I'm still trying to sort out the ending. The story had to end tragically but was surprised that Rogozhin actually sought forgiveness in Myshkin after what he had done to Nastya, although I think that Dostoevsky intended the two to be read as one, along similar lines as The Double . He kept Rogozhin a shadowy figure throughout the novel, ever lurking in the dark of the Prince's soul. Try as he might, Prince Myshkin could not alter events and thus the fantasy world he had lived in upon returning to Russia crumbled before his eyes, leaving him at a total loss as how to reconcile himself with it. Once again, Dostoevsky plumbs great depths of the human soul. This is a psychological drama told in theatrical terms, perfectly suited for the stage. Characters appear and disappear as if moving from the shadows of the stage. I can see the "green bench" as the central stage piece. In the final part, one gets the sense that Lebedev is orchestrating event...
I have two collections of Chekhov stories, the Modern Library edition of stories dating from 1888 - 1903, and the Everyman's Library edtion, My Life and Other Stories. Let's read something.
ReplyDeleteSounds good. Which story would you like to do first?
ReplyDeleteBoth of my collections include "A Dreary Story," which I've always avoided because of the title. In his introduction to the Modern Library edition, Shelby Foote describes it as outstanding and "a dispassionate tale that reflects Chekhov's doubts about his role as an artist."
ReplyDeleteAnother story that might lead to an interesting discussion is "Ward 6."
Do you have any favorites?
It's been a while, rick, since I read any of his short novels or short stories. Most recently I read The Lady with the Dog, which was interesting but didn't really grab me. I remember liking The Steppe. I'll leave it to you to pick a title and I'll join you in reading it.
ReplyDeleteLet's read Ward 6.
ReplyDeleteSounds good.
ReplyDelete