The Idiot

No, I'm not referring to myself. Although I have the maturity level of a toddler, I am of average intelligence. :P I'm talking about Dostoevsky. I'm about to undertake a journey as scary as it is thrilling: The Idiot. I have a great translation (I'm a real stickler for a good translation). I have an armful of books that I want to read before school starts in six weeks, The Idiot being among their number. It seemed like a great piece of literature for that 14 hour car ride for my vacation, the returning trek home, and the subsequent however-long-it-takes-me after my trip.

I've heard it's hard, but if I could manage to read it, that would be monumental! My question: any tactics for reading it? How do I go about reading one of the most intimidating books among my shelves? (Second only to War and Remembrance, namely for its sheer size.)

Thanks, guys. :)

P.S. If anyone could help me with my dreadful poetry, send me a PM, and I would be eternally grateful for any feedback or nuggets of wisdom you old duffers and dufferettes (and/or younglings, not unlike me) may have to impart. :P

Thanks again! <3

I attempted 'The Idiot' many moons ago and could not get through it.
I'll confess that I am not a fan of Dostoyevsky, even then I thought I could muscle my way past the awkward prose and old world themes in the novel... but such was not the case. I gave up and have no desire to ever finish the book.
I hope you have a better experience with The Idiot than I did.:)

It's persistently heavy-handed, which is why it can be hard to get through. How do you know you have a great translation without having read it first? Have you read Dostoevsky before? He's not really intimidating, just kind of bleak and crude.

When you say War and Remembrance is that a joke? Or are you really just mixing up the titles of War and Peace and Remembrance of Things Past?

Being a culturally Canadian and Russian (born in Canada but cultured by Russian parents) and through my experiences interacting with people of both backgrounds, I've noticed that Eastern Europeaners understand Dostoevsky far better than Westerners. I first read The Idiot when I first met my significant other. We both mentioned to one and other that our favorite author was Dostoevsky. Being embarassed that the only book I had read was Notes from Underground - which had a great impact on me - I decided to read The Idiot while visiting family in St.Petersburg. Judging by your web name...you are either part gypsy, interested in the gypsy culture, or wanted a creative webname. If the first two are you Id say you have some kind of advantage over Westerners in getting the emotions expressed by Dostoevsky (love, Eastern European suffering and sacrifice, attitudes towards death, ect). One thing I noticed thinking back about The Idiot, which at first left me confused...was what exactly did I get from it...later I realized that I should have paid more attention to how the book carried my feelings. I think whats great about Dostoevsky and The Idiot is it challenges you to grow an intuition of when to feel and when to think, and when to think about your feeling, and when to feel about your thoughts. Hope that was helpful and not completely bias. And hope you enjoy it! Oh, and bear in mind Dostoevsky mingles with religion.

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Originally Posted by 2X2E5

Id say you have some kind of advantage over Westerners in getting the emotions expressed by Dostoevsky (love, Eastern European suffering and sacrifice, attitudes towards death, ect).

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What separates the thoughts and feelings of westerners and eastern europeans on topics like love, suffering and death?

Intonation, mannerisms, expression (choice of words and body language), ...easy to notice when you watch people recite poetry or read out loud novels. Each culture seems to have an emphasis or energy associated with particular words and feelings. Different degrees of melancholy...so I've noticed...or perhaps I'm just seeing what Im looking for.

Oh and the biggest factor is humour. I understand, relate, and empathize with Western Comedians from Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Dave Chappelle, Jim Jefferies, and the new ones which I havent remembered their names. However, when watching Russian comedians with family members or movies which are equivalent to film featuring Steve Martin, I rarely get the joke or humour, or if I do, not as intensely. It could also just be a matter of ideology...Russia's a little behind on issues like multiculturalism, homosexual rights, diplomacy, ect.

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Originally Posted by DystopianGypsy

My question: any tactics for reading it? How do I go about reading one of the most intimidating books among my shelves?

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I found The Idiot compelling reading, and as well balanced as The brothers Karamazov. Perhaps the best book I have read.

As for tips, I suggest you focus on the never-ending disjunction between the expressed motives of Prince Myshkin and how others perceive him, all through the novel. Dostoevsky gives you more than enough clues. No one understands him although some eventually come closer than others.

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Originally Posted by Lykren

When you say War and Remembrance is that a joke? Or are you really just mixing up the titles of War and Peace and Remembrance of Things Past?

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Probably just pronouncing the first words of both novels.

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Originally Posted by Lykren

What separates the thoughts and feelings of westerners and eastern europeans on topics like love, suffering and death?

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Every culture is subtly different from others in how the people conceive of those phenomena and how they approach it; how much store they set by it and how much they pore over it, they way they handle it, and the way they go on about it etc.

Modes of wailing, of lamenting, of mourning a death in France is very different from what you see in, say, India.

Best book ever written

nuff said

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Originally Posted by Lykren

It's persistently heavy-handed, which is why it can be hard to get through... He's not really intimidating, just kind of bleak and crude.

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I agree with this, and I don't think he's as profound as some people make him out to be. I wouldn't read it expecting "the meaning of life" to be revealed. Just approach him as a reasonable story teller, in the tradition of Dickens, and you will not be too disappointed, although I much prefer Dickens.

I have read The Idiot back in high school and I was fascinated (in a very queer manner) by it. I've also read The Brothers Karamazov, Demons, Notes from Underground and other works of Dostoevsky. I wouldn't say The Idiot is his best one, but I still find it extraordinary. I regret I haven't paid too much attention to some details back then, but cannot help it as I was younger and concentrated (perhaps too more) on myself. I have paid close attention to Prince Myshkin's way of being and behaviour, though, and I must confess that it was a wonderful, twisted experience. I've tried very hard to understand him, unable to do so entirely, but I was still attracted to his nature, and development. You may want to pay close attention to the exterior Prince Myshkin is confronting (I, perhaps, ignored this detail too much).
Dostoevsky is hard to read -his style is hard, and he has this way of words that many Russians also have: he tends to say little in (so) many words. I personally love his style, and also his way of words, but I must admit that at times I also find it hard to read/understand/cope with it. It may be exhausting at some point, therefore I advise you to take your time with the book and not to try reading it on a whim. I think you will lose all its beauty (and whatever it can transmit you) if you hurry while reading it. I would perhaps always recommend to take your time while reading Dostoevsky. It seems to me he's not the type of author we should mess with (ha-ha). To put it bluntly, Dostoevsky is one of the most profound authors I've ever read, and I personally (oh, and strongly) believe that one should take his/her time to read and understand it; otherwise, it may come to waste. The Idiot is a very interesting piece -not only because it's a very artistic piece, perhaps one of the most artistic of Dostoevsky's, but also because it is considered the most accurate (auto)biographical work of the author's. Many say that Dostoevsky has been extremely sincere in The Idiot, presenting not only a character who suffered of epilepsy and struggled psychologically/sociologically/religiously, but also an interesting (and quite accurate) image of himself. You might also want to pay close attention to that :).

Anyway, I hope to see whatever you think about this piece and share some impressions with us. This being said, have fun with your reading! :)