Zachary's comments (member since Jun 30, 2009)

Zachary's comments from the Russian Readers Club group.

I would have to go with Tolstoy's War and Peace and then Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov. There are so many great Russian novels, but for me, these two were the most insightful and beautifully written pieces of literature.

Marc,

Indeed, these lectures, as are most Teaching Company lectures, are primary geared as an undergraduate level survey. They attempt to capture the breadth of Russian literature, but of course can't visit them all nor have time go into a very deep analysis. I think the lectures are great in that regard, but yes, for those who are already very well versed in Russian literature, perhaps a more heavy study is the right pathway. (But I think most can still learn from Weil's lectures). The book you recommend is indeed good, and there are many other good ones out there, but for those who are serious about Russian literature and depth behind it, I'd recommend you subscribe to The Slavic Review by becoming a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies (AAASS). (http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~aaass/). There is also The Russian Review, which is a good scholarly periodical for those who are interested, but I personally have been inclined toward The Slavic Review. (http://www.russianreview.org/). Anyhow, thanks for the feedback and glad you are at least liking the lectures.

Since we have scheduled readers to be finished with this novel, I wanted to ask some discussion provoking questions. (and encourage others to add to my list.) Greg already provided a great and crisp review of certain aspects of the novel, but I wanted to delve a bit deeper and pull out some interpretations. The great thing about literature is that can be debatable, which is pedagogical itself. I would love to hear some thoughts on some of the questions below. And FYI to those who haven’t finished the novel, there are some spoilers in the questions below.

1) What is the character Bazarov symbolic of, what is his role in the novel? Why did Turgenev portray his Bazarov’s life then death the way he did? What is symbolic about Bazarov’s death and what is Turgenev arguing about it?
2) Again, what is the character Arkady symbolic of, what is his role in the novel? What does the pathway that Arkady progressed through tell us? Do you think Arkady abandoned his principles as a nihilist in the end? If so, or if not, what is Turgenev trying to tell us with Arkady’s marriage and later life?
3) And, although this novel attacks nihilism, it raises the question, can one live by a set of ideological principles? How so, or why not?
4) What are the roles of other characters in the book, and what to they symbolize and typify?
5) And what do we learn about the generational differences from this novel? Do you agree with Turgenev about some of these ideas?

Based on past comments about which books members of the group would like to read (in the Monthly Reading Nominations forum), and some recent discussions about this, I would like to propose for those interested that we read Turgenev's Fathers and Sons. It is considered a classic in Russian literature and opens many questions for the reader. Briefly put, the short novel Fathers & Sons takes place in 19th century rural Russia and examines the different worldviews and lifestyles of two family generations (generally between parents and their children), though it also examines the Nihilism movement within this context.

This post forum should serve as a discussion forum on the book; to discuss the book generally, as well the specific themes and issues in the book. For those who would like to participate in reading the book please feel free to post about your willingness and offer suggestions throughout the read. Thanks.

Susan (and other group members),

Make it official, I would like to put forth Fathers & Sons as the book for July. Since I am new to the group, should we make a new post section and open it as being read by group members for July? If there is a proper protocol for this let me know (other group members feel free to jump in here). I noticed this book was mentioned by a handful of others in this posting list, so I assume there is some backing behind it. Anyhow, if you feel its a good idea I'll make a new post and open the pathway for others to read it for the month of July.

Thanks,
Zach

Sounds great. I'm ready to begin. Let me know if there are any next steps for the group, or if this will be something else.

Cheers,
Zach

For those interested in Dostoevsky, I strongly recommend the essay published in the Summer 2009 Slavic Review by James Rice entitled "The Covert Design of The Brothers Karamazov: Alesha’s Pathology and Dialectic." Its a very nice piece looking at the health issues Dostoevsky faced in his own life (such as epilepsy and anxiety), and how this influenced and tied into Brothers Karamazov. A well done piece that helped me see new insights into this masterpiece.

As for a recommendation, perhaps I'd also float the idea of reading Fathers & Sons, which is on my shelf waiting to be read. Thanks.

Cheers,
Zach

Susan,
Yes, I have Weil's lectures and they are great. I highly recommend them. There are also some great lectures on Russian literature in Mark Steinberg's Great Courses lectures on Russian History. Both are very good, but Weil does a great job discussing Russian literature. If you enjoy Russian literature, Weil will only improve your understanding and eagerness to read the great Russian novels.

Cheers,
Zach