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excited pup
Oct. 4th, 2012 08:15 am
Who does this remind you of?
Oct. 4th, 2012
Classics - The Brothers Karamazov
Oct. 4th, 2012 02:31 pmThe last few years I've been seeking out the alleged classics of literature. One of my favorites has been Dickens, I've already listened to Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield on audiobook. Adventure novels seem to stand the test of time as well, like Three Musketeers by A. Dumas, The Scarlet Pimpernel (not a bread) by the Countess O, and Gulliver's Travels by Swift. Another favorite is Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
I tried to listen to Nabakov's Lolita, but found the main character to be vile and loathsome, no disrespect intended for his excellent writing. I've worked with sex offenders in my practicum prior to completing my master's, I do think he nails some of the psychology of at least one type of pedophile. Might have attempted to finish it, but I knew the novel lacked any satisfying conclusion, say, Humbert being dipped in boiling oil, Humbert being sexually assaulted by rednecks, etc.
Also attempted War and Peace by Tolstoy. I could only suffer through a few parlor scenes of aristocrats before hoping an artillery shell would come sailing through their window and blow the fuckers to little bits. I may go back to that one someday, there were amusing scenes that have stuck with me that I listened to in the first few chapters.
FD, on the other hand, I loved. His insight into the psychology of his characters feels very real, unlike other more cardboard characters lazy writers create. Crime and Punishment blew me away. I suspect part of my attraction to his work may be his analysis of privilege and class, something that was changing rapidly at the time in Russia. I swear there were a few proto-feminists in there too, but I may be misremembering. Rogion's sister comes to mind, who after learning her fiancee is a scoundrel hounds him out of her room and later attempts to shoot the villian who dragged her name through the mud.
I'm now listening to the Brothers Karamazov. I'm seeing reoccurring themes. I wonder what 3,000 rubles means, that sum appears in both novels. Brothers is very different in many ways, however, being about brothers and their buffoon of a father. I also wonder if some of what I'm hearing is the best translation. Big D uses temperament descriptions that may not come across as well in another language. Haughty, for instance. Does the word in Russian mean the same thing, or are there important shades of meaning I'm missing? I know that based on my ignorance of Russian I missed what many of the characters names meant. I still have 2/3 of Brothers left to go, I'm sure it will be an interesting journey.
I tried to listen to Nabakov's Lolita, but found the main character to be vile and loathsome, no disrespect intended for his excellent writing. I've worked with sex offenders in my practicum prior to completing my master's, I do think he nails some of the psychology of at least one type of pedophile. Might have attempted to finish it, but I knew the novel lacked any satisfying conclusion, say, Humbert being dipped in boiling oil, Humbert being sexually assaulted by rednecks, etc.
Also attempted War and Peace by Tolstoy. I could only suffer through a few parlor scenes of aristocrats before hoping an artillery shell would come sailing through their window and blow the fuckers to little bits. I may go back to that one someday, there were amusing scenes that have stuck with me that I listened to in the first few chapters.
FD, on the other hand, I loved. His insight into the psychology of his characters feels very real, unlike other more cardboard characters lazy writers create. Crime and Punishment blew me away. I suspect part of my attraction to his work may be his analysis of privilege and class, something that was changing rapidly at the time in Russia. I swear there were a few proto-feminists in there too, but I may be misremembering. Rogion's sister comes to mind, who after learning her fiancee is a scoundrel hounds him out of her room and later attempts to shoot the villian who dragged her name through the mud.
I'm now listening to the Brothers Karamazov. I'm seeing reoccurring themes. I wonder what 3,000 rubles means, that sum appears in both novels. Brothers is very different in many ways, however, being about brothers and their buffoon of a father. I also wonder if some of what I'm hearing is the best translation. Big D uses temperament descriptions that may not come across as well in another language. Haughty, for instance. Does the word in Russian mean the same thing, or are there important shades of meaning I'm missing? I know that based on my ignorance of Russian I missed what many of the characters names meant. I still have 2/3 of Brothers left to go, I'm sure it will be an interesting journey.
