Download:

PDF

Author: Liudmila I. Saraskina
Information about the author:

DSc in Philology, Director of Research, Department of Mass Media Arts, State Institute for Art Studies, Kozitskiy Lane 5, 125009 Moscow, Russia.

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4844-4930

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For citation:

Saraskina, L.I. “‘Do Not Blame Anyone...’ The Suicide Note as a Trait of the Character’s Image.” Dostoevsky and World Culture. Philological journal, no. 1 (17), 2022, pp. 63–99. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2022-1-63-99

Received: 31 Jan. 2022
Published: 25 Mar. 2022
Issue: 2022 no. 1 (17)
Department: HERMENEUTICS. SLOW READING
Pages: 63-99
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2022-1-63-99
UDK: 821.16.1.0
BBK: 83.3(2=411.2)
Keywords: Dostoevsky, Korsakova, destiny, suicide, suicide note, life instinct, will to death, farewell formulas, latecomers.
Abstract: The paper analyses the destinies of those characters in Dostoevsky’s novels who resolved to voluntarily part with their lives, committing suicide. The author tries to understand the ideological and practical motives, as well as the concomitant declarations and immediate reasons for these gestures. It is asserted that in every case the decision to annihilate oneself is taken with great effort and that life instinct persists in one’s heart till the very last instants which remain a mystery for those who stay alive. In this respect, the case of Kirillov in The Possessed is unique. The suicide notes, letters, or diaries, which self-destroyers write either in advance or during the last moments of their life, often contain the formula: “Do not blame anybody, I did it myself”. Seems these words can two different purposes. The phrase can serve as a kind of laissezpasser for people, belonging to one’s environment; however, it can be also a way to settle accounts with some of them (as in the case of Smerdyakov). Some characters in the article are categorized as “latecomers”, i.e. those who could have prevented the suicide but missed the opportunity, as did Arkady Dolgoruky with Kraft. Stavrogin could have saved Matryosha, prevented her suicide, but he did not want to and chose to stay aside and watch with curiosity. This tragic experience later made him write his confession. People close to the would-be self-destroyer usually do not perceive signals from the person who comes to bid adieu, and sometimes the preparation for suicide may be camouflaged through cunning and pretenses (Raskolnikov and Svidrigailov). The suicide message may be sent as a gesture or symbol, as it was for Matryosha or the “Meek One”. The paper is dedicated to the artist A.N. Korsakova who illustrated Dostoevsky’s works for many years and, in the end, shared the destiny of those Dostoevsky’s characters who voluntarily parted with their lives.

References

1. Aleksandrovich, Yu. Matreshkina problema. “Ispoved’ Stavrogina” F.M. Dostoevskogo i problema zhenskoj dushi [The Problem of Matryoshka. “Stavrogin’s Confession” by F.M. Dostoevsky and the Problem of Woman’s Soul]. Moscow, Pomor’e Publ., 1922. 34 p. (In Russ.)

2. Berdiaev, N.A. “Stavrogin” [“Stavrogin”]. Russkaia mysl’, no. 5, 1914, pp. 80−89. (In Russ.)

3. Berdiaev, N.A. “Stavrogin” [“Stavrogin”]. F.M. Dostoevskii. Besy. Roman v trekh chastiah. “Besy”: Antologiia russkoi kritiki [F.M. Dostoevsky. The Possessed. A Novel in Three Parts. The Possessed: An Anthology of Russian Criticism], comp., ed., comm. by L.I. Saraskina, Moscow, Soglasie Publ., 1996. 518−524. pp. (In Russ.)

4. Bulgakov, S.N. “Russkaia tragediia. O “Besah” Dostoevskogo, v sviazi s inscenirovkoi romana v Moskovskom Khudozhestvennom teatre” [“A Russian Tragedy. On Dostoevsky’s The Possessed for its Stage Version at the Moscow Art Theatre”]. Russkaia mysl’, no. 4, 1914, pp. 1–26. (In Russ.)

5. Bekon, Fr. “O dostoinstve i priumnozhenii nauk” [“Of the Proficience and Advancement of Learning”]. Sochineniia: v 2 tomakh [Collected Works: in 2 vols], vol. 1, Moscow, Mysl’ Publ., 1971, 81−524 pp. (In Russ.)

6. Gippokrat. Izbrannye knigi [Selected Books]. Trans. from Greek by V.I.Rudnev. Moscow, “Svarog” Publ., 1994. 736 p. (In Russ.)

7. Gippokrat. Ob iskusstve [On Art]. Moscow, Gos. izdatel’stvo biol. i med. literatury Publ., 1936. 141 p. https://rusneb.ru/catalog/000199_000009_005274224_1000221922/ Accessed 19 Jan. 2022. (In Russ.)

8. Dostoevskii, F.M. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii: v 30 tomakh [Complete Works: in 30 vols]. Leningrad, Nauka Publ., 1972–1990. (In Russ.)

9. Ivanov, V.I. “Osnovnoi mif v romane ‘Besy’” [“The Basic Myth of the Novel The Possessed”]. Russkaia mysl’, no. 4, 1914, pp. 111–117. (In Russ.)

10. Kamiu, A. Mif o Sizife. Esse ob absurde [The Myth of Sisyphus. An Essay on the Absurd]. https://www.litmir.me/br/?b=58360&p=1 Accessed 20 Jan. 2022. (In Russ.)

11. Komarovich, V.L. “Neizdannaia glava romana ‘Besy’” [“An Unpublished Chapter of the Novel The Possessed”]. Byloe, no. 18, 1922, pp. 219–226. (In Russ.)

12. Legeido, V. “Doktor Smert’ — vrach, kotoryi borolsia za evtanaziiu i otsidel za ubiistvo. Ego istoriiu ekranizirovali na amerikanskom TV” [“Doctor Death — a Doctor who Struggled for Euthanasia and was Imprisoned for Murder. His Story was Shown on American TV”]. tjournal. ru, 27 Sept. 2021, https://tjournal.ru/stories/442898-doktor-smert-vrach-kotoryy-borolsya-za-evtanaziyu-i-otsidel-za-ubiystvo-ego-istoriyu-ekranizirovali-na-amerikanskom-tv Accessed 21 Jan. 2022. (In Russ.)

13. Mikushevich, V. “Pis’mo Stavrogina Liudmile” [“Stavrogin’s Letter to Lyudmila”]. Novaia iunost’, no. 1–2, 1995, pp. 91–92. (In Russ.)

14. Pereverzev, V.F. “Dostoevskii i revoliutsiia” [“Dostoevsky and Revolution”]. Pechat’ i revoliutsiia, no. 3, 1921, pp. 3–10. (In Russ.)

15. Pereverzev, V.F. F.M. Dostoevskii [F.M. Dostoevsky]. Moscow-Leningrad, Gosizdat Publ., 1925. 135 p. (In Russ.)

16. Prepodobnogo otca avvy Ioanna, igumena Sinajskoj gory Lestvica v russkom perevode s alfavitnym ukazatelem [The Ladder of Divine Ascent by John Climacus in a Russian Translation with an Alphabetical Index]. Moscow, Pravoslavnoe bratstvo svyatogo apostola Ioanna Bogoslova Publ., 2001. 351 p. (In Russ.)

17. Pushkin, A.S. “K portretu Chaadaeva” [“On Chaadayev’s Portrait]. Sochineniia [Works], Moscow, Gosizdat Publ., 1937. 974 p. (In Russ.)

18. Saraskina, L.I. “Istoriia odnogo puteshestviia, ili Stavrogin v Islandii” [“The Story of a Voyage, or Stavrogin in Iceland”]. Znaniia — sila, no. 5, 1986, pp. 26–29. (In Russ.)

19. Saraskina, L.I. “Besy” — roman-preduprezhdenie [The Possessed: Novel and Warning]. Moscow, Sovetskii pisatel’. Publ., 1990. 480 p. (In Russ.)

20. Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Nravstvennye pis’ma k Luciliiu [Moral Letters to Lucilius]. Trans. by S.A.Osherov. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1977. 384 p. https://mir-knig.com/read_438558-116 Accessed 21 Jan. 2022. (In Russ.)

21. Solov’ev, V.S. “Na nebesah goriat panikadila...” [“Polykandelons Burn in Heaven...”]. Polnoe sobranie stihotvorenii [Complete Works]. https://www.litres.ru/vladimirsergeevich-solovev/polnoe-sobranie-stihotvoreniy-42383900/ Accessed 20 Jan. 2022. (In Russ.)

22. Chaadaev, P.Ia. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii i izbrannie pis’ma: v 2 tomah [Complete Works and Selected Letters: in 2 vols]. Vol. 1. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1991. 800 p. (In Russ.)

22. Freid, S. Osnovnye psikhologicheskie teorii v psikhoanalize. Ocherk istorii psikhoanaliza. Sbornik [The Main Psychological Theories in Psychoanalysis. An Outline of the History of Psychoanalysis. Collected Works]. St. Petersburg, Aleteiia Publ., 1998. 254 p. (In Russ.)