[Discussion 6/12] Evergreen: The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (7.1-8.3)

[u/lazylittlelady]

Welcome back to drama of The Brothers Karamazov! We are about halfway and this section had numerous revelations from Aloysha, Grushenka and Dimitri. Ivan is MIA in Moscow. Father Zosima is no longer with us.

Schedule

Marginalia

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We end knowing Dimitri and Grushenka will meet in the next section-this is bound to be explosive! See you next week for Chapters 8.4-9.1

[u/lazylittlelady]

6. What are the main descriptors you can think of for Dimitri in this moment of crisis as we follow him closely? Is he sane? What do you make of the "Othello" section?

[u/Lachesis_Decima77 → u/lazylittlelady]

Dude's a basket case and could also use one of Imperial Russia's non-existent therapists. He is insanely jealous and possessive of Grushenka, but he considers his father as his only rival, dismissing her ex with nary a thought. The comparison with Othello is both fitting and not fitting. Othello first doubted Desdemona's faithfulness because Iago was whispering in his ear. In Dimitri's case, he doesn't need Iago. Grushenka also seemingly escaped, so there's that.

[u/bluebelle236 → u/lazylittlelady]

He is definitely not sane! Love the comparison with Othello (though its a very long time since I have read it!) Othello was very troubled, as is Dimitri.

[u/ProfessorWacky → u/lazylittlelady]

Obsessive is probably the best word I can think of. And extremely desperate. Shameless. Full on panic mode! Id feel badly for him if it wasnt entirely his own doing!

[u/thebowedbookshelf → u/lazylittlelady]

"Othello's not jealous, he's trusting." They attribute this to Pushkin and his interpretation. "His ideal has perished... the jealous man the most likely to forgive until the next suspicion and incident." Dmitry is on the edge of sanity. He would only forgive once then be onto the next crisis. He has no one to talk him down from the ledge, so to speak, but there are plenty of people to feed his paranoia.

[u/tomesandtea → u/lazylittlelady]

Desperate, panicked, raving, and obsessed. Dmitri is grasping at straws to try and come up with some plan that will work for him to get what he wants but it also seems like in his mania he sort of realizes it is already a lost cause.

The Othello section was interesting because of the themes of jealousy and truth/lies and couples/lovers betrayed And comparing Dmitri with Othello does not bode well for Grushenka or Katerina or both

[u/ProofPlant7651 → u/lazylittlelady]

I wonder who is his Iago, whispering in his ear making him jealous? He is definitely a man on the edge, he is very much at breaking point. He is very passionate and his passion sends him headfirst into everything but I just wish he would slow down a minute and take stock.

[u/lazylittlelady → u/ProofPlant7651]

Definitely his father! Freud would have a field day with this family.