however, Dmitri goes to a seductress, and with Grushenka he spends all of Katerina’s money in a gypsy camp on sensual pleasures and erotic behavior.
Dmitri is a scoundrel and has treated Katerina like a scoundrel. At many points in their relationship he could have made a different choice or decided to change himself in order to right the wrongs he had done to her. Nevertheless, Dmitri continued to use and abuse Katerina to bolster his own reputation and wealth. Hopefully, he will finally make a better decision in regards to Katerina’s future and the possibility of her marrying Ivan instead.
Post a Comment