The Brothers Karamazov: Bibliotheca Webinar

You can find "The Brothers Karamazov" here amzn.to/3qjxpZ7
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Dr. Michael Sugrue earned his BA at the University of Chicago and PhD at Columbia University.

[@TheMrdangles16]

I can’t believe we’re able to have this for free. Remarkable

[@arampianist]

I can't believe the atlas behind him hahahaha!!!

[@nicholasfevelo3041]

Bless the internets

[@jimweights8908]

Agree it is wonderful - he is in the handful of best professors world wide I ever heard of

[@thomasking4791]

Pppppp

[@thomasking4791]

@@arampianist m

[@floresdta]

THIS ONES ALREADY A CERTIFIED HOOD CLASSIC

[@BanterrClaus]

[@francisletterford4999]

Thank you Dr. Sugrue. You are helping me think about literature classics in more profound ways.

[@mouradmhm3244]

"The Brothers Karamazov" contains two of the greatest paragraphs written by any man. One by Father Zosima, discussing love for all creation, and the other by the Grand Inquisitor, delving into the concept of freedom. Reading them gave me goosebumps, making me wonder if Dostoevsky was truly human.

[@lordsir1320]

What about the "above all do not lie" paragraph?

[@Evan_Saur]

So glad to see Dr. Sugrue grow into such a philosopher king, your dialogue is very refined and raw. The Hellenistic people of 2000 years ago would be proud !

[@RealProfessionalHumanBeing]

Dr. Sugrue, your lecture series' are unbelievably powerful. Thank you so much for all the incredible education. It is inspiring to see you still at it like this.

[@yogig6271]

Michael, you are a treasure for the human mind. I've only recently discovered your lectures online, and I'm addicted!... One after the other, insight, clarity "showmanship" in performance as great as any storytelling I have perceived. The conveyance of philosophy is beautiful and absorbed by mind. Thank you so so much from a very grateful listener in UK. Bless you.

[@trent797]

I bought Brothers Karamazov during the summer and seeing that you talk about it made me start reading it yesterday. I look forward to listening to this whole lecture when I am done!

[@StoicFlame]

Congrats to you and your daughter for the wikipedia page sir.

[@what111116]

can I ask what you are referring to? I have been trying to find him on wikipedia but have not been able to

[@arctan5837]

Dostoevsky, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard really carried 19th century literature and philosophy.

[@chasepalumbo2929]

Thank you for these!!!! They touch on subjects that are fascinating and layered, I love this new format you’ve created.

[@Mnnwer]

I have been loving all of your videos on different philosophers.

[@Brandon-a-writer]

This really parallels part of my dissertation on Dostoevski I published under "the Doctor is Sick" in 2015, arguing for the separation of people as ideas and representations of body (Dmitri), mind (Ivan) and soul (Alyosha). It is one of the first novels of such length I read in a single sitting, finishing my first read through in only two days. It took some time for me to get through War & Peace, not because it is bad, but the plot takes so long to get dynamic in the way that say Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov are. I love War & Peace, don't get me wrong, but compared to the work of Dostoevski, it has such of a lesser overall impact. And despite the deplorable characters in Dostoevski, I like them and relate to them more than the less despicable characters in Tolstoi. Smerdyakov's betrayal is iconic, when he is playing the guitar in the garden. Being the daughter of stinking Lizavetta, and his name literally means "shit" haha. He was raised by Grigori, same way as Dmitri. The novel does have an abrupt ending, with the speech at the stone, and it is regularly suggested that it is because of Dostoevski's death, though like the Book of Mark, my favorite of the gospels, the abrupt ending (not the later revision which explains it away) actually makes it more profound. The massive amount of characters makes the world feel more realistic. When you close the book the idea that it was all fiction is impossible to fathom. It even prefigures, in the end, the courtroom drama that would become much more popular in years to come. I love the idea that Dmitri puts forward, "If God should be pushed from the Earth, we shall protect him underground." With him beating his chest, referring back to the pestle he keeps around his neck... it's a book that demands re-reading. I've read the Grand Inquisitor and the chapter "Rebellion" so many times that it gives Ivan such a rich, tortured inner world. I love the conversation Ivan has with his father early in the book when he says something like, "the devil did it", but in the very next breath he says "the devil doesn't exist." The Grand Inquisitor is ironic, in my reading, and it is a crushing indictment of the religious authorities of the time. "And we will bear the secret". Horrifying and beautiful. I wish you would look at the Dream of a Ridiculous Man and The Idiot. Mishka is such a loving and loveable character! Cheers, Mike. I love your series on philosophy!

[@CJ-ic5iq]

Top tier channel

[@bobheaney211]

Serendipity stikes again! I've just started listening to the audiobook and this will help me get a handle on it before I tackle it. It's my first foray into russian literature, so thank you Dr Sugrue for everything you do!

[@crimsonkatsu5919]

Brothers Karamazov is my favorite book. However, I feel like overall Crime and Punishment is more straight to the point and is easier to see what Dostoevsky is getting at. For example the contrast in the sin of Rashkolnikov who kills the lady out of some ubermensch nihilistic ideal versus Sonya who crucifies herself with the sin of prostitution in order to try to help her father/family. This contrast is extremely straight forward compared to the brothers Karamazov and it's also a relatively short book.

[@Theabysstreasure]

Thank you professor. Great insight into this great novel.

[@Castaca27]

I'm in Part 3 of The Brothers and literally feel winded. The pace is breathless and I find myself putting the book down every so often to allow my thoughts and imagination to catch up. Eternal Husband and C&P are no longer the greatest books I've read.

[@catholicpog7183]

Loving the literature series 😋

[@Craiglicious000]

Hell yes thank you Micheal!!!

[@haniffhaniff5764]

wish sound quality was better

[@dalejames486]

I just finished this novel today. What a masterpiece.

[@craigculwell9177]

Exquisite ~ THE ANSWER to the big Question 30:32 Fyodor was the name given to the Elder Karamazov, it was no accident, DOSTOEVSKY owns it! Grace and Peace to you! ❤ Thank you for posting this. 📽️ PROF Michael has been a real treasure hidden in a field, worth the price 💲🕰️ of the real estate in order to take possession of the prize. 😌✅✨☦️🔔⛲

[@breederjackson]

This should have more likes, I’m going to make it a point to like every video

[@Shellshock1918]

When he said "Father, why should I love you?... Because Jesus." I wept. 29:25

[@etfacetimehome]

I did too

[@tidepodcheff4242]

Thanks don Sugrue for the content another sick night of gaming and cooking chicken at 4 00 am in any part of the planet.

[@SunSnowGravity]

Never got the time to finish that book. Now I'm ashamed and want to read it. Thank you!

[@nateknowles1426]

Professor I love the lectures old and new but please get someone to set you up with a nice mic and camera so we can get the quality on par! ✌️💜

[@cheri238]

I'm listening again. Hopefully, you are doing well.🙏❤️🌎🌿🕊🎵🎶🎵

[@williamsawyer9894]

Sadly, Proffessor Sugrue died the day after you posted your well-wishes. Michael lived a life worth celebrating and emulating; his work will live on.

[@Vgallo]

I wish Michael sugrue would talk with Jordan Peterson/ John vervaeke/ Jonathan pageau/ John vervaeke/ Paul vanderklay.

[@vivalaleta]

Wish he'd debate Peterson.

[@mike-0451]

@@vivalaleta I doubt they disagree on anything important

[@vivalaleta]

@@mike-0451 um...which fellow are you unknowledgeable on? They couldn't be different. I doubt Sugrue would waste his time on Peterson.

[@mike-0451]

@@vivalaleta Jordan Peterson would say “do you believe anyone should have a reason to be good?” And Mike would respond, “No,” and Jordan would say, “good.”

[@lucasvarela9632]

@@vivalaleta I’d say they are similar

[@goofyahhh254]

How is he able to articulate all this, remarkable verbal intelligence

[@davidfulton3287]

Thank you Dr. Outstanding.

[@lorenzotomescu5123]

Remarkable concluding reflections for this lecture !

[@mike-0451]

Aye. This is the one I’ve been waiting for.

[@cmb_cworld]

fantastic

[@TheFlamingChips]

I’d LOVE for Sugrue to read The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch

[@honorhonor3352]

I would like to meet Dr. Sugruge in person. Is that possible?

[@ServusDeiNostri]

No. He's dead.

[@jamessheffield4173]

The Grand Inquisitor

[@2Oldcoots]

Thanks! Nevada

[@BadGameanhilator]

Awesome video! Look forward to this one as always Dr.Sugrue. much love from Canada. Any opinions on Canada while we're at it?

[@jjrossitee]

It's great eh, if you don't think go jump in a lake.

[@hasanunver2600]

Guys I'm on the third part of the book (430's of 1000 pages). Is there so many spoilers in video?

[@lucasvarela9632]

It would probably be very hard to spoil such a book

[@irondon]

Small request - can you work on the sound volume and clarity? Otherwise - fab!

[@forpeople2532]

Smerdyakov is probably one of the most accurate written character, Dostoevsky was genius he described Smerdyakovs character very accurately his hysterical neurosis + psychopathy and his altruistic visions of the world.

[@GreggMikulla]

All of the brothers possess a keen inward sense of who they are, except Alyosha, who thinks hes as base as anyone. Even Fyodor Pavlovich knows hes a buffoon and a bad man. At one point Alexei tells Mitya that he is "lower" than his brother, that he is on the first step, and Dmitri is on the thirteenth. But i think that is an intentional or subconscious inversion since he then agrees "better not take a step at all." Perhaps Alyosha, then, is aware of his own purity. I had to get that out, forgive me if ive just ranted. Im re-reading the book now, and felt like unburdening myself.

[@grungehead12]

Thank you! Can you do one on Kafka?

[@TheGringoSalado]

The Grand Inquisitor is fire!! A true Russian Monster ;0)

[@davidgoldstein1480]

Michael, I am a huge fan of both you and this novel. But let me ask your thoughts on how Dostoevsky can claim a universal love according to Christ but at the same time be a horrific anti-semite? Somehow his universal love rings pathetically hollow. Your thoughts?

[@chim_richalds3798]

Here we go

[@arcade5765]

i've read every book dostoevsky wrote. it's been a few years, and i miss reading those books. i need to find a new author like dostoevsky. i tried tolstoy but got intimidated by the quantity of french dialogue; it was like 40% french when people spoke, and the translations were in the back of the book, it was terrible

[@EsatBargan]

Jackson Kevin Brown Scott Brown Angela

[@christinemartin63]

Just finishing the novel--without a doubt, a writer for the ages. The recurrent theme of faith and goodness is deeply ironic. Here you have a flawed human being whose child dies of starvation because he won't work; and whose long-suffering wife watches him gamble, whore, and drink--all this AFTER he miraculously escapes the firing squad, survives a Siberian prison, and then fervently preaches faith and goodness in all his novels. The hypocrisy is too glaring, and, therefore, his credibility is greatly diminished. ("Number" of characters, dear.)

[@Vgallo]

There was meant to be a sequel to bros karamazov, so they might of had a larger/ more integral role in the sequel. Also the brothers have 3 names each. Also no one ever talks about how neitszche went mad from a scene from Dostoyevskys crime and punishment, or is that neitszche story fake news?

[@threethrushes]

All Russians have three names.

[@mentalitydesignvideo]

Karamázov

[@Eloign]

Father Zosima kissed Dimitri because he saw how much he would suffer unjustly and believed he would be redeemed though that innocent suffering. He was ironically a type of Christ and the epitome of the Christian life. Zosima saw him as greater than himself because he hadn’t suffered as much as Dimitri would. I thought to be honest this was self evident.

[@lucasvarela9632]

Swag

[@SodiqAlade-c9e]

Spoiler alert!!!!!!!!

[@nuqwestr]

I prefer Singer's "The Brothers Ashkenazi".

[@mike-0451]

Nah

[@chemicalimbalance7030]

@@mike-0451 you both make compelling arguments

[@EvanGrambas]

LOL. Good one!

[@dereksupernaut]

legend has it, Brothers Karamazov was the opening to a serial (like Sopranos or Game of Thrones for books) and that is why there are so many characters and subplots... supposedly there are authors notes showing Alyosha going on to experience life as a man with sin... fax!!!

[@cavandavidson1185]

Really pathetic intro put me off. Just read the book and don't bother with this.

[@joshuaorourke1976]

What do you mean?

[@ajk9420]

Whose ever phone was ring ringing during Professor’s live I’ll have a talk with you later! 🫨

[@brianmckibben619]

Just turned 40 years old, and I wrote my second essay for homework. Using this great video for some inspiration.

[@rockycomet4587]

What grade are you in?

[@brianmckibben619]

Rock! I'm in the military, so I guess you could say I'm working on it. I'm really not sure what "grade" I'm in.

[@rockycomet4587]

@@brianmckibben619 Been there. Your AFQT score may be able to help.

[@brianmckibben619]

@@rockycomet4587 ha!!!!

[@rockycomet4587]

@@brianmckibben619 I remember back in BCT when we would screw up really bad, and our DS would chew us out, and make us spend the rest of the evening writing essays on Dostoevsky.

[@thattimestampguy]

3:56 Arguably The Greatest Work of Literature, Great Achievement of The Human Spirit. A great big Russian monster 🇷🇺 5:07 Deep Themes of Human Longings *Life* 6:11 Epileptic Man, Compulsive Gambler, In need of money, hypersensitive, 7:20 Westernizing Reformer. The Tsar’s Decision to spare 9:17 Christianity ✝️ *The Brothers* 10:17 Why God Why? 12:08 Dimitri - Bronze, Earthly 12:47 Ivan - Gold, Rational 14:13 Alyosha- Silver, Spiritual 16:48 Smerdyakov - Illegitimate son 18:57 Ivan is pushed beyond rationality *Moral Dilapidation* 19:58 The Grand Inquisitor 23:50 Release The Sacred 27:12 Symbolism 29:14 Father, why should I love you? 30:24 Jesus Christ *Q&A* 32:02 Were some characters unnecessary? 37:09 Pessimistic 38:37 Westernization Rebel -> Encounter With Death -> Changed Man 40:57 _The Devils_ 41:51 “Karamazovian” means to be at a spiritual impasse 43:19 A Journey of Integration 45:20 The Hero is Jesus 49:14 The Fabric of Real Life, it continues on and on and on. 51:06 Love conquered Hate 52:20 Kissing and Bowing 55:33 Novels comparable only to Tolstoy 57:00

[@hasanunver2600]

I've read half of the book, do you think in the video are there so many spoilers? If yes I'm gonna watch it when I finished it.

[@krisdabrowski5420]

To add some context to how the tripartite anthropology is understood in a Russian Orthodox context, St Theophan the Recluse writes in his "The Spiritual Life and how to be Attuned to it", that the human person is tripartite - Spirit, Soul, and Body. The realm of the body is shared in the Orthodox and Platonic understandings - but the Orthodox understanding of the soul is different. In the Orthodox understanding, what the Platonic understanding would call the Gold and Silver parts of the human person are subsumed into the realm of the soul - both the emotional life, and the rational intellectual life as well. The spirit, then, is considered as different from the soul, as the soul is from the body - because the spirit is precisely that part of the human person that can only be satisfied with God, and without God, the other parts of the soul are sent endlessly searching to fulfill its desire for God in the realms of the finite, created human soul, and the realms of the finite, created human body. Because the spirit's hunger can only be satisfied with the infinite God, the spirit invents an infinite number of unsatisfying goals to fulfill in the realm of the soul and the body. However, the soul and body still have their own perfectly valid needs, within their own domains - but unless they are subsumed under the direction of the Spirit, then the Soul-oriented person will endlessly look for intellectual and emotional stimulation in intellectual pursuits, fine arts, philosophy, etc, to satisfy their spirit, while the body-oriented person will endlessly look for sensual pursuits to satisfy their spirit. Finally, in a person in whom the Spirit is their primary orientation, the Soul and Body get their finite satisfaction, and get under control within their proper context, since the Spirit finally has rest in being nourished by the infinite God. So, in this context, it would be clear from an Orthodox reader's perspective that Alyosha represents the Spirit, Ivan the Soul, and Dimitri the Body.

[@mike-0451]

Thank you.

[@tonywolfe9513]

And this is the truest thing I’ve read on KZbin in a while. And thus Hebrews 4:12. Especially considering it’s direct connection to the rest that we must labor diligently to enter. Paradox, yes, as the truest things often are. Thanks for sharing.

[@tonywolfe9513]

As A.W. Tozer once stated, and I believe he was quoting someone else, man is like a candle. The flame is the spirit, the wick is the soul, and the wax is the body. If you invert the candle with the wax at the top, the flame extinguishes. But if you put it in it’s right relation, with the flame atop, the flame remains burning.

[@chim_richalds3798]

This helped me gain understanding I appreciate your comment

[@aleclamb-venecia4838]

On a totally immature note- that map tho

[@richardwood4884]

Some Dostoevsky! Finally! Thank you.

[@sebolddaniel]

In the Gospel Of Mark which is the most minimalist and first of the gospels and most ignored because of its failure to proselytize--I think it is Peter and James that ask to be on the right and left hand of Jesus. There is a terrible dark irony of two thieves ending up on the right and left hand of Jesus. It bothers me that I am blind to the ironies of literature. It has to be pointed out to me, Dostoyevsky seemed to have had a handle on this--sorry about the stupid metaphor. By the way, that 1958 movie with William Shatner and Maria Schell is worth a look

[@coolhandphilip]

This is one of your best.

[@bakshev]

One little correction. Smerdyakov's name derives from "смерд" which is Russian for "stink/stench". It comes from his mother "reeking" Lizaveta, which was a homeless woman with a mental illness.

[@orifilofilo]

good call i was thinking the same... "smerdet"

[@maddietober7981]

Your lectures give me more clarity of hope. Thank you

[@jdzentrist8711]

This feels like God talking to me. Today I commented on a brief talk on Camus (Ellie Anderson), the idea (by Camus) commented upon being, "we are not free, but we act AS IF we are free." This led me to share my love for Nietzsche, "my favorite writer." Tonight, though, just now, Dostoevsky is my favorite writer. Like Walt Whitman, sometimes we contain multitudes. And like Bob Dylan, as well. Thank you for this reminiscence on indeed the greatest novel; I read this book in 1978, during the final year of grad course work. The Russian Novel was and is an unforgettable experience, especially this man for whom time stood still.

[@Vgallo]

Sound???

[@greatexpectations6577]

Are you Italian?

[@Charmagh110]

29:41

[@VikingMuayThai]

🙏

[@RobertHorgan-ux8nf]

Wonderfully insightful. Thank you So much. Now I’m actually going to read this great work

[@jdzentrist8711]

The depth of these insights provided by the novel, and then Michael's depth of insight into D's "infinite psyche" or consciousness--the critics called it "polyphony"--is marvelous, genius, really. On the one hand, the "one idea, Jesus," and then, on the other, the "many voices" or icons, as it were, of Jesus, including even the "dark shadows," to use a Jungian term. Dostoevsky says his "yes" to evil, not condoning it but placing it realistically within the WHOLE. That side of him is unique but still reminiscent of Shakespeare, though one hastens to add here that Iago is really in a category all his own and not reconcilable in any way, imo. When Gadamer came to our campus he singled out Dostoevsky as part of the environment almost in which he and his colleagues (he was born in 1900, Strauss roughly the same) intellectually grew up (no doubt, along with Nietzsche). Heidegger does not treat of Dostoevsky to my knowledge, but one wonders if his formulation, "being-towards-death," owes something to the Dostoevsky near-death-experience.

[@peterivankovich2990]

Michael, are you in your right mind? The leaders were shot? Are you writing your own form of history? In history before you nobody was executed in that plot. The czar staged a mock execution of some 6 ringleaders, including Dostoevsky, to teach them a lesson about trying to topple the czar, not because the czar was a joker, in your rendition of history, but because he wanted the lesson to not be forgotten soon. As for Dostoevsky, he became a perfect example for those who wanted to save their ass by reneging their previous views.

[@yanikkunitsin1466]

Stress on last 'a'. Question: was somehow that father-fighting was somehow prerequisite to revolution of 1917?

[@oscarslater6123]

If you close your eyes it’s like Rain Dogs era Tom Waits is lecturing you on russian literature

[@chungusamongus2338]

Came for the brothers karamazov, stayed for the gorgeous cosmic teets.

[@StoicPrince1674]

Well, that art work though… certainly provocative.

[@sabyasachisenapati3619]

I don't know whether it's the audio or the good doctor's voice? listening is a bit tough.

[@AgEyal]

That was an enlightning analysis, thank you!

[@Thesilverthunder777]

thank you, DR.

[@Reymundodonsayo]

This episode was tits!:)

[@dilmohansingh8553]

Host is no good

[@PatrickLatini]

That was awesome. Thank you both!

[@dereksupernaut]

straight out of hollywood i had one tear roll down my cheek at the downtown chicago beach when i finished the novel after multiple attempts over many years... i am not a christian and thus not a follower of jeus christ of nazareth, but i am a follower of the great christian alyosha karamazov and thus fyodor dostoevsky... so, who knows... fax!!!