I'd say Dmitri Karamazov, the wild beast with a soul. Basically, he's a fool, but, in my opinion, a lovable one. :biggrin5:
I'd say Dmitri Karamazov, the wild beast with a soul. Basically, he's a fool, but, in my opinion, a lovable one. :biggrin5:
Oh I'm reading this right now. I love all three actually. This is such a great novel. The characterization is the absolute best.
Ivan, though the most difficult soul to reach of the three, is the most intellectually provocative. He lacks Alyosha's strength of soul & backbone of faith, but his torment was the most fascinating aspect of the book to me.
I absolutely adore this quote regarding Dmitri's attitude towards Katerina at their first meeting:
Quote:
I simply wanted to revenge myself, because I was such a hero and she didn't seem to feel it. :coolgleamA:
I too like Dimitri, a real human being an unmasked being who never lived with an air of arrogance. He is full of flaws, and so are we. Aren't we pretending to be celibate while we have a strong desire.Quote:
Originally Posted by victorianfan
Smerdyakov. Without him, the novel would have no plot. Also, he was the only actor in the film nominated for an Academy Award.
I have to go with the bastard Smerdyakov as well. He is the catalyst in the novel, playing the Iago archetype and he even reminds me faintly of Hawthorne's Chillingworth in The Scarlet Letter, in the respects that both characters are seemingly nihilistic and perhaps the most depraved I have come across in my flounderings about the Western Canon.
Hey, dfloyd and Barbarous! Could you honestly say that you like Smerdyakov?! :shocked:
Dmitri the sensuous is what pulls me and I find him a man of essence despite too many vices engulfed him and he was true to his nature and not of two-facedness. I hate a person of pretense and he was bold and sincere and expressed what he felt inside and he never refrained from telling truth no matter what circumstance he was in, unlike the res of other characters who live by double standards. He suffered immensely morally for the world he was in had different values and when he could not assimilate into that mainstream he became a recluse
Let's be honest here! Although Dmitri is my favourite Karamazov he's a dissipated individual, whose life is controled by his urges and at last he became a victim of his own nature. He's an honest fool, but still a damn fool.Quote:
Originally Posted by blazeofglory
Sorry, I don't agree that all other characters are double faced. C'mon Alyosha is a pure soul. However, he's an obvious choice to pick out. Who wouldn't like to have Alyosha beside himself/herself?!
As for the other brothers, Ivan is a robot and Smerdyakov is a snake.
For me, Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov (55-year-old sponger) and Agrafena Alexandrovna Svetlova (sensual Grushenka) are awesome characters.
Dmitri's stupid, Alyosha's almost too good to be true, Ivan is cold and Smerdyakov deserves his epithet Son of the 'reeking one'. The latter fascinates.
I forgot to answer you before Gladys. yes there is a fourth son. :wink5:
I haven't read this for a long time, but the ones that stuck in my memory most were Alyosha and Ivan. However, I think my fondness for Ivan is derived entirely from my love of the Grand Inquisitor parable.
I recently finished TBK. I found myself favoring Alexei "our hero".
Gilliatt
Dmitri (me in disguise) and Grushenka (my girl in disguise).
Alexei when he kisses the ground and for his strength. Zosima close to his death and for his insight.
The rest are hopeless wretches.
Least favorite?
Easy - Katerina Ivanovna.
I would have to say Dmitri as I found him the most human of the brothers. I thought that Alexey and Ivan were more like black and white representations of the believer and the atheist that Dostoevsky wanted to use to display his ideas on the consequences of the decline of religion. That's not to say I didn't believe in them as characters, just that Dmitri, with his obvious failings, flaws and passions spoke to me more strongly.
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Originally Posted by Brad Coelho
Ivan is my favourite character too, I think he is the most interesting brother.
Ivan - the guy that thinks too much -- that usually gets one into trouble, unfortunately.
Hi
Alyosha is my favorite one. He is sensible and loves the world.
Dmitry is my second favorite, he believes in God and loves the world, but he is too emotional and extremely care about the honour. Nevertheless he is a lovely guy I like him.
Ivan is the last to my favor. He is kind of very conceited and eccentric person.
I became fond of none of them. They all can't make up their minds to save their lives and least little thing throws them off stride. About halfway through the book I realized I was reading a soap opera-but a VERY well written one. Ivan to me was the thinker who can't make up his mind what he really believes and is afraid to have a feeling. Alyosha is so full of compassion it strangles any positive actions in the birthing. Good for messages-IF he doesn't get sidetracked but that's about it. Dmitri I liked simply because he's willing to admit he's a jerk and stand the consequences and actually tries to the right thing however late in the day.
I am only a fourth through the novel, but Ivan's quiet demeanor and intelligence makes him my favourite.
All four brothers are interesting studies of the human soul.
I prefer the authentic and impulsive Dimitri. He is not a fool but he has a simpler personality than his brothers.
Next comes Aliocha, who is almost a saint.
The intelligent, manipulative and tormented Ivan maybe is a dostoievskian version of the devil.
The abject Smerdiakov is a more degraded one.
Alyosha. I don't think he is too good to be true. I just think he is genuinely a good man. They do exist. It is quite hard to make them interesting and believable, but I thought Dostoevsky pulled it off.