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Essays on nihilism
Dostoevsky essays
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Nihilism in Turgenov's Fathers and sons Turgenov’s Fathers and Sons has several characters who hold strong views of the world. Pavel believes that Russia needs structure from such things as institution, religion, and class hierarchy. Madame Odintsov views the world as simple so long as she keeps it systematic and free from interference. This essay will focus on perhaps the most interesting and complex character in Fathers and Sons: Bazarov. Vladimir Nabakov writes that "Turgenov takes his creature [B] out of a self-imposed pattern and places him in the the normal world of chance." By examining Bazarov this essay will make this statement more clear to the reader. Using nihilism as a starting point we shall look at Bazarov’s views and interpretations of science, government and institution. Next we will turn to the issue relationships. Finally we examine Bazarov’s death and the stunning truths it reveals. These issues combined with the theme of nihilism will prove that chance, or fate is a strong force which cannot easily be negated. Nihilism as a concept is used throughout Fathers and Sons. To gain a better understanding of the ideas behind this term let’s look at what Bazarov says on the subject. "We base our conduct on what we recognize as useful... the most useful thing we can do is to repudiate – and so we repudiate" (123). The base concept of nihilism is to deny or negate, and as we learn later in the same paragraph, to negate everything. With this ‘destruction’ of everything from science to art there is no building for nihilists, as Bazarov says "That is not our affair" (126). Nihilists view the current structure of society as concerned with such trivialties as ‘art’ and ‘parliamentism’ while ignoring real life issues such as food, freedom, and equally. Nihilists are aware of these social woes and hence mentally deny to recognize any of the present authority or institutions which only serve to perpetuate a myth. Bazarov agrees with the statement that nihilism "confine[s] [oneself] to abuse" (126). "... I don’t believe in anything: and what is science—science in the abstract? There are sciences as there are trades and professions, but abstract science just doesn’t exist" (98). For Bazarov anything that is not tangible and concrete doesn’t exist. Psychology, quantum mechanics, neurochemistry would be scoffed at by Bazarov. It seems peculiar that Bazarov would say, "... nowadays we laugh at medicine in general, and worship no one," (197) while at the same time he pursues a career as a doctor.
The Brothers Karamazov is an enthralling thriller about the strive for self-redemption in the eyes of God as well as in the hearts of the Russians. The murder of Fyodor Karamazov, a foolish and heartless savage who betrays his own sons of a father's care, venomously seeps its way into Dmitri, Ivan, and Alyosha's lives causing innocence to request fault and suffering. With intricate characterizations, Dostoevsky magnificently presents the internal agony that derives from a wavering spirit.
Though throughout the novel, the only consistent nihilist is Bazarov, a reader notes how both the generation of the fathers and the generation of the sons are affected by his influence and by nihilistic views. With examination, one can attribute the profundity of
Rodion Raskolnikov is a murderer, a damning criminal. Yet, he also has a warm heart that no one can equal. This character of paradox, of contradictions, of irony, is the true Raskolnikov. He is the Jekyll, and he is the Hyde; the zenith and the nadir. This hallowed literature of human nature provides us with important moral lessons, and at the same time helps the reader understand Dostoevsky’s philosophy on society better. Raskolnikov is not entirely a cold-blooded murderer, since he still has a feeling of love: The love towards Sofya Marmeladov. In this paper, we will go in-depth of how Sofya has an impact on Raskolnikov, by discussing their similarities and differences.
Jaspers, Karl. The Question of German Guilt. Trans. E. B. Ashton. New York: The Dial P, 1947.
The Northeast Region of Brazil includes nine of the country's 23 states: Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Piauí, Rio
when elaborating on why his parents moved to Canada in the first place – all in the hope that their children would have better lives in Canada than in Poland.
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich. Fathers and Sons: The Author on the Novel, Contemporary Reactions, Essays in Criticism. New York: Norton, 1966. Print.
During the mid- to late- 1800s in Russia, a radical phenomenon swept the nation. The idea that life was meaningless and that there was no "mind" or "soul" outside the physical world infected the minds of Russia's elite and Russia's poverty-stricken. This became known as Nihilism. According to Whitney Eggers on "Philosophies in Crime and Punishment," "Nihilists argued that there was a distinction between the weak and the strong, and that in fact the strong had a right to trample over the weak" (Eggers). Nihilism is commonly linked to utilitarianism, or the idea that moral decisions should be based on the rule of the greatest happiness for the largest number of people. Raskolnikov, the protagonist in Crime and Punishment, is a Nihilist, which is his main reason for committing the murders. As a Nihilist, Raskolnikov is a man who "approaches everything from a critical point of view...who does not bow down before any authorities, who does not accept a single principle on faith, no matter how much respect might surround that principle" (Cassedy, 1639).
Ivan Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons takes place in midnineteenth century Russia. Throughout the text Turgenev explores the pros and cons of the nihilist philosophy and how nihilism, coupled with the presence of generational and class based animosities, affects the greater Russian identity. Properties of nihilism are examined and tested as the characters encounter aristocratic lifestyles and the redeeming power of love. The female characters in Fathers and Sons represent a wide range of socioeconomic positions and temperaments, these women test the thinking of the nihilists by their propensities towards emotion, order, feminism, shyness, and propriety. This exploration of gender roles and the balance of power between women and the men that they control is subject to their ascribed classes and the relationships they hold. These women fall into two major categories: the autocratic and the dependent. The aristocratic “mothers” and dependent “daughters” of Fathers and Sons bring about the reevaluation of Bazarov and Arkady’s nihilistic beliefs and furthermore utilize their feminine qualities to manipulate the men in their lives.
Hansen, Bruce. “Dostoevsky’s Theodicy.” Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, 1996. At . accessed 18 November 2001.
Valle, Gabriel Do. "2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics in Brazil - A Real Blessing for the
On the other hand, The other device hold the entire frame for a small amount of time while the various fields of the frame are examined, this procedure makes the overall network throughput very slow or diminish it. This method is known as store and forward method.
When asked about his thoughts regarding the great men and women of society, George Bernard Shaw replied, “...they don’t exist. We believe in them a lot like we used to believe in unicorns and dragons. The greatest man or woman is ninety-nine percent just like yourself” (George). This concept remains hard to keep in accord with human nature. In the novel Fathers and Sons, Russian author, Turgenev, enshrines this human “goal” to become “great” and “powerful” symbolically in one character; Bazarov. He also characterizes the polar opposite of this goal in an ordinary, but respected individual; Arkady. In this tabloid society, it comes as no surprise that humans all want to have power, and that most anyone would go to nearly any heights to achieve such success. In the novel Fathers and Sons, Turgenev uses characterization to contrast fates between two characters to represent an idea; in life, the desire and need to attain power and fame leads to detrimental defeats. In order to accomplish this, two completely different characters as character foils; Bazarov and Arkady serve to show their lives being reflective of their fate. Although each male has distinct positive traits, only Bazarov has the hunger to become powerful in society. Arkady, however, prefers to listen in and evaluate situations and change himself for the better rather than changing his fame in society. Through the desire to achieve status, Bazarov loses true insight on what he truly values in life, which symbolically lead him to a devastating fate of loneliness and regret. Arkady endures life without power, leading him to a more noble reputation and a lasting companionship.
In his novel Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky uses Raskolnikov as a vessel for several different philosophies that were particularly prominent at the time in order to obliquely express his opinions concerning those schools of thought. Raskolnikov begins his journey in Crime and Punishment with a nihilistic worldview and eventually transitions to a more optimistic one strongly resembling Christian existentialism, the philosophy Dostoevsky preferred, although it could be argued that it is not a complete conversion. Nonetheless, by the end of his journey Raskolnikov has undergone a fundamental shift in character. This transformation is due in large part to the influence other characters have on him, particularly Sonia. Raskolnikov’s relationship with Sonia plays a significant role in furthering his character development and shaping the philosophical themes of the novel.
The 500th birthday of modern-era Brazil was celebrated in 2000, recognizing April 1500, the date that the first Portuguese explorer, Pedro Alvarez Cabral, first landed on Brazilian shores on the north-east coast of Bahia (Fausto). Like many post-colonial countries, Brazil’s official “birth” is only representative of the date that Europeans arrived, not taking into account the fact that many Amerindians already inhabited the vast nation. Nonetheless, following the year 1500, the Portuguese established Brazil as a major trade route and economic zone for the cross-Atlantic European trading companies, as plantations and economic enterprises began to spring up across the lands. Some of the major economic advantages found in the land’s resources were sugar and tobacco plantations, wood and gold, which was in plenty of supply especially in the 17th century (Fausto). With the growing number of plantations also brought a significant amount of slave trade from Africa, a situation which contributes to the complicated identity that has existed throughout history for Brazilian citizens. The Portuguese were able to manage...