Prince Myshkin In The Idiot

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The characters become carnivalesque through their own dualism. Dostoevesky creates certain characters as paradoxical. In particular, Prince Myshkin from The Idiot is carnivalesque because he is a paradox. Prince Myshkin is the representation of a Christ-like figure as well as a clown. He has no ability to place himself within society and does not know how to navigate society’s complexities, however, he feels the urge to help others. Even though he wants to be alone he still courts Aglaia. Throughout the novel Prince Myshkin consistently struggles with the internal divide between being saintly as well as a buffoon. This even comes forth in his speech, after part one in the novel; Prince Myshkin loses the ability to tell stories. At point even …show more content…

Torn between his sense of morality and his belief in nihilism, Raskolnikov becomes estranged from society. Nihilism is the rejection of all moral and religious principles and even that life is meaningless. Throughout the novel, Raskolnikov is trying to relieve the tensions between these two extremes. In the beginning, Raskolnikov has hit a low point within his life. He feels helpless because his sister is marrying for money to help his family, he is beyond poverty and cannot even afford to pay rent, and he has no job. Raskolnikov feels at the mercy of the world and completely and utterly helpless. He hates having to rely upon the Pawnbroker for help and even money. When the idea first pops into his head to murder the pawnbroker, it starts to become a potential reality. The ideology of murder is masked behind Raskolnikov’s belief that it would be for the greater good to eliminate the pawnbroker because of her mean spirited nature. Driven mad by the possibility of a choice, which Raskolnikov convinces himself exists because of nihilism. Raskolnikov because of his torn morality goes between extreme submissiveness to over powering those around him. Overall, Raskolnikov decides to commit the murder in an attempt to see if he can transcend his morality. This is what Terras refers to in the context of The Brothers Karamazov, where tensions between Raskolnikov’s façade and his true self are creating an external and internal struggle that causes him to have a

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