Towards the very end of college I became involved with Janny, a precocious first year student. I was very impressed with her from the outset. Not only was she exceptionally well read, but she could read in Dutch and German as well as English, her family having moved often owing to her father's work as a government mathematician.

The relationship continued even upon my graduation and move to seminary in New York City. We spent part of the intervening summer together, corresponding the rest of the time. Coincidentally, Janny's mother had attended Teacher's College there, its main building just across the Broadway from my dorm room, so she felt some reason beyond me to transfer to Barnard/Columbia a semester after my matriculation. Together we shared a room and our books in Hastings Hall for two years--a long while for ones so young.

I've a low opinion of intelligence theory, of IQ tests and the like (see Gould's The Mismeasure of Man), but I am impressed with language ability and learning. Janny was not only well read and well spoken, but she was intellectually catholic and adventurous, delving into one new field after another, even taking a hand at painting--and not doing badly at her first tries! She was also somewhat tortured and driven, a result perhaps of the unstable childhood, the lack of constant friends, as well as of having an intellect in advance of her years which naturally trailed her youthful drives. Whatever the case, Dostoevsky spoke to her and she had read and thought seriously about the bulk of his works.

In addition to my own, more pedestrian academic and personal pursuits I made a project out of coming to grips with her thought-world. This included reading Dostoevsky myself, lots of Dostoevsky, until I too had gone through pretty much all of his fiction.

The Adolescent, like much of Dostoevsky's work, is about the conflict of generations and of values. He himself had had a troubled relationship with his own father (a probable serf-rapist) & a youthful flirtation with the left and what he came to call "nihilism" in later years after a spell in prison and a conversion to Orthodoxy and conservatism. Indeed, virtually all of his books have representations of the young FD in conflict with the old FD.

Personally, I was not much impressed with The Adolescent nor with much of Dostoevsky's work, his conflicts not being mine. My own parents and grandparents were liberal, even socialistic. I respected them and felt respected in return. Such adolescent rebellion as I expressed was not much against the family. Further, while I was enormously concerned about values, about determining to my satisfaction some defensible ground for ethics, my starting point and my eventual conclusion were not, like his, framed in terms of a received religious faith. I was not haunted like he was with notions of a personal god. Indeed, the study of religion was, for me, an antidote against any such superstitions.

The reasons for my not being as impressed with Dostoevsky as Janny was bespeaks perhsps an aspect of why our relationship did not, as I had wanted it to, continue beyond the years in New York. Now, older and more resolved than I was then, I would have a host of questions for her about father, family, ethics and religion.

Mein Anspruch an mich selbst war zu hoch. Es gelingt mir einfach nicht die richtigen Worte zu finden für das Leseerlebnis dieses Buches. Es war mein erster "großer" Dostojewski, und ich bin ihn mit einer gewissen Ehrfurcht angegangen. Glücklicherweise konnte ich diese bald ablegen, denn der Roman zog mich in sich hinein. Anfangs nahm ich mir noch die Zeit Querbezügen und Anspielungen nachzuspüren, dann aber packte mich die Geschichte und ich musste einfach wissen, wie sie weitergeht. Darf ein Klassiker ein Pageturner sein? oder mache ich da etwas falsch? Die Tatsache, das es mir so ging liegt sicherlich auch an der großartigen Übersetzung durch Swetlana Geier, die Erklärungen im Anhang zudem das Verständnis sehr erleichterten. Allein schon den Mut den Titel neu und damit endlich richtig zu übersetzen muss man ihr hoch anrechnen. Was kann ich noch sagen: Lest dieses Buch! Lasst Euch nicht beeinflussen von der fälschlichen Meinung dies sei der schwächste der "Elefanten". Er ist es sicher nicht.

Fourth of Dostoyevsky's five river novels (published between The Demons and The Brothers Karamazov), The Adolescent is the least known and probably the most minor read.
The teenager, Arkadi Makarovich Dolgorouki, is the bastard of a lord and the wife of one of his serfs, with whom he lives, although the husband is still alive. The book is a first-person account of several important events to the character and those around him.
Arkadi knew his parents little in his early years; he came to live with them in Saint Petersburg, his baccalaureate in his pocket. The title is well-chosen because the hero is a "typical" teenager. In revolt and opposition, wanting to settle accounts, proud, susceptible, but at the same time not at all sure of himself, and therefore speaking loud and clear, at the most ill-chosen moments, pretentious and naive, he is, at times, quite unbearable.
The plot is almost even more complicated than in the author's other novels, and you have to hang on a bit to avoid getting lost in it and find yourself in all the characters. However, as in other works by the author, we see metaphysical questioning, notions of freedom, and evil. In addition, the work includes many biographical aspects, such as game scenes (roulette).
Undoubtedly less striking than other books of the author, at least for me, it is nevertheless a gripping and dense reading. Perhaps the young man's choice to write the novel as a diary was not the best angle possible, as it is sometimes repetitive. The young man is not of exceptional clarity and penetration, and certain complex aspects of Dostoyevsky's thought have more difficulty expressing themselves through his pen.

Dostojewski erzählt einerseits die sich zuspitzende Handlung eines Erpressungsversuches, behandelt dabei aber das Reifen eines jungen Mannes, der seinen Platz in seiner Familie und der Gesellschaft findet. Trotz seiner Länge ist der Text nie langatmig.

Most of the stuff you expect from Dostoevsky is here. As usual we have a build-up in Part 1, where we get acquainted with the story, the characters and so on, and we are slowly brought into it all. Naturally there is a really climactic last part to the book, and the final 50 or so pages are very intense!

There is one big difference between this novel and most of Dostoevsky's other novels, except for Notes From Underground, in that it uses a first-person narrative. This is interesting, and it's worth noting that the main character in The Adolescent - Arkady Dolgoruky - has, at least initially, certain traits similar to this 'underground man,' as pointed out by Richard Pevear in the introduction.

Another thing that struck me about the novel is that the familiar coating in philosophy, so common in Dostoevsky, is largely missing. At least, it is far from as prevalent as in his other works. For the most part this is a fairly straightforward tale about family drama and, well, other kinds of drama that occurs in Arkady's life, told my Arkady himself, as he, 'unable to restrain' himself, sits down to record 'this history of my first steps on life's career, though I could have done as well without it.'

Although not a monumental work like The Brothers Karamazov, this novel is hardly bad or, as some literary critics have said, a sort of blemish on Dostoevsky's record. It's a highly enjoyable and really quite riveting read throughout, and one that fans of Dostoevsky should not miss. There are a number of great scenes in this book, and wonderful portrayals of humans -- as is to be expected in Dostoevsky. The parts with Arkady and his grandfather are especially memorable.

"Don't murmur, young one: it's all the more beautiful that it's a mystery."

يكتب ديستويفسكي في مسوّدة الرواية :
" المطلوب تغيير العالم فلنبدأ بأنفسنا ... و فكرتي هي أنّه ينبغي تغيير العالم ولكن أوّل خطوة نحو ذلك أن نبدأ حتما بأنفسنا "
و هذا ما اختاره المراهق , فكتب مذكّراته و دوّن ذاكرته بكلّ تفاصيلها و بكلّ ما يملك و يريد من صدق في نقل مغامراته و أخطائه ونزقه و غبائه و أخطائه و أفكاره , لم يكتبها ترفا و إنّما لتكون مرقاته نحو التغيير : " أحسست فجأة أنّني بفضل هذا التذكّر و هذا التسجيل لذكرياتي ربّيت نفسي تربية جديدة " و هذا ما أراده المراهق و ما أراده ديستويفسكي , أن ترى الفوضى و الغباء الذي يملأ العالم و تدرك أنّك جزء منه و حجزء من التغيير الذي ينبغي أن يكون و الذي لن يبدأ إلّا من نفسك و بمعرفة نفسك و مصارحتها بالتدوين أو بالاعتراف أو غيره , ديستويفسكي شاهد على عصره و وطنه و لذلك ينير لنا شهادتنا على عصرنا و مكاننا , عبقريّة ديستويفسكي لا بدّ أن تتجلّى في هذه الرواية أيضا في فهمه العميق لمجتمعه و طبقاته و أفكاره و تحليله الدقيق لمكامن الداء و الأمراض الاجتماعية و التعقيدات الفكريّة فيه , هذا طبعا جزء من تفرّده بأنّه أعمق من تبحّر و غاص في النفس الإنسانية بكلّ ألغازها و تشابكها و تعقيداتها ,

و لا شكّ أنّ من عباراته التي يقولها على لسان شخوصه ما لا يمكن أن يُنسى بل يؤثّر فيك عميقا لأنّ عقلا عميقا حقّا يقف وراءها , أتذكّر قوله في الرواية مثلا :
" إن حياة المرأة هي رحلة البحث عن رجل تخضع له ! "
أو
" ربما كان من الأفضل للمرء أن يُجرح من قِل الناس , فإنه على الأقلّ يتخلّص عندئذ من عذاب محبّتهم "
أو هذا التحليل الذي أدهشني
" أنا لا أفهم كيف يستطيع المرء إذا هو كان خاضعا لتأثير فكرة مسيطرة يرتبط بها عقله و قلبه ارتباطا تامّا , أن يعيش أيّة حياة خارج هذه الفكرة ؟ .....كثير من البشر يتحوّل الاستدلال المنطقيّ عندهم أحيانا إلى عاطفة قويّة تستولي على وجودهم كلّه , فلكي نشفي إنسانا أصيب بهذا الداء يجب علينا أن نفغيّر هذه العاطفة بالذات , و هذا لا يكون ممكنا إلّا بأن نحلّ محلّ هذه العاطفة عاطفة أخرى تساويها , و ذلك صعب دائما , حتى لقد يكون في بعض الأحيان مستحيلا ! "
أو حين يتكلّم عن نمط من الإيمان يراه ظاهرة في مجتمعه
"كثير من المتكبّرين جدّا يحبون أن يؤمنوا بالله خاصة أولئك الذين يحتقرون الناس بعض الاحتقار , كثير من الناس يشعرون بنوع من حاجة طبيعية إلى أحد أو إلى شيء يعبدونه . إن الإنسان القويّ يشقّ عليه كثيرا في بعض الأحيان أن يحتمل قوّته ! , السبب في هذا واضح : إنهم يختارون الله حتى لا يعبدوا البشر , طبعا دون أن يدركوا هم أنفسهم ما يجري في قرارة أنفسهم : أإن عبادة الله أقلّ إهانة , أولئك هم أشد المؤمنين حماسة للإيمان أو قل أولئك هم أشدّ المؤمنين رغبة في الإيمان غير أنهم يحسبون رغبتهم هذه إيمانا , و هؤلاء أنفسهم هم أيضا أولئك الذين يفقدون آخر الأمر أوهامهم في أكثر الأحيان "
أو حتى في كلامه عن ظاهرة تفشّي الإلحاد - كما أتذكّرها لأنني لم أسجّلها "
" السجود من طبيعة الإنسان و لا أتخيّل حساة إنسان من غير سجود , إن لم يسجد لله فهو سيجد أو يخترع من يسجد له قد يكون شجرة أو وثنا أو إنسانا أو فكرة .. . حتى أولئك الملحدون ليسوا إلّا وثنيين في حقيقة الأمر "
دون إنكاره أنّ هناك ملحدين حقيقيّين , لا يتخذ موقفا عدائيا منهم بل هو يؤكّد دوما على ضرورة التعدّدية و الإيمان بحقّ الجميع في الاختلاف و اعتناق الأفكار , مع تأكيده هنا كما أكّد في " الإخوة كارامازوف " أو " الجريمة و العقاب " أن الكون من دون الله ليس إلّا غابة !
لا أعلم إن كان تعقيب " يوري كارياكين " خحول ماذا يمكن أن تفيد هذه الرواية الشباب العرب , موجودا في جميع الطبعات كما هو موجود لديّ في طبعة دار رادوغا - موسكو , ولكن حتى إن لم يوجد فابحثوا عنها لدى قراءتكم الرواية فكلماته رائعة حقّا و ليست ممّا يُفرّط فيه .
أصابتني هذه الرواية بالملل أحيانا و طبعا لم تمتعني و تأسرني مثل " الإخوة كارمازوف " أو حتى " الجريمة و العقاب " ولكنّها إحدى تجلّيات عبقريّة ديستويفسكي حتما ... و نقله التحليلي العميق للمجتمع الروسي و الطبيعة الإنسانية .. أيضا

It's even difficult to put into words what I think of this novel at this moment. As I was reading it, I would put it down and say "This is the craziest novel I've read." Or just "It's crazy." That is still my overwhelming sensation. For those of you who know Dostoevsky well, you will find everything here, and maybe somethings you didn't expect. It is absolutely unclear to me why so many critics and professionals just write this novel off. It is a fine novel, especially on the heels of reading Demons. It is also a real page turner, super engaging, hard to put down, with countless plot twists. In fact, I finished it off on a flight from Houston to Portland -- I couldn't stop reading at one point with almost 200 pages to go! For those of you who know Bakhtin well, everything is here as well. Richard Pevear and Larisa Volkhonsky are really at the top of their game here, too. In fact, I have moved their translation of Brothers Karamozov to the top of my to read list now as a result of reading this and Demons. Demons, The Adolescent, and Brothers Karamozov are Dostoevsky's three last novels, and it looks like I have stumbled into reading them in order. Demons and The Adolescent were both new to me, while Brothers Karamozov is an old friend. It will be exciting to see how my understanding of that novel may change in the context of a new translation (new to me at least) and reading it in order with these others. There is definitely a thread (or several) that ties these three novels together.

I will have to ponder this one a while to formulate what I can say about it...

A book I will never forget. I read it in a period of my life with difficulties with my father and this book helped me a lot.
In fact my father had been who introduced me to Dostoyevsky

YouTube kanalımda Dostoyevski'nin hayatı, kitapları ve kronolojik okuma sırası hakkında bilgi edinebilirsiniz:
https://youtu.be/0i9F0L1dcsM

Delikanlı kitabını bitirdikten sonra kendi düşüncelerime uygun bir görüş aramak amacıyla internet keşfine çıktım. Edward Hallett Carr'ın Delikanlı kitabı için demiş olduğu:

"Dostoyevski'nin hiçbir romanında bu kadar kişi yoktur ya da hiçbir romanında, kitap kapatıldıktan sonra okuyucunun aklında kesin bir izlenim bırakan bu denli az kişi yoktur,"
cümlesine kesinlikle katılıyorum.

Öncelikle kitaba İletişim Yayınevi'nden sahip olmayanlar için internette zar zor bulduğum, Dostoyevski severlerin kesinlikle okuması gereken çok faydalı bir adet önsöz ve sonsöz bırakıyorum.
ÖNSÖZ- Delikanlı Üzerine Notlar / Joseph Frank: https://docplayer.biz.tr/5622798-Dost...
SONSÖZ- Psikolog Olarak Dostoyevski / Edward Hallett Carr (s.231'den başlıyor):
https://issuu.com/blackauge/docs/edwa...

Kitabı bitirdikten sonra 65 sayfa inceleme yazısı okumak istemeyenler için bu 2 değerli yazıdan anladıklarımı size sunmak istiyorum.

Delikanlı kitabı, toplum mühendisi Dostoyevski için Ecinniler köprüsünü geçtikten sonra Karamazov Kardeşler hedefine varmadan okunması gereken son kitaptır. Kronolojik okumanın elzem olduğu bu dev isimde Öteki kitabındaki alter ego ve çift kişilik göndermelerine, Kumarbaz kitabındaki kumar tutkusuna, Suç ve Ceza'daki derin psikolojik buhranlara, Ecinniler kitabındaki politika, devrim, milliyetçilik ve din konularındaki dönemin siyasi anlayışına tanıklık etmek Delikanlı'nın parçalarını tamamlayabilmek için büyük bir önem taşır. Pek tabii ki Karamazov Kardeşler'in de buna dahil olduğunu rahatlıkla söyleyebilirim.

Gücün kaynağı olarak muazzam bir servet kaynağı ülküsünün Rus kültüründe Rothschild adıyla anılmasının 1850'lerde başladığını düşündüğümüzde, 1875 tarihinde basılmış olan Delikanlı kitabı için II. Aleksandr'ın 1861'de serfliği kaldırıp milyonlarca köylüyü özgürlüğüne kavuşturmasının epey önemli olduğunu söyleyebilirim.
Hatta Delikanlı'da 408. sayfada geçen:
"Bir Rus, kendisi için beylik, kökleşmiş yaşantı çemberinden dışarı çıkınca, sudan çıkmış balığa döner, ne yapacağını, ne edeceğini bilemez." cümleleri de toprak köleliği sisteminden çıkmış Rusların içine düştüğü başıboşluğu anlatır. Ayrıca Carr'ın Dostoyevski biyografisinde dediği gibi köylü Ruslar ilk kez bir Dostoyevski romanında bu kadar detaylı bir şekilde anlatılmıştır.

Puşkin'in Byelkin Öyküleri'nde 1. tekil şahıs anlatıcının kullanılması gibi Delikanlı'daki Dolgorukiy karakteri de Rusların kendi kendilerini yine kendisine anlatması gibi algılanabilir. Hiçbir şeyden haberi olmayan ve bir kolu sosyalizm, diğer kolu da Rothschild serveti ülküsü tarafından çekilen delikanlı karakteri, 19.yüzyılın ikinci yarısında Rus düşünce dünyasında entelijansiya olarak kendini göstermiş kısmı temsil ediyor gibi görünen Versilov, eski kutsal ve Ortodoks Rusya'yı temsil eden Makar ve ailesi, 1870'de tarım merkezli Rus ekonomisinin sanayileşme dalgasıyla değişmeye başlamasını karşılayan Stebelkov karakteri, Lambert karakterinin bedenselliği ve maddeciliği ile bir karakter gökkuşağına dönüşür. Bu yüzdendir ki, Carr'ın dediği kesin bir izlenim bırakmama olayını kitabı bitirdikten sonra net bir şekilde yaşadığımı söyleyebilirim. Çünkü Ecinniler kitabının incelemesinde de bahsettiğim Neçayev devrimciliği fırtınası devamında gelen 1870ler neslinin Neçayevizmi artık ilginç bulmadığını bildiği bir Dostoyevski ile birlikte baba Versilov aracılığıyla aktarılır.

Peki neden Delikanlı okunmalı?

İnsancıklar'daki lirik gerçekçiliği görmeden, Öteki'deki ve Suç ve Ceza'daki kişilik bölünmesini, çift kişiliği görmeden, Ev Sahibesi'ndeki Ordınov'un bakışlarıyla karşılaşmadan, Beyaz Geceler'deki şehir tasvirleriyle, Budala'daki Mışkin, Rogojin, Filippovna karakterleriyle, sosyete ve idam mahkumu sahneleriyle tanışmadan, Kumarbaz'daki bir Dostoyevski denklemi olan tutkunun en istisnai duygusu olmasıyla karşılaşmadan, yeraltına inmeden, Ölüler Evinden Anılar'daki kürek mahkumlarının acıklı seslerini duymadan, Stepançikovo Köyü'ndeki kara mizahla ve yine Suç ve Ceza'daki id, ego, süper ego merdiveniyle tanışmadan, Ecinniler'in dev politika köprüsünden geçmeden, köprü geçildiği sırada Delikanlı kitabındaki karakter gökkuşağıyla tanışmadan köprünün karşı tarafında bulunan Karamazov Kardeşler tarafına kanatlanmanın bir anlamı olmayacaktır.

Üstte linkini verdiğim iki yazıdan anladığım kadarıyla Ivan Karamazov da aynı Versilov karakteri gibi çelişkili sözler sarf eden bir karakterdir. Din ile milliyetçilik sorgulamaları arasında kalan Dostoyevski'yi en iyi anlamlandırabilme kitabı olabilecek Karamazov Kardeşler için yüksek ülkünün istediği ahlaki-ideolojik aydınlanmanın eksik tarafı Delikanlı'da bulunan Makar karakteri, Dostoyevski'nin babasına duyduğu hem gücenme hem de sevme karşıtlıkları Dolgorukiy'in üvey babası Versilov ile arasında yaşadığı aile içi etkileşimler ile birlikte Hegelci tez-antitezin yüksek sentezde buluşması yüksek ve aşağı ögelerin birlikte kullanıldığı Delikanlı kitabında tamamlanır, diyebilirim.

Bu iki muhteşem yazıyı okuduktan sonra Dostoyevski'nin aklındaki psikolojik gelgitlere Edward Hallett Carr'ın Dostoyevski biyografisinde belirtmiş olduğu:
"Günah duygusunu bir yana bırakırsanız kurtuluşa ulaşamazsınız." cümlesiyle rahatlıkla ulaşabileceğimizi söylemeliyim. Ne kadar anlamlı ve gizleri açığa çıkaran bir cümledir bu!

لو كان فيه 10 او حتى 100 نجمة كان خدها بكل سهولة

معرفش ازاي حرجع اقرا للكتاب "العاديين"، ا

عبقرية الى ابعد الحدود،
اخيرا كاتب ادى للانسان التعقيد الي يستحقه، مش شوية معطيات و معلومات بتاخدها في نوتة في اول القصة و البطل زي الروبوت بيتحرك على اساسها باقي القصة

الابطال مش اغبيا (و ديه حاجة باعشقها في القصص - السبب الوحيد الي ممكن يخليني اني اقرا لبطل غبي هي ان القصة تكون كوميدي) ، القصة 800 صفحة تقريبا بس محستش بذرة ملل طول القصة

القصة مكتوبة من 150 سنة تقريبا، بس في احيان كتيرة المراهق الي في القصة احسه انه انا، و بيفكر في افكار غاية في الخصوصية انا ليه مفكر فيها من يومين مثلا، ده غير الافكار المعقدة جدا الي بعد ما بافهمها اتحير ما فكرتش فيها ازاي قبل كده

نوتة على جنب كده خدت بالي منها، ازاي العلاقات بين الناس كانت معقدة، و متشابكة، على عكس علاقتنا دلوقت الي كلها تقريبا بقت سطحية مبنتعاملش مع الناس الا عشان المصلحة (الفضفضة الشخصية او كون الواحد زهقان ديه مصلحة برضه، بس ده موضوع تاني)

اصره، طبعا ريكومندد لاي حد لسه مقراش لدستويفسكي،

1.در همین زمان جوانی‌ام گاها موقعیتی پیش می‌آید که نباید حرفی را بزنم و می‌زنم. گاهی هیجان زیادی بر من مستولی می‌شود که نباید، جایی باید جلوی خودم را بگیرم و نمی‌گیرم؛ همه‌ی این‌هارا من به پای تب‌وتاب و خامی جوانی می‌گذارم.
دالگوروکی پر از این موقعیت‌ها بود. در بعضی حالات، کردارهایش را بسیار شبیه به خودم می‌دانستم. منِ جوانِ خامِ بی دست‌وپا.
دالگوروکی مرا وا داشت تا به رفتار خود بیشتر بیاندیشم. مثلا این‌گونه که  اگر من در موقعیت مشابه بودم چگونه رفتار می‌کردم. گاها پیش می‌آید که برای یک تشکر کوتاه با خودم هزار بار تمرین می‌کنم؛ چگونه بگویم و کِی بگویم را پیش خودم‌ می‌سنجم. این بی‌انسجامی و شک در رفتارم باعث رنج و تنش در من می‌شود‌.

2. رابطه‌ی بین پدر و پسر.
منِ دختر همانند دالگوروکی یک نارسایی عاطفی-گفتاری با پدرم دارم. می‌خواهم چیزی را به‌ او بگویم و نمی‌توانم. جوابش را نصفه می‌دهم. نمی‌توانم پیشش خودِ من باشم. احساس احترام نمی‌‌گذارد آن‌گونه که می‌خواهم پیشش صحبت کنم یا از او تشکر کنم. می‌ترسم شادمانی هیجانی‌ام با تذکر همراه شود. می‌ترسم رفتارم را به پای بی‌خردی و سستی‌ام بگذارد. در این موقعیت خودم را مقصر می‌بینم، من باید پیش او آن‌کسی باشم که هستم اما نمی‌توانم.

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99/12/11

Well I am glad that that is over. I have this stupid rule that I have to finish a book once I have started it which has lead me into some nightmare reads. In this case it meant two years reading - a few pages at a time.

I could not get into this book at all. A complicated family tree, dastardly villains and a secret letter that holds the key to a womans honour. Lots of swooning and people storming off in high dudgeon too. All standard Dostoyevskian fayre I suppose, but for me it did not gell into anything I could enjoy.

If you want to read some Dostoyevsky, try Crime and Punishment instead.