Monday, January 3, 2011
Words for Crime and Punishment
I chose Nihilism because I had never heard of the word before. Nihilism is a philosophical term that is related to extreme pessimism. These people are extremely impulsive and have no loyalties to people. They just look to destroy. So clearly this is a very negative philosophy and it will be interesting to see how it ties into the book. From what I know about the author and the book so far, Dostoyevsky was a pretty negative guy who really couldn't do much right so that could be part of the reason that he writes about such a terrible philosophy. He was really depressed all of the time because he had no money. Also, I think this sort of impulsive view on the world is probably conveyed through the main character Rodya because we know that he tries to kill the woman who lends him money. Overall, it will be interesting to see where all of this goes maybe it will make more sense once I read and once other people post about the other words.
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I chose to look up existentialism because I remember learning about it sophomore year, but I've forgotten its meaning and I know how important existentialism remains today. I found that by definition, existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe. It regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts. Because I am already well aware of how significant this philosophy is not only in everyday human lives, but also in literature, I understand that it is something not to be taken lightly. Rather, it's a tremendously profound and encompassing philosophy that extends into all different branches and aspects of life. I think it's also necessary to note how existentialism will hold a substantial role in Crime and Punishment, because from the very outset, we already know that the main character Raskolnikov- if rendered specifically to reflect qualities like that of his author- will live a life dictated by this idea that the individual and his experiences are isolated and that his existence is unexplainable until he finds his own meaning to explain it. He is free to make his own choices, but he is responsible for the consequences of his actions. Thus, if he "does the crime," then he must also suffer the punishment. As we continue to read, it'll also be interesting to see which other characters in the story live their lives by this philosophy as well.
ReplyDeleteI decided to look up Übermensch because the word itself sounded exotic, and I was interested in finding out what the word means. After researching, I learned that Übermensch is German for "Superman", or an "extraordinary individual who transcends the limits of traditional morality to live purely by the will to power" Based on reading the first section, I believe Raskolnikov is supposed to be considered the Übermensch of the novel. He can kind of be seen as a superior being due to his above average intelligence and strikingly good looks. When he goes to the bar to get a drink, he even stands out to people such as Marmeladov, who chooses Raskolnikov to speak to over everyone else because he believes no one else is as intelligent, or will understand him. However, despite Raskolnikov's superior qualities, he also has his flaws in that he is a self-conscious coward who is in debt. However, I think as we read on in the story,we will discover more of Raskolnikov's Übermenschlike qualities.
ReplyDeleteI decided to look up Dostoyevsky because he is the author of Crime and Punishment. From what I gather, he was an existentialist (in fact one of the first of the 20th century) author who sought to write as the common man (bitter and tired of the norm of society). I would go into his biography but anyone can look that up on Wikipedia and I'll only focus on him in literature. He began writing after he was discharged from the military in 1844, he wrote his first short novel in 1846 which was revered by many authors and he achieve notoriety at age 24. But his work soon began to suffer and his fame began to wither. He was later imprisoned (which we discussed in class) for four years and later served in the military for a few years. After this his writing began to change, Western ideals were no longer important to him and he returned to a traditional Russian style of writing and turned toward religion for guidance. In these stories, his existentialist ideals began to emerge. His characters were deeply flawed and he used themes of spiritual identity, religious awakening, and psychological questions.
ReplyDeleteI looked up ubermensch as well, and as Christina defined already, it means "superman" or a person with great qualities. However, I don't think this word pertains to Raskolnikov. From what I read so far, he does not come off as an extraordinary person. There might have been a few sentences describing him as handsome, but the way Raskolnikov acts is far from "super". From all his inner monologues, we can see that he is scared and self-conscious. From the very beginning, we learn about how he's scared of his landlady. He also seems isolated, socially awkward and stoic. Also, the fact that he's poor and in debt doesn't make him seem extraordinary either. Maybe he'll gain some ubermensch qualities as we keep reading..or maybe the word doesn't even refer to him.
ReplyDeleteI also chose "Ubermensch." As Christina mentioned, it is a German word meaning "Superman." It is often attributed to the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The ubermensch is a superior man who justifies the existence of the human race and rises against conformity to create his own set of values. Perhaps this idea connects to the theme of isolation, especially that of Raskolnikov, in this section. It'll be interesting to see how this will play out in the text.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to look up ubermensch but I feel like it's been sufficiently (or will be by the end of the day) discussed so i chose Nihilism. Nihilism, like Ubermensch, is also connected to Nietzsche (theme anyone?). He wrote about the effects of nihilism on a community. He explained an active and passive nihilism. The first is realizing are goals are no longer adequate and finding new ones/fulfilling these new ones. The passive form is realizing our goals no longer sustain us and resigning to this depressing fact. I'm not sure if I agree with the above that nihilists are looking to destroy - I may be wrong as my information is quickly gathered off the internet. But to me, it sounds like nihilists believe that life is meaningless and that they reject principles (religious, moral ones etc). It sounds more like a philosophy of nothingness - approving nothing, believing in nothing, feeling nothing has any real existence or meaning - than one of destruction.
ReplyDeleteHi. I'm not in your class anymore but I can't post in any other blog. This is a response to the period 4 blog for the most part but I added a response to what Christina said at the end.
ReplyDeleteI think what Demetra mentioned about nihilism's incapability to bring about happiness is an accurate statement, especially in Raskalnikov's situation. What I found most interesting about the reading thus far is the disparity between Raskolnikov's character and his surroundings. Raskolnikov is characterized as tall, handsome, and intelligent. From Raskalnikov's apparent disgust with his surroundings, it is evident that he sees himself as better than other people. When Raskolnikov walks down the streets of St. Petersburg, he is repulsed by the destitute people that surround him, though he himself is dressed in rags. I think the way Raskolnikov distinguishes between worthy (himself) and unworthy connects to nihilism because nihilism would provide justification for Raskolnikov's perception of society, specifically his belief that his superiority and others' inferiority makes it alright for him to lead a life without any adherence to morals. So going back to what Demetra said, I think Raskolnikov is unhappy and will remain unhappy because he is a nihilist, and his nihilism and inability to think ethically and compassionately is a product of his pride.
The idea of a Ubermensch or superhuman supports what I said above because it seems as if Raskolnikov believes that the extraordinary can be nihilists and reject any moral or religious values, while the ordinary/non Ubermensch do not have this privilege.
Like Brianna said, nihilism is an intense pessimism or rejection of morals, but it is also a philosophical movement established in the time period when Dostoyevsky wrote Crime and Punishment (which pertains more to Leah's response). Nihilism is a philosophy from mid-nineteenth century Russia that means "to negate more." It is essentially a denial of the social system and authority (slightly anarchistic), and it concerns the idea that the mind and conscience do not exist. By rejecting morality and the idea of a mind, one can easily justify crime, such as torture and murder. By disregarding social norms/systems/conventions, a nihilist ends up disregarding other people's emotions and beliefs. From the notes we took today, I can presume that Rodka (as a nihilist) will probably feel less guilt and more rationale behind his action of killing Alyona.
ReplyDeleteI chose to look up Übermensch, which like others have noted means "superman" or "overman". I chose to look up this word because it was a word I have never seen before and it was in another language so I though it would be interesting. It also in context is a person who transcends great will or power. I thought this was very intriguing in relating it to crime and punishment because the main character Raskolikov's hit list- his want to kill Alyona Ivanovitch- in my mind only demonstrates Raskolikov's lack of power and will, lack of Übermensch (if I'm using it correctly). I think it will be very interesting to see how the author uses this philosophy in his writing and how he relates it to the different characters- epically the main character.
ReplyDeleteI looked up Ubermensch cause it sounded the coolest. I also looked at nihilism, but the lack of religion turned me off. So when I read it, (I won't repeat the definition), I saw some key words like the "death of god" and soul as an "aspect of the body." I definitely do see how we can make these references to Crime and Punishment with the crimes and the questioning of whether or not these horrible acts are truly horrible and whatnot.
ReplyDeleteThe main part about Ubermensch is that questioning of authority. Going beyond the transcendent Christian beliefs and not necessarily believing in heaven or hell, just the current life we live. I am interested in seeing the applications and the undertones that will go into Crime and Punishment if this philosophy does become a critical portion of the text. I wonder if it'll be treated as this death of God and faith, leading to despair, or if this death of God will free the guy up to move forward in life.
I also chose to research nihilism - I have actually already read some of Nietzsche and discussed nihilism from debate. Based on my understanding of this philosophy and the applications I used it in debate, I agree with Leah that it essentially comes down to the idea that life is meaningless and has no inherent value. All of the values and goals that exist in our society are merely notions that we have created. There are no absolutes in concepts such as morality and ethics because they are based on the every changing perceptions of society. Nietzsche specifically focuses on the idea of good and evil and how these are vague concepts that can never be definite which is why there is no inherent moral code. With no moral code and no intrinsic value of life, this philosophy basically gives everyone an excuse to do whatever they want and encourages them to destroy or question the prescribed values of life.
ReplyDeleteBased on my understanding of Russian literature, this era of writing was characterized by this new philosophy and its conflict with older values in Russian society (paralleling the conflict between industrialization vs. agriculture?). Perhaps the schism in the book is Raskolinikov's mental conflict between embracing the idea of nihilism or staying true to traditional vales/religion. His agitated and unsatisfied nature - as well as his reclusiveness and emphasis on his need to think - makes me believe that he could be the character serving as the vehicle to express this philosophical conflict.
I chose nihilism, specifically moral nihilism since the focus of our discussion today seemed to be centered around morality. Moral nihilism is the ethical view that nothing can be considered moral or immoral. It states that ethical principles and any moral values are simply man-made constructs that hold no real truth or value. An important part of moral nihilism is "error theory" which has three major principles:
ReplyDelete1. Nothing in the world can be considered right or wrong.
2. No moral judgements are true.
3. Our moral judgements will always fail to describe the moral features of things.
The last statement seems to have some serious credence due to our class being unable to come to a consensus on which individuals were the most moral and immoral.
(btw gossip is propaganda, Haley and Olivia)
Considering the philosophical guy that Rodia is, I am certain that the three terms of existentialism, nihilism and ubermensch will apply to Rodia at some point in the novel, perhaps in phases or in overlaps, because it seems like an ubermensch would follow the nihilist philosophy. So far he is the most complex and still myserious character, for much has already been revealed about Marmeladov, as well as Rodia’s own family. We had discussed the schismatic nature of Rodia, from the origins of his name, and I did observe schizophrenic-like behavior, thought processes. This is his internal debate between abiding by traditional morality and making his own morality, or simply doing what he thinks is justified, such as murdering a woman who seeks only money and does not care about his financial situation or circumstances. The three terms that were provided seem excessive, at least at this point. Perhaps Rodia will reach that point, when he is able to justify everything he does, essentially lacking any morality at all. His lack of control over his own life is probably frightening to him. He doesn’t care about his sad situation, but whether he can change it at will, with personal conviction. He wants to change his life, and he will look for any way to do so.
ReplyDeleteAfter researching about existentialism, it became clear to me that Dostoyevsky incorporated the tenants of the belief into his work. Those who believe in existentialism believe that the individual is solely responsible for giving his or her own life meaning and for living that life passionately and sincerely, in spite of many obstacles and distractions including despair, angst, absurdity, alienation, and boredom. I thought this most closely associated with the later R's mother sent him in the final part of the reading. Although her family was in destitute, she and her daughter made the best of their situation and now are looking to help R out of love. The letter proved that an individual that lives well and honestly and with passion can make something of their life and give it true meaning.
ReplyDeleteI kinda of remember Nihilism (a belief in nothing a.k.a major pessimistic) and Ubermench (an extreme good Samaritan) from Euro so I decided to refresh my understanding of existentialism because although we learned it in 10th grade, I was never too clear on its system of beliefs.
ReplyDeleteExistentialism, although defined earlier by Katie and Olivia, is basically a system of beliefs based on a person's right to exist. As a result, the belief that a person should make decisions based on experiences/outlooks and not by laws, traditional or social norms. This philosophical set of beliefs is directly seen in "Crime and Punishment" when Rasky is making his decision based on his own personal beliefs instead of the law. By the law, he should not go murder the pawnshop owner. However, Rasky deems the owner as rude old lady who in some way, "deserves" to die. But at the same time, he is also extremely unsettled by the idea of committing murder (because of his own beliefs and not the law).
All of these beliefs are clearly in the novel. The Ubermench is represented through Rasky's sister who is willing to get married to benefit Rasky and she "infinitely loves you more than she loves herself". The existentialist is Rasky and then Nihilist is possibly the pawnshop owner. However, these roles will definitely change throughout the novel.