Literary Analysis

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s masterpiece, “The Brothers Karamazov” undisputably ranks among the greatest works of modern literature. After hearing it recommended by several of my friends, I thought that now was as good a time as any to experience this tale of murder, justice, and redemption.

Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov is the stereotypical “dirty old man.” An irresponsible father, a profligate spender, a hard drinker and womanizer…he is certainly a negative influence on all those aruond him. However, he also happens to be rich.

Enter the three Brothers Karamazov: Dmitri, Ivan, and Alyosha. Dmitri is a spendthrift partyer who lives for the moment, enjoying his rowdy lifestyle until the bill arrives. Ivan is a meditative, philosophically inclined atheist. Alyosha is the only one of the three who seems to have any semblance of an ordinary life – after years of spiritual training in a monastery, he becomes a hardworking, caring, and mature member of society.

When Dmitri’s careless ways finally catch up with him, and he faces the prospect of public humiliation for his inability to pay an important debt, he considers the possibility of murdering his aged father. All three sons would inherit vast wealth…and besides, society would be benefited by his death. In a fit of passion, he prepares to confront his enemy and commit parricide…

But does he?

The great conflict in the book revolves around who actually killed Fyodor Pavlovitch. The answer is shocking, terrifying, and deeply thought-provoking.

“The Brothers Karamazov” is far more than a mystery, however. It is a novel about the clash of competing worldviews. The hedonistic lifestyle of Dmitri is powerfully contrasted with both the “moralistic atheism” of Ivan and the biblical Christianity of Alyosha. Ultimately, it is this war between three competing ideas that makes the book’s challenging conclusion so powerful. (If anyone’s wondering why I’m keeping the summary short, it’s because I don’t want to give away any key plot points.)

Dostoevsky is a master of the written word. Descriptions of Dmitri’s drunken extravagance are intercut with verbal jousts between Ivan and Satan and remembrances of the faith of Alyosha’s spiritual mentors. This sets up the fundamental conflict underlying the story and gives great depth to the reader’s understanding of each character. Dostoevsky devotes large sections of the book to analyzing each of the brothers’ inner thoughts and motives, which further develops their characters.

Objectionable content? Nothing that would compromise a PG rating. There is some (very) mild suggestive material, as well as some bloody violence in the context of the murder, but these subjects are handled with great delicacy.

It’s worth noting that this is a very long book, and not easy reading. An intense focus on the text is required in order to fully grasp the complex story. (I finished it last night after reading for 3 1/2 hours. Straight.) It’s certainly worth your while, though, especially for serious students of literature.

VERDICT: 8.5/10
A compelling look at the nature of man and his place in society, all in the context of a mystery story. Excellent.

This is THE definitive King Arthur story. I’m a serious King Arthur nerd, and a fan of both the historical (Lawhead, Cornwell) and fantastical (Sutcliff, Green) approaches to his influential life. So when I saw “Le Morte d’Arthur” – the seminal Arthurian tome – on a shelf at my local library, I figured now was as good a time as any to read it. Authored by Sir Thomas Malory in 1485, “The Death of Arthur” tells Arthur’s story from birth to death.

For starters, this is a LONG book. Very long. At more than 900 pages, it’s not exactly beach reading. But, length really isn’t that much of a concern…is it? After all, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” was more than 850 pages long, and that was still a pretty quick read. How hard can it be…really?

To put it bluntly, “Le Morte d’Arthur” makes Shakespeare or the King James Version look positively modern. Consider the following passage:

“And then the bishop made semblaunt as though he would have gone to the sacring of the mass. And then he took an ubblie which was made in likeness of bread. And at the lifting up there came a figure in likeness of a child, and the visage was as red and as bright as any fire, and smote himself into the bread, so that they all saw it that the bread was formed of a fleshly man; and then he put it into the Holy Vessel again, and then he did that longed to a priest to do to a mass.”

Umm….yeah.

There’s a 500-page chunk in the middle of the book that is dry as dust. There just aren’t that many ways of describing jousts, tournaments, and one-on-one duels. Things get really old, really fast. (This is the part having to do with Sir Tristram after his flight from Cornwall, and his feud with Sir Palomides.) It’s tedious, dull, and probably the most difficult book I’ve ever read.

“Le Morte d’Arthur” is NOT easy reading. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t give it a try.

Fans of Roger Lancelyn Green’s “King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table,” will find much to like here. The stories and characters are classics – King Arthur, Sir Launcelot, Sir Gawaine, Sir Tristram, Sir Galahad, Sir Percivale, and countless others. Virtually every conceivable Arthurian adventure is covered (the only notable omissions being the stories of “Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight” and “Geraint and Enid.”) The climax of the book is definitely the search for the Sangreal (Holy Grail). This adventure makes up for the lengthy boring stretches earlier in the book. It’s exciting, fast-paced, spiritually provocative, and deeply triumphant.

Morally, “Le Morte d’Arthur” is an interesting case. The adulterous love between Sir Tristram and Queen Isoud of Cornwall is held up as a tragic love story in the vein of “Romeo and Juliet.” However, a similar relationship between Sir Launcelot and Queen Guenever is portrayed as dangerous and treasonous. Romantic relationships outside of wedlock are seemingly condoned in some of the early adventures…yet the ideals of purity and chastity are crucial parts of the quest for the Holy Grail.

Character development is handled in an interesting way. Readers almost never get any insight into the inner feelings of the knights of the Round Table, but their moral convictions are developed through their actions. By the end of the book, it’s clear that Launcelot is a temptation-troubled champion, Tristram is a melancholy romantic, Gawaine is a hot-tempered blowhard, Palomides is a vengeful and brooding warrior, and Gareth is a quiet leader. This extends to probably ten or fifteen other knights as well. The only character whose motivations are ambiguous is King Arthur himself. Arthur is a bit of a cardboard character – he doesn’t often leave Camelot, and when he does, he’s inevitably beaten in battle by one of his best knights.

I could go on and on, but I’ll move on to the big question: is it worth reading?

For Arthurian nuts like me: yes. Anyone incensed by the mutilation of the King Arthur story in popular media might also find it interesting.

For everyone else: read Roger Lancelyn Green’s version. It’s shorter, snappier, simpler, and more fun to read.

VERDICT: 7/10

Obtuse? Yes. Difficult? Yes. Rewarding? Yes.