Pavel Fyodorovich Smerdyakov
Prelude
Reconstruction of the image of this hero requires a deep knowledge and understanding of the history of Russia and its essence in general, as well as world history.
The novel Karamazov Brothers is the last of the famous ″Pentateuch″ of the writer and was written immediately after the liberation of Bulgaria. Dostoevsky was one of Russia's most ardent supporters in its liberation mission in the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). This is clear from the content of the previous chapter of ″The Grand Inquisitor″ from the novel – ″Rebellion″. These chapters are the key to understanding the work.
After the writing and publication of Dostoevsky's novel, an honor was given that was not given to anyone else, namely to deliver the solemn speech on 8 June 1880 in Moscow at the unveiling of the monument to Pushkin. In front of all Russian statesmen, writers and literary critics. Honor unpaid to anyone else. [1][2] There are some who note that the speech was not really about Pushkin but about Russia, and also Dostoyevsky himself.[2]
Dostoevsky's speech became his "swan song" because the writer died half a year later. In his speech, he proclaimed his prophetic thoughts from the novel about the fate and historical vocation of Russia and the role of the "Russian spiritual wanderer" for the fate of the world. The moment of this speech is historical — ″On the Eve″ of the Berlin Congress. After the victory that returned to Russia the role of the first violin of the Congress of Vienna after the loss of the Crimean War.
Dostoevsky's speech was followed in 1881 by the writer's death and the Assassination of Alexander II of Russia.
Puns by Dostoevsky
The names of Dostoevsky's characters always have a hypostasis. With this literary technique, the author forces the reader to look for them in "notes from Underground" in the context of the history of Russia (Sitz im Leben). In the 19th century, the entire Russian enlightened society was obsessed with Mikhail Zagoskin's historical novel Yury Miloslavsky in the context of Nikolay Karamzin's History of the Russian State. [3]
Literary-historical image
The literary character is extremely complex and multi-layered.
| Literary-historical images | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First name, nickname | Patronymic | Family name | |
| Фёдор Fyódor | collective image of "Old Russia" or the time before the Tsardom of Russia when there is no state, but only individual Russian principalities, and Russian tsars with this name are weak | Карама́зов Karamázov | |
| Дми́трий, Ми́тя Dmítry, Mítya | Dmitry Donskoy won the Battle of Kulikovo and brought Moscow as the center of Russian lands | ||
| Ива́н, Ва́ня Iván, Ványa | Ivan the Terrible, first tsar of Russia and founder of the state | ||
| Алексе́й, Алёша Alekséy, Alyósha | Alexis of Russia, father of Peter the Great → Russian Empire | ||
| Па́вел Pável | ???? | Смердяко́в Smerdyakóv | |
| The key phrase is finally book V "Pro and Contra" by Iván Karamázov: "Goodbye to everything previous, it's over with the previous world forever; let there be no more news or bone than him; in a new world, in new places and without looking back! ” On the way to Moscow (Moscow, third Rome). | |||
As the writer informs us, our hero is the illegitimate son of the old debaucher. Family member of the paternal line, but from another mother. Contrary to logic, he bears his mother's surname because he is unrecognized but patient. What does this mean and among which historical prototypes can his image be sought?
His last name translates literally from Russian as "smelly", which means you can clearly feel it, because there is no smoke without fire. However, his image, like that of his father, is collective and cannot be clearly identified by name among historical figures and only among Russian rulers.
His name coincides with Paul I of Russia, but the hero as an astral twin and accomplice in the murder is not a contemporary of Ivan the Terrible (instigator). Among the contemporaries of the first Russian tsar stand out Malyuta Skuratov and the future tsar Boris Godunov, associates. Indeed, they are both children of "Old Russia", but they have no real blood relationship with the tsar. However, Ivan the Terrible, through his mother and his grandmother Sophia Palaiologina, is a cousin of Michael Kantakouzenos Şeytanoğlu. The "Son of Satan", that is, figuratively, and the murderer, according to the testimony of Stephan Gerlach, introduced himself as the son of the English ambassador to Constantinople. And he was archon of Constantinople. As such, it is the basis for the rise of the Russian Orthodox Church in the patriarchate, that is, in "the recognition of the Tsardom of Russia by God".
Michael Kantakouzenos Şeytanoğlu was hanged on 3 March 1578 at the entrance of his palace in Pomorie. Exactly on the same date after 3 centuries it was concluded by the Russian ambassador to Constantinople Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatyev – Treaty of San Stefano. The Russian army is in front of the church of Hagia Sophia, and only the British navy in the Bosphorus prevents The Great Game from being won by the Russian Empire.
Pavel Fyodorovich Smerdyakov hangs himself in the novel, fulfilling his mission — the legacy remains for his brother Ivan. His self-sacrifice, like God the Son, is at the heart of Russia's birth. It is no coincidence that the novel begins with verse 12:24 of the Gospel of John. [4]
The literary hero in art
Pavel Smerdyakov has been played by numerous famous artists in the theater as well as in cinema. However, in his image remains unsurpassed and unforgettable Werner Krauss. In the year of the premiere of The Brothers Karamazov (1921 film), Russia was to celebrate 2 centuries since the creation of the empire.
References
- Levitt, Marcus C. (1989). Russian Literary Politics and the Pushkin Celebration of 1880. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. pp. 124–125. ISBN 978-0801422508.
- Cassedy, Steven (2005). Dostoevsky's Religion. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. p. 80. ISBN 0804751374.
- Yury Miloslavsky, a novel in Russian
- Russian classical literature; literary reference book; pp. 62-64; ISBN 954-8706-21-0 (in Bulgarian)