Prudence as a Prerequisite for Active Love: A Comparison of Dostoevsky’s Alyosha Karamazov and Prince Myshkin
Presentation Type
Poster
Keywords
Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov, Idiot, Prudence, Active Love
Department
English
Major
Philosophy
Abstract
This essay considers the fundamental difference between Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Alyosha Karamazov and Prince Myshkin, in The Brothers Karamazov and The Idiot, respectively. It analyzes Alyosha’s success—and Myshkin’s failure—in confrontation with both the problem of evil and evil in its manifest form, resulting in the characters’ grossly disparate fates. The essay argues that what most distinguishes Alyosha from Myshkin is his demonstration of prudence. Prudence is necessary for one’s virtuous activity within reality, and in particular, it is necessary for the demonstration of active love. While both Alyosha and Myshkin possess lofty ideals, it is Myshkin’s lack of prudence that ultimately results in his succumbing to evil.
This essay contributes to the Comparative Literature field by developing a discourse between central philosophical questions and literary themes in two of Dostoevsky’s major novels. Furthermore, this essay posits a new theory for the crucial distinction between two of Dostoevsky’s protagonists, arguing that this distinction is responsible for the shockingly different endings of the respective novels.
Faculty Mentor
Paul J. Contino
Funding Source or Research Program
Academic Year Undergraduate Research Initiative, Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
24-3-2017 2:00 PM
End Date
24-3-2017 3:00 PM
Prudence as a Prerequisite for Active Love: A Comparison of Dostoevsky’s Alyosha Karamazov and Prince Myshkin
Waves Cafeteria
This essay considers the fundamental difference between Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Alyosha Karamazov and Prince Myshkin, in The Brothers Karamazov and The Idiot, respectively. It analyzes Alyosha’s success—and Myshkin’s failure—in confrontation with both the problem of evil and evil in its manifest form, resulting in the characters’ grossly disparate fates. The essay argues that what most distinguishes Alyosha from Myshkin is his demonstration of prudence. Prudence is necessary for one’s virtuous activity within reality, and in particular, it is necessary for the demonstration of active love. While both Alyosha and Myshkin possess lofty ideals, it is Myshkin’s lack of prudence that ultimately results in his succumbing to evil.
This essay contributes to the Comparative Literature field by developing a discourse between central philosophical questions and literary themes in two of Dostoevsky’s major novels. Furthermore, this essay posits a new theory for the crucial distinction between two of Dostoevsky’s protagonists, arguing that this distinction is responsible for the shockingly different endings of the respective novels.