David
05-24-2005, 06:07 PM
The last comment (Sally, 9/13/03) is intrguing and I had to think about it for a few minutes.<br><br>In defense of Dostoevsky's character I have to say that as I recall Myshkyn did stand up for Ippolit albeit, as Sally says, weakly - yet it seems like his success in the Swiss village was won by weak tactics. Perhaps FD is saying those villagers were more willing to recieve "the gospel". Also, as is noted somewhere above, Myshkyn's love for Aglaya (a selfish even if healthy love)seems to be usurped by his compassion for Natasya (ultimately an unhealthy love?)<br><br>That being said, I must agree that Myshkyn lacks the proactive strength and offensiveness (to those in power) of the Christ who cleared the temple. No one would have been threatened by Myshkyn's words (although Roghozin is jealous of Natasya's love for him - does that allude to the Pharisee's jealousy of the peoples' love of Christ?).<br><br>This is such a complex novel. There is such depth even in the seemingly random sideroads that FD takes us down. For me it is still largely a patchwork statements that FD was trying to make. Has anyone been able to make a single coherent picture out of the whole?