Dostoevsky's The Idiot

[@kamadok1d]

I always thought Nastasia chose Rogojin as she secretly hated herself and didn’t think she, a defiled being, deserved an innocent, virtuous character like Myshkin

[@elizabethaleman117]

That’s what I think about Jenny and Forrest, too.

[@war8]

@@elizabethaleman117 Jenny is a 304

[@theskyizblue2day431]

Women don’t care about virtue or honor. They never have, never will.

[@DAVEHARSTON]

This was my take on the idiot

[@goodasswffls]

There are a lot of absurd interpretive leaps in this video, that being a major one. My instinct is to chalk it up to mistranslation, and sometimes I can't quite tell whether certain interpretive claims are jokes or serious.

[@FProductions64]

Finished the book this morning, I ended up finishing the last couple of chapters on my way to work, usually I only read one chapter during the same duration. It was so captivating that I could not wait to finish it to uncover the ending. The ending was so masterfully shocking and devastating that I struggled in work today. I sat on my chair in shock and felt sadness. Tragic but such a brilliant end to a great book. I will take a small break from Dostoevsky and return to him when the time is right, what a genius...

[@quantumphantasm6354]

There's a huge difference between someone being wrong because they've been conditioned accordingly since the beginning of their lives and threatened for any indication of contesting the provided narrative, versus someone being wrong because their cognition is faulty and they cannot comprehend despite the information needed to do so being readily available, or even plainly obvious. Most people are the former, but plenty of the latter exists.

[@StopFear]

That may be true if you could actually easily determine whose cognition is faulty and whose isn't faulty. You usually cannot do that very easily since all people make irrational choices all the timer. They are just accepted as choices within norm even if they are absurd choices. Also we cannot easily tell who was conditioned and to what extent. Some people may have been conditioned since childhood so it is easier for observers to conclude that they were conditioned. But adults can just as easily be conditioned to believe anything or do anything if the lies given to them are convincing enough. Because we cannot always know those specifics we cannot determine what you say we can in your last sentence.

[@quantumphantasm6354]

@@StopFear You can determine it's true just by observing examples of it. You don't need to be able to determine who is which for every human on earth, in order to know it's true. I could go on to pick apart and refute your entire comment, but i won't. It won't make any difference or gain me anything.

[@Saber23]

Is this just an idiotically complicated way of saying “some people aren’t right in the head”?

[@quantumphantasm6354]

@@Saber23 No.

[@Saber23]

@@quantumphantasm6354 it was a rhetorical question cause that’s clearly what this is

[@real.liam.gardner]

When you start reading Dostoyevsky you never go back to the innocent, simple, happy life you had before. The void of death, the empathy of human relations and the crualty of love hits you just as hard as the envy to detain a soul of pureness who lives without understanding the fear of consciousness.

[@noharakun]

it was the opposite for me, im still the idiot

[@catchingmangoes4545]

Great video, definitely made me realize things about the novel I had previously missed. I do think however that it's a bit of a simplification to say Nastasya picked Rogozhin because of he is a passionate bad boy. It always seemed to me (and is of course eluded to by Aglaya later on) that Nastasya actually prefers Myshkin from the beginning and recognizes his goodness but does not value herself enough to be with him. She see's him as being to good for her and therefore self sabotages the relationship and falls back with Rogozhin. This is why Aglaya's accusation of her being in love with her status of a victim leaves her so hurt and speechless later on, she recognizes the truth in it. It seemed to me that Dostoyevsky was arguing that her poor upbringing, where everyone was consistently using her for their own objectives, had tragically made her believe she had no self worth. However, Myshkin was the first to love her as a person rather than an object revealing to her she was worth something. Her story is one of someone wrestling with their conscience, either she chooses Rogozhin and maintains her status a valueless victim who has no responsibility to the world around her and is therefore free to do as she pleases, or she chooses Myshkin and is loved as an equal but has to give up the status of victim and bare the responsibility of her actions. It's a continuation on the theme in The Brothers Karamazov where Ivan states that without God everything is permitted, the fear of choosing Myshkin (Jesus) is the fear of suddenly being responsible and judged upon doing good. Ultimately she loses the battle within her conscience, runs away from God and is killed by the untamed passions of the Devil.

[@mahamtirmizi1338]

yes! thank you! i was scrolling through the comments to find someone saying this because I feel like Nastasya’s tension between Myshkin and Rogozhin is far more complex than “good guy v. bad boy”. it’s as much an internal struggle for her as it is for the prince.

[@nikolab8760]

This guy gets it

[@evakoshkaa]

Yes, same, thank you! I was with him until this moment, when I was just thrown off my tracks, because it's not even simplification, it's just misinterpreting that while plotline and motivations and understanding of Nastasya as a character, viewing it through some odd modern trope of bad/good boy; otherwise the summary has been quite nice so far.

[@AM-vn4cc]

Exactly! Nastasia was viewed as a ruined woman by the rest of society, Myshkin was the only one who didn’t see her that way. She loved Myshkin so much that she didn’t want to ruin his reputation or cause him any pain.

[@Justin-ko1py]

Dude just shut up and don’t do that. Your opinion doesn’t make you awesome don’t care how long it took you to formulate your absurd long winded comment.. you just need to know that you are stupid and yeah don’t do that anymore. I’m even bothered by the idiot who made this video.. there’s always some stupid commentary or opinion that has nothing to do with the work of FD I’m pretty sure he’d be disgusted with all of this stuff.. all of these people who understand him so well? I’m sorry but he would absolutely consider you all as; SICK

[@burke9497]

I read The Idiot a few months ago and absolutely loved it. I’ve never read anything quite like Dostoyevsky. The Brothers Karamazov is my favorite, but I like all of his novels that I have read so far. His writing is manic at times, and always passionate, and frequently very humorous. Thanks for the excellent review… J

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you!

[@Thoralmir]

The Brothers Karamazov, that's the one where they bust some ghosts, right?

[@j0nnyism]

Yeah karamazov is amazing I don’t know why it’s not as popular as the others

[@velenvskaelhas]

@@j0nnyism Could be that because its in Russian something is lost in translation, so it doesnt feel like you're reading the actual words of dostoevsky. But I dunno, i've never read any of them and only heard Lex Fridman talk about the idea of lost in translation lol

[@CaIeb1]

The Brothers Karamazov is also my favorite so it absolutely breaks my heart that he passed away before he could finish part 2. i want to know if ivan successfully helped dmitri escape and if dmitri and grushenka had a successful relationship cause they were fighting often toward the end of the novel

[@alistairclark6814]

There is a certain genius in avoiding intellectual progression.

[@matthew2531]

Dude that's what I think everyone wants a stoned 3AM conversation 🙄 Russia needed roadoligist

[@NightDweller]

Damn that's such a funny yet insane thing to say

[@peaceofthenation445]

Why do you think so many people spent so much money on drugs to make them.. dumber

[@federicogallo3520]

I read the novel many years ago. The best novel Dostoevsky has ever written...alongside with Brothers Karamazov.

[@nigelbryant7980]

OH YES SIR! One of the greatest novels ever! Hope you do Dostoevsky’s Demons next!

[@kerlongatuno5842]

Uppppppp

[@Fiction_Beast]

Great suggestion!

[@rolandowagner7775]

Yes, Demons is a great suggestion for analysis. That has to be one of the most prophetic novel of all time.

[@trueleo7893]

@@Fiction_Beast please search the definition of smart.

[@gianfissore4290]

about epilepsy.. it is known that in some cases, neurologically speaking, it unlocks some parts of the brain, generate a higher state of consciousness or enhance some kind of special sensivity in the people sufferng it.. so that could also explain why many authors or geniuses in different fields had epilepsy

[@TupacMakaveli1996]

There is so much going on in this novel. Love story, psychology, sociology, philosphy, theology and much more.

[@Fiction_Beast]

All Dostoevsky’s novels are pretty deep.

[@ReligionOfSacrifice]

@@Fiction_Beast, if you like "The Idiot" you might love to hear the more logical story which would inspire such a story. Either “The Insulted and Humiliated” by Fyodor Dostoevsky or "Dostoevsky in Love: An Intimate Life" by Alex Christofi will help you understand the man who wrote this book. FAVORITE AUTHORS 1st) Fyodor Dostoevsky (The Insulted and Humiliated)| 1) “The Insulted and Humiliated” by Fyodor Dostoevsky 4) "The Idiot" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 19) "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 30) "Demons" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 65) "My Uncle's Dream" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 80) "The Heavenly Christmas Tree" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 113) "Poor Folk" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 130) "The Gentle Spirit" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 141) "The Gambler" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 149) "White Nights" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 173) "Netochka Nezvanova" (nameless nobody) by Fyodor Dostoevsky 2nd) Leo Tolstoy (Resurrection) 3) "Resurrection" by Leo Tolstoy 9) "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy 16) “Childhood, Boyhood” by Leo Tolstoy 62) "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy 91) "A Confession" by Leo Tolstoy 3rd) Ivan Turgenev (Fathers and Sons) 5) "Fathers and Sons" by Ivan Turgenev 11) "Smoke" by Ivan Turgenev 23) "Virgin Soil" by Ivan Turgenev 41) "Torrents of Spring" by Ivan Turgenev 64) "First Love" by Ivan Turgenev 101) "Acia" by Ivan Turgenev 107) "The Watch" by Ivan Turgenev 132) "Rudin" by Ivan Turgenev 141) "On the Eve" by Ivan Turgenev 152) "Home of the Gentry" by Ivan Turgenev 172) "Clara Militch" by Ivan Turgenev 177) "The Inn" by Ivan Turgenev 4th) James A. Michener (Chesapeake) 12) "Chesapeake" by James A. Michener 13) "Poland" by James A. Michener 36) "Caribbean" by James A. Michener 37) "Hawaii" by James A. Michener 197) “Mexico” by James A. Michener 5th) Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich) 10) "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 28) "Cancer Ward" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 44) "In the First Circle" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 78) "The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: an Experiment in Literary Investigation" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

[@Maria-ig9mh]

It is a literary gem. I've read twice. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth, as the circumstances we live in do. I will start watching the video now.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Awesome.

[@robertsmith4474]

The Idiot is my favorite. I have read it several times. Its theme fits nicely in today's post-modern world.

[@anonglakmoonwicha2726]

Definitely one of the most impressive books I've ever read. I was a lot younger at that time, in 1979, and the mastery and subtlety of Dostoyevski's expression and story-showing literally astonished me.

[@titussmith1241]

It’s an interesting thing, but Myshkin being a metaphor for Christ makes all Myshkin’s most beautiful attribute being beaten down by the world makes it sad

[@StopFear]

Note that the book doesn't explicitly say that Myshkin is any kind of metaphor for Christ. It is an interpretation the video's narrator tells us is one interpretation. Since Dostoyevsky claimed to be religious it would be pretty sacrilegious to make literary metaphors like that.

[@titussmith1241]

@@StopFear Nay, even Dostoevsky himself stated that he wanted to show beauty and He used Christ as the embodiment of the Beauty he wanted to displau

[@talbrott]

Something underrated about Dostoyevsky is how funny he was. The part of the book with Pavlishev's son is extremely funny. That his sense of humour translates to English and to now is staggering.

[@AdullFiddler-ez7tm]

I agree. Notes From Underground had a profound thought every page and a laugh out loud moment every other page.

[@MrCono100]

Amazing analysis! You know, the "problem" I have with Dostoevsky's novels is that I think there's a lot of deeper meanings in every one of his novels. This was brilliant analysis, and it makes me wonder what is more inside The Idiot. Without doubt, Dostoevsky is one of the best writers I've come across in my life.

[@Fiction_Beast]

I agree he was a brilliant novelist.

[@VideoGameAtlas]

Generally speaking I feel great analyses of books tend to come out of reading deep novels more than once. You can miss a lot on your first reading, even if you're careful (or maybe I'm just not that skilled in literary analysis?)

[@ReligionOfSacrifice]

@@Fiction_Beast, if you want to know more about "The Idiot" then read my favorite book by him and another: “The Insulted and Humiliated” by Fyodor Dostoevsky & "The Gentle Spirit" by Fyodor Dostoevsky. My mother read Russian literature and I would pick up a book she was reading when she wasn't looking and would read the chapter she was in, the chapter she just read or the chapter she was about to read. I was reading science fiction, but then I was ten to twelve then. As a teen, I finally asked my mom what Russian book I should read first. She said, "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. TOP 30 BOOKS "The Holy Bible: King James Version" copyright 1967 1) "The Insulted and Humiliated" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 2) "Verbal Behavior" by Dr. B. F. Skinner 3) "Resurrection" by Leo Tolstoy 4) "The Idiot" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 5) "Fathers and Sons" by Ivan Turgenev 6) Myth Adventures - series by Robert Asprin 7) The Chronicles of Narnia - series by C. S. Lewis 8) "Vilette" by Charlotte Brontë 9) "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy 10) "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 11) "Smoke" by Ivan Turgenev 12) "Chesapeake" by James A. Michener 13) "Poland" by James A. Michener 14) "Roots" by Alex Haley 15) The Silmarillion - The Hobbit, or there and back again - The Lord of the Rings - Middle Earth stories by J. R. R. Tolkien 16) "Childhood, Boyhood" by Leo Tolstoy 17) Foundation Series - Isaac Asimov 18) "Eugene Onegin" by Alexander Pushkin 19) "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 20) "Paris 1919: six months that changed the world" by Margaret MacMillian 21) "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" by Anne Brontë 22) "Virgin Soil" by Ivan Turgenev 23) "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen 24) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn - by Mark Twain 25) Old Mother West Wind series - wildlife series by Thornton Burgess 26) "Microbe Hunters" by Paul de Kruif 27) "Cancer Ward" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 28) "Teacher Man" by Frank McCourt 29) "Kon Tiki" by Thor Heyerdahl 30) "The Complete Poems of Anne Bronte" by Anne Brontë FAVORITE AUTHORS 1st) Fyodor Dostoevsky (The Insulted and Humiliated) 1) “The Insulted and Humiliated” by Fyodor Dostoevsky 4) "The Idiot" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 19) "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 110) "Poor Folk" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 128) "The Gentle Spirit" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 139) "The Gambler" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 147) "White Nights" by Fyodor Dostoevsky 2nd) Leo Tolstoy (Resurrection) 3) "Resurrection" by Leo Tolstoy 9) "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy 16) “Childhood, Boyhood” by Leo Tolstoy 60) "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy 87) "A Confession" by Leo Tolstoy 3rd) Ivan Turgenev (Fathers and Sons) seven more books in the top 200 not shown here 5) "Fathers and Sons" by Ivan Turgenev 11) "Smoke" by Ivan Turgenev 22) "Virgin Soil" by Ivan Turgenev 39) "Torrents of Spring" by Ivan Turgenev 62) "First Love" by Ivan Turgenev 4th) James A. Michener (Chesapeake) 12) "Chesapeake" by James A. Michener 13) "Poland" by James A. Michener 34) "Caribbean" by James A. Michener 35) "Hawaii" by James A. Michener 191) “Mexico” by James A. Michener 5th) Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich) 10) "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 27) "Cancer Ward" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 42) "In the First Circle" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 75) "The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: an Experiment in Literary Investigation" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

[@sabyasachisenapati3619]

I come from a society where although on the surface people generally don't talk about smartness or idiocy but it's a silent acknowledgement among all of them and visible in all aspects of life. I decided to quit a relation because I thought it would create unnecessary problems for the other person and he/she deserved a way better life because of this silent acknowledgement. And I am very proud of that decision, both of us are where we were supposed to be today.

[@tomk2720]

Wow. That's a tough thing

[@CourteousKitsch]

This is probably my favorite novel of all time. And you give such a concise summary of an infinitely layered puzzle that I think will really help others seek out this book and enjoy it for themselves. Great job!

[@Fiction_Beast]

Wow, thank you!

[@willieluncheonette5843]

" Just a single man, Fyodor Dostoevsky, is enough to defeat all the creative novelists of the world. If one has to decide on 10 great novels in all the languages of the world, one will have to choose at least 3 novels of Dostoevsky in those 10. Dostoevsky’s insight into human beings and their problems is greater than your so-called psychoanalysts, and there are moments where he reaches the heights of great mystics. His book BROTHERS KARAMAZOV is so great in its insights that no BIBLE or KORAN or GITA comes close. In another masterpiece of Dostoevsky, THE IDIOT, the main character is called ‘idiot’ by the people because they can’t understand his simplicity, his humbleness, his purity, his trust, his love. You can cheat him, you can deceive him, and he will still trust you. He is really one of the most beautiful characters ever created by any novelist. The idiot is a sage. The novel could just as well have been called THE SAGE. Dostoevsky’s idiot is not an idiot; he is one of the sanest men amongst an insane humanity. If you can become the idiot of Fyodor Dostoevsky, it is perfectly beautiful. It is better than being cunning priest or politician. Humbleness has such a blessing. Simplicity has such benediction."

[@sergeyperetyatko6520]

his best novel in my opinion....and probably the easiest to translate from russian without losing its depth

[@teausvult3604]

"This shows Dostoevsky’s own inability to really have a good answer against the powerlessness of God in protecting the weak especially children against the cruelty of nature." Except he recurringly explores themes of religion and suffering throughout his works. He is known for his tendency to make the characters who oppose his own ideals the strongest and the smartest since he prefers to show, not tell (I'm not saying he never demonstrates his points through dialogue) over the course of the novel rather than launching into a long-winded lecture, and that is what makes his novels so touching.

[@Fiction_Beast]

I agree. He was an artist. Unfortunately there are many who boxes him as a Christian moralist.

[@soare5182]

@@Fiction_Beast well, if you can't accept the fact that Dostoevsky was a christian, that doesn't mean you are right. you seem to be smart but that is quickly to be dismissed as soon as you expose your lack of intellectual depth and astonishing superficiality. If you want to talk about Dostoevsky at least do your homework.

[@magistrate3343]

@@soare5182 He was not saying that Dostoevsky was a "Christian moralist" and that it is terrible, but rather that some view him in overly simplistic terms as merely such a person without incorporating Dostoevsky's ability to intricately explore existentialism and other philosophical viewpoints he may not necessarily agree with.

[@soare5182]

@@magistrate3343 yes, unfortunately at that time i misunderstood his comment. sorry

[@AvgerinouAna99]

"Η Πίστη δίνει στον άνθρωπο κουράγιο και αποφασιστικότητα ενώ η αθεΐα τον κάνει δειλό και αναβλητικό" Ο Ντοστογιέφσκυ είναι πάντα χειρουργικά ακριβής στην περιγραφή της ανθρώπινης ψυχής

[@supremereader7614]

I so appreciate your videos, you make long complex books like the idiot - or complex ideas from people like Jung seem fairly simple. Thanks for making these.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you

[@Classy5756]

W

[@donaldkelly3983]

Speaking as an atheist originally raised as a Roman Catholic, I've always found Dostoevsky's mouth piece, Prince Myshkin, difficult to like. Or believe in. And when I informed my family and friends that I didn't believe in God, they did not congratulate me on finally getting in on The Master Plan! I will reread Dostoevsky because he was a great writer.

[@alistairclark6814]

When proof is impossible to obtain, limiting yourself to only 2 choices belief or disbelief has more to do with your desired relationships with the people arond you than using logical evidence as reason for beliefs. It's just as absurd to not believe than it is to believe when there has been 0 evidence either way.

[@donaldkelly3983]

@@alistairclark6814 Good point.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Dostoevsky thought atheism would ruin the Russian society. I wonder what he would have made of the Bolsheviks? He was warning against them.

[@donaldkelly3983]

@@Fiction_Beast He would have reviled the Bolsheviks.

[@Urfman]

@@alistairclark6814 “it is just as absurd to not believe than to believe”. Picking the default position over wishful thinking is not as absurd.

[@alexmack956]

More than a rich man, women are attracted to a poor man who displays the abilities required to become rich. They're actually more attracted to the man himself than his money, but often settle for a man who is simply rich. There are research papers about this. You can find them.

[@roninnr1378]

Jordan Peterson, perhaps?

[@JohnDoe-ef3wo]

@@roninnr1378 studies going back decades bro

[@vidalskyociosen3326]

Just simple red pill knowledge will suffice to know female nature.

[@evaphillips2102]

If those attractive traits don’t yield any results then there might be something else that’s wrong

[@ZeboKarimova-f7m]

when i read the novel, i struggled to understand the meaning of this novel. but after your well-done video i understood the novel fully. Thank you very much)

[@123NiallMc]

Great analysis. Having a house with two young children makes it quite difficult to delve into deep novels such as the Idiot. Absolutely I will revisit Dostoevsky in a few years again, his novels deserve to be read with great attention and not just skimming whats on the surface

[@melakunegash7556]

Russian novel is the best.Dostoyevsky's" The Idiot",Belayev's "Amphibian man", Tolstoy's " Anna Karenina''

[@orphandextro7046]

Boglakov’s Master and Margarita

[@melakunegash7556]

@@orphandextro7046 Right! I got this book recently!

[@StopFear]

Today's opiates are not "alcohol or shopping". Shopping was a bigger opiate for the masses in the 80s an maybe in the 90s. Today the big opiates are alcohol, video games, social media, and marijuana. Not saying they are inherently bad. I indulge in at least three of them.

[@sharontheodore8216]

The more you dive into the human soul the more confused or even lost you become. Little kids are so clear about what they want probably because they don’t allow thoughts to blur their feelings or needs, which is not the case when it comes to adults. That’s why religion can provide peace as it provides you with a road map of how to live your life without tormenting yourself with questions (which don’t have answers anyway). So much to learn from this video. Thanks for your effort.

[@Fiction_Beast]

You’re right as we grow we accumulate more and more assumptions which help at times but also cloud our judgement.

[@sgzjajsjsi133]

Great video! I read the book two times as a Teen and as an adult.Myschkin is a Pure hearted outcast in this world,he is the Don Quixote…it takes an ability to take on life’s Challenges with a strong psyche that makes not only an attractive man but also an admirable person! Whether consciously or subconsciosly we are drawn to ,,bad boys” and ,,bad girls” and yet we see ourselves as really good decent people! Lol😂

[@patrickmaguire1407]

A more engaged and engaging narrator there isn't. Truly marvelous expose of classic literature .Thank you. 🙏

[@Fiction_Beast]

So nice of you

[@patrickmaguire1407]

@@Fiction_Beast pleasure is all ours. Those droplets of humour too, are priceless 😇😉😃🙏

[@BeastOrGod]

The final stage of fear of death and nothingness is to accept that death and nothingness is a salvation from the hardships of life and everything.

[@tomk2720]

No! It is to realise that in the deepest abyss is salvation, and a reason to love life and everything in it. To justify all of human suffering with something as simple as a good cup of coffee - in the face of inevitable annihilation.

[@fotisvon9943]

one of my all time favorite books

[@Ravenghoul]

Same!

[@justsomebloke6784]

I've read the book twice now, and after that I want to read it again, soon. Got a copy of Poor Folk arriving in a couple of days, so probably one book after that. Personal ethics and philosophy are garnered from many places and people; even though I'm an atheist, Dostoyevsky has helped me think. Post Office, by Bukovsky before Poor Folk; I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Awesome. Yes, I'm also a fan of both bukowski and dostoevsky.

[@justsomebloke6784]

@@Fiction_Beast I'll confess my ignorance in that I've only just glommed onto Bukowski, from one of your videos. He has a bit of a Camus thing going on with his acceptance of absurdity. This way of thinking has helped me enormously in my life, I've acheived contentment as a result. And I'm not even dead yet!

[@cappy2282]

This Novel is great! Han's Holbeins "dead christ" painting is very disturbing...and I hope I never see it again lol

[@ADI-xp4qe]

One of my favourite novels, thank u

[@dmtdreamz7706]

Thank you so much for all your love and all your encouragement. We love you. Thank you.

[@grace7961]

This honestly really connets with my inner vaules, thanks for the video

[@viktoriaregis6645]

Despite if one is a believer or not, to continue on the religious aspect, I do believe that the Orthodox Christianity is closest to true Christianity. It was the first branch and has a long Churchhistory with alot of wisdom. With that said I dont mean that they always done everything right. I say this from Sweden. A very secular country with a Protestant passed, and hardly no Orthodox Churches. And of course I might be wrong. Now I came into theology instead of literature. I apologise. But these videos , just like the literature itself, get a grip of the mind and takes it places.

[@Vitlaus]

Good wishes upon you, your comment shows respect and wisdom.

[@justingil27]

I’ll be your friend bro, you did a good job summing this classic up!

[@Fiction_Beast]

Appreciate it mate!

[@lory6988]

Great video! I'm watching your works to better understand what I'm studying and to repeat, since tomorrow I'll do my Russian Literature exam. Thank you

[@Fiction_Beast]

Well, good luck! If you graduate I need 10% of your income. 🤪

[@evakoshkaa]

Thank you for this essay and your thoughts on the book, it was a pleasure to listen to

[@bradrandel1408]

Amazing my new favorite channel thank you so much keep up the great work I’m gonna watch everything…🦋🕊

[@Fiction_Beast]

You’re welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@YoYo-gt5iq]

I truly hated this book but you've done a wonderful job here. My only positive takeaway was when someone said of Mishkin, "there is no telling how well a good man can do." Or something like that.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you!

[@riceboybebop7018]

I like book.

[@elenilouarasi2828]

What a wonderful perception of this great work of Dostoyevsky, well done!🙏

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you very much

[@elenilouarasi2828]

Thank you for your efforts!

[@DimaaReyma]

Great, unrivalled content! Keep doing what you're doing

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you!

[@maggieadams8600]

Thank you! I read it about 30 years ago and had forgotten it really, maybe not deep inside though, thank you again!

[@Fiction_Beast]

You’re welcome!

[@antidepressant11]

You make a lot of interesting observations. Which makes me want to read the book again. I missed a lot of things....too many 😀😀

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you!

[@geraldmeehan8942]

CodeX Cantina and you are both reviewing "The Idiot" simultaneously!

[@tianyang6019]

Interesting background pictures nicely put together.

[@CHRIS-wm8vp]

Thank you for the analysis! The quotes were sometimes hard to read along with. If I can suggest something, you can put outlines around the text, which helps it pop out from backgrounds that are the same color as the text.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Great feedback. Thank you!

[@TheYouApple]

Great video! I was wondering if you could also cover Dostoevsky's Devils (sometimes also called Demons or The Posessed)? I've read it, but didn't fully understand it and would love to know your thoughts on it! Thank you!

[@Fiction_Beast]

Yes for sure. That’s a great suggestion.

[@peterplotts1238]

I read it a long time ago. I thought it was great, but it would be great to hear his analysis and pick up on all I missed.

[@cindyrhodes]

Thank you so so much!!!!!

[@TheWolfTraderofficial126]

Well ... To be honest ❣️.. Sir you're doing a wonderful work.. The way you certainly summarise the Russian Novels.. is 💎 Gem... ❤️ Tysm..💥❣️

[@Fiction_Beast]

Awesome! Thank Tony.

[@gazrater1820]

Great book, great choice by you to review and analyse , excellent overview. Thank you 💡🙌👌

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you!

[@englishcoach7772]

Excellent narration, use of language. Absolutely lucid descriptions.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you!

[@SKyrim190]

3:30 At the dinner party, by the end of part I, prince Michkin asks Nastasia Fillipovna in marriage before its is revelead that he has inherited a small fortune.

[@mnemonicpie]

"He sees goodness in everyone. He doesn't judge people, unless you are a Catholic, of course"😂

[@personanongrata987]

Thank you for a masterful summary and analysis of a novel I've read twice and still struggle to remember in detail. --

[@Fiction_Beast]

You’re most welcome.

[@Laocoon283]

Aglayla hated him for his outburst at the party not loved him. She loved him before that for his good heartedness but was ashamed of it. Has nothing to do with passion lol.

[@pesh909]

Thanks mate. This was great. I’m gonna read it for the first time soon.

[@lizastufflococucs6200]

A competent man who can provide for his family is a good man.

[@Fiction_Beast]

I agree.

[@divinepiccolo9469]

beautiful analysis

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thanks.

[@geoffreynhill2833]

Helpful rundown of the novel's plot, delivered too rapidly but excellent and well worth watching! 😀 (from GREEN FIRE, UK) 🌈🦉

[@geoffreynhill2833]

PS: My novel, "Green Fire: Tommy & Ruthie's Blues" @Amazon, likewise deals with the problem of faith & scepticism. (My author name is Geoff Nelson Hill so as not to be confused with the Fifties Oxford poet Geoffrey Hill.) 🌈🦉

[@CommonSwense]

You brought so much light to a book that took me a very long time to read. Thank you.

[@Fiction_Beast]

great to hear you enjoyed it.

[@Sachie465]

What's fascinating to me is that there are many ways to interpret how the characters really feel. BTW, it's classified under French literature in the playlist.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Yes I agree my interpretation is from a male perspective.

[@shahjhanwagarpal7120]

awsome though 🙂 thanks for sharing n yur efforts sharing goodness in life ......was once under the spell of Dostoievsky ....hv visited Leningrad now st.Petersburg again n the places Dostoievky haunted ......

[@shahanology21]

Your work is the Best. I am loving every video I watch💙. More power to you Man!💐

[@Fiction_Beast]

Thank you so much 😀

[@animula6908]

Courage is the ultimate value everywhere and for all people. Without it, what do your other values matter?

[@joetheperformer]

21:00 interesting take on that correlation. I’m curious if you dismiss the causality or at least some subtle relation between epilepsy and great literature? What would you say to the idea that epilepsy brings the conscious mind close to the chaotic interrelatedness of reality?

[@masonart4950]

I'd say you're just guessing and trying to look smart. Just like everyone else.

[@Tracker947]

An off the cuff surface thought for me would be that epilepsy brings about suffering, and suffering tends to lend itself the most to that force of character and madness necessary for many of the great minds in the world. So, I wouldn't attribute it so there being something special about epilepsy, just that it is a vehicle for suffering, and thus for very painful growth.

[@joetheperformer]

@@masonart4950 Along with trying to look cool 😎 , I’m also fascinated with the idea, just like many others I would imagine.

[@joetheperformer]

@@Tracker947 I agree with that, suffering is a major influence in the creation of art. And epilepsy could also contribute to isolation then to deep introspection of life. So that makes sense. It’s also a fact that we know very little about how the brain actually works. Aside from electrical imaging like CT scans. Having worked closely with neurosurgeons (many of them have some very strange theories about brain function). What we mostly know is mostly electrical impulses. But like the heart, electrical impulses is only a small part of the actual clockwork behind the machine. The brain is far more complex than the heart.

[@nickblacksoul4318]

Hm never read Dostoevsky ..... Sounds really good maybe I should , he kinda gives good advice on love

[@sociallyhostileelement3425]

I enjoy Dostoevsky's work, but I have to disagree with him on the death penalty. His extreme leniency on crime would be cruel to the victims and their families.

[@user-hr1hf4kb4i]

Agreed

[@Astral0muffiN]

Yes, coffee and popcorn is such an underrated combination!

[@j0nnyism]

Myshkins rant against catholics is far more important than his actual dislike of them for the themes of the novel

[@urieowrjdf]

Very good analysis. Thank you!

[@elizabethlau644]

❤❤❤ Thank you.

[@Fiction_Beast]

You are so welcome

[@cynthiacunha447]

Thank you!!!

[@urieowrjdf]

I still do not understand the part of the novel where Myshkin says he does not like Nastasia's face, that he is afraid of her face. If anyone has insight, it would be appreciated. I think all Dostevsky's books should be read and re-read and that is what I need to do.

[@dmtrpp276]

I’ve yet to find a good analysis of The Idiot on KZbin. Sometimes, you really do have to be an Orthodox Christian to understand Dostoevsky. Most people do decent job, they understand about 90% of it but the other 10% always remains as the “extra bonus content” for “premium members”.

[@inartwetrust1]

Destovsky is wonderful

[@donaldtoonsberry832]

A cup of coffee and some popcorn? Nah, I’m sitting on the toilet smoking a cigarette.

[@mnemonicpie]

For 29 minutes? Bro💀

[@robertrodzoch942]

Thanks for the review!

[@giulianademedici691]

Thank you for your good work.I think, though, that the character of Nastasja Filippovna is basically misundertood.It' s not a matter of bad boys who wins the beatiful woman while the good doesn't attract her.Natasja's soul is thoroughly wounded so she basically thinks that she doesn't deserve happiness and love. She is perfecly conscious that flying away with Rogozin means to be killed , and chooses and wants it. Besides, Myskin , as you say, is incapable of passion and masculine desire because epilepsy has turned him impotent.He is a wonderful man, but he lacks masculinity.

[@Fiction_Beast]

Bad boys triggers a deeper desire in women for masculinity. I think her choice of the bad wasn’t on an intellectual or rational level but more on a deeper psychological level. She tries to justify that she doesn’t deserve the good man but his lack of passion and masculinity decides it for her. As soon as myshkin attracts another woman after his passionate outburst on Catholicism, she agrees to marry him. Why she deserves him now? I think Dostoevsky is far deeper than most people see. Appreciate your thoughtful comment.

[@giulianademedici691]

​@@Fiction_Beast Well, may be you are right....May be as a woman I can't clearly see .In any case , this need to choose the strong male instead of the good man detecs and shows a deep lack of self confidence in women, doesn't it?This is particulatly true in women, like Nastasja, who suffered injuries and sexual abuse when they was almost children.I'm impressed, however by the depht of your analysis of Dostoevsky's masterpieceKeep up the good work

[@shazamcawdwell3426]

I love this book

[@vaccaphd]

Awesome video! Love Dostoyevsky.

[@docmix]

A great analysis thank you. At 27.35 shouldn't you be saying '...Buddhist philosophy of non-attachment...' rather than '...non-detachment...'?

[@MrJ17J]

Great summary, thanks

[@vaibhavnayak5890]

Great video from where did you get these beautiful images and music!!

[@Fiction_Beast]

Wikipedia public domain images and KZbin music library.

[@carlh.h.2242]

But the Prince does explicitly say he is not condemning individual Catholics, just the institution of Roman Catholicism.

[@anankedos]

The Repin painting “They did not expect him” used in the intro has nothing to do with Dostoyevsky or The Idiot :)

[@Fiction_Beast]

except that it was used as a cover for an english translation.

[@gurleensodhi6527]

Amazing analysis, beautiful Explained👍 💯💯

[@Fiction_Beast]

thank you!

[@SKMikeMurphySJ]

you took every chance to push it to the forefront! God Bless the One True Roman Catholic Faith! I will pray for you souls in purgatory! Read some Flannery O'Conner or Dante!

[@LizafromWhere]

Careful. It is also a verb of motion идёт

[@robertrasmussen5690]

One analysis I heard was that Myskin was like Christ if he came in our day. His values are so different and simple seeming to us modern people that we would think he was sick in the head or an "Idiot."

[@stephendean2896]

Money buys friends just like it makes enemies

[@AlastorTheNPDemon]

I want to be a moron that gets things done. I envy these short-sighted people... my foresight and intellect only thwart my efforts. I will accept the supremacy of introversion the day a merely average one can acquire benefactors and loyalty. Inaction is my greatest foe, and finding no ability in myself to pursue my goals leaves me with no other target for my rage than those who contributed in ways small or large to my inaction. "I'll get around to it," the conscious loser within mumbles under his breath. "I'll do this first," sayeth he who does not the objective but strays from it. "It is smart to avoid conflict," being the fork-tongued words which castrate me with their dual prongs snapping shut like scissors. I demand release, yet this stubborn intellectual chooses to hold fast like a rock and defy my will. What use is there in attempting to get blood from a stone?

[@dragonfliesbutterfliesandb4367]

Hope you don't mind me saying this, the text on the whole screen is very intimidating, and very strange! Smaller letters might be more helpful....thanks

[@Fiction_Beast]

Noted. Thanks for the feedback.

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

Because I do not believe in gawds, I no I am screwed, because I have only people to believe in.