Dostoyevsky The Brothers Karamazov [Paperback]

This book is part of a series that provides concise and lucid introduction into Dostoyevsky.Far from being merely a philosophical religious tract, the work is shown to encompass such major themes as atheism and belief, the nature of man, socialism and individualism, and the state of European civilization, focusing particularly on the themes of justice, order and disorder.Far from being merely a philosophical religious tract, the work is shown to encompass such major themes as atheism and belief, the nature of man, socialism and individualism, and the state of European civilization, focusing particularly on the themes of justice, order and disorder.The Brothers Karamazov, completed in November 1880 just two months before Dostoyevsky's death, displays both his mastery as a storyteller and his significance as a thinker. In this volume, Dr. Leatherbarrow shows that far from being merely a philosophical religious tract, The Brothers Karamazov is an enjoyable and accessible novel. He discusses its major themes, including atheism and belief, the nature of man, socialism and individualism, and the state of European civilization, focusing particulary on those themes of justice, order and disorder, in whose revolutionary treatment he sees the real significance of this literary landmark.Note on the text; Chronology; Introduction; 1. The background to the novel; 2. The novel; 3. The critical reception; Guide to further reading. Leatherbarrow's synthesis of past critical achievement judiciously discriminates between factual commentary and interpretation, as well as between interpretation supported by evidence of Dostoevsky's documented or manifest intent, and interpretation generated by a critic's philosophy or idiosyncratic response to the text....Leatherbarrow's book will be a valuable teaching aid, but it is also a work well worth the literary scholar's time. Victor Terras, Slavic Review