Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky: The Pentateuch

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The concept of "Pentateuch" goes back to the Bible and means five books - five parts, the significance of which for mankind is difficult to overestimate, because they are the beginning of Divine revelation to man. But what is "the great five books of Dostoevsky"? We understand together its role and significance for literature.

Dostoevsky and truth

Before we start talking about the novels that Dostoevsky wrote (Pentateuch), I would like to say a few words about the personality of the author. It is impossible to deny the scale of the figure of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. His work has been an inexhaustible source for scientific research and discoveries of linguists, literary critics, philosophers, psychologists, filmmakers and many others for one hundred and fifty years. All this speaks of the genius of the writer, but even more - that until today some main secret of his personality, soul, and especially his words, has not been unraveled. However, it will not, cannot and should not be unraveled, because it contains the truth, the top of which, like that of a floating iceberg,open to the eye, and the underwater part is incomprehensible. But it is precisely in this incomprehensibility that the essence of truth and the essence of Dostoevsky lies. She, like his mysterious word, penetrating through the mind and feelings, bestows both the deepest suffering and great joy, and opens the human soul to God. After it, as well as after the books of Fyodor Mikhailovich, especially after the novels of the Pentateuch, it is impossible to remain the same. Is this not a revelation from God?

Main Ideas

We continue to talk about the works that Dostoevsky wrote (Pentateuch). What do these novels have in common? First of all, they were written one after another in the last period of the writer's life from 1866 to 1880. Further, and most importantly, they are based on two ideas - God and Russia. It cannot be said that Fyodor Mikhailovich did not address these questions before. On the contrary, he bore them for a long time, “interrupted”, searched for the ideal form for their expression, until, finally, “Crime and Punishment” appeared - the first book in the series “The Great Pentateuch of Dostoevsky” (the list follows). But the search didn't stop there. A great writer turns around and walks in a different direction. As a result, a new novel, The Idiot, is published. Dostoevsky himself said that he was dissatisfied with his novel, since he did not express even a tenth of what had accumulated in his soul. But at the same time, he did not deny, and loved him, and continued to search for perfection …

New hike

We continue the list of books included in Dostoevsky's Pentateuch, in order. ATIn 1872, the novel "Demons" appeared, on which the writer had high hopes. In him, he wanted to see only the spokesman for his main ideas, even to the detriment of artistry. Later, this work will be considered one of his most significant works, a warning novel, a prophecy novel, which, unfortunately, will come true.

Further, the novel The Teenager (1875) is published in the journal Otechestvennye Zapiski. And completes the series that Dostoevsky wrote (Pentateuch), the most important and powerful work - "The Brothers Karamazov" (1880). He worked on it for two long years, and in it, according to literary critics, he embodied one of the ideas - the stages of "spiritual growth of a person." According to the writer, every person, and Dostoevsky is no exception, in one way or another goes through three successive stages of personality formation - immaturity (Dmitry), denial of God (Ivan), high spirituality (Alyosha).

Main characters

Who is Dostoevsky's focus? The main characters of the series written by Dostoevsky (Pentateuch) are ordinary people striving for happiness. But unlike Pushkin's and Gogol's "little man", these landowners, students and nobles are full of strength and determination to change themselves and the world around. Happiness in their understanding is not a momentary pleasure, not the satisfaction of one's earthly needs, whims and desires, but the search for universal, all-encompassing, all-human happiness. Often in this striving they make mistakes, violate the law of God. But punishment and repentance are inevitable. Cleansing is unthinkable without the curbing of pride, without the rejection of one's own "I", the murder of a personal "Napoleon" and subsequent humility. Many critics reproached the writer for excessive cruelty to his “wards”, whom he subjected to terrible torment and “unnecessary” torture. However, Fyodor Mikhailovich, having himself experienced the severity of the fall and repentance, claims in the novels of the Pentateuch that without this the path to truth, salvation is impossible. He is not the creator of the spiritual laws of the world. They were revealed by the Savior himself, and he only reminds people of them.