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Author Topic: Ippolit's Speech in The Idiot  (Read 1870 times)
hellosb2003

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« on: April 14, 2008, 11:06:44 AM »

- Why does Ippolit doubt the "awesome power" of humility?

- Why Why is Prince Myshkin so obsessed with capital punishment?

- Is Myshkin a true Christian believer?
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Scoundrel
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« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2008, 07:23:24 AM »

Myshkin is definitely a true christian believer... you can see it in his every action... the way he immediately forgives anyone who wrongs him, and the way he's constantly trying to spare people from humiliation...

for example, the scene where the boy (I forgot his name, Ippolit's friend) trys to make a claim at Myshkin's inheritance early on in Pavlosk, Myshkin offers him a considerable sum anyway, but then immediately is disappointed in himself because he knows that the stubborn boy will not accept the charity in front of the crowd... he wishes that he had approached him privately with the offer.

The fact that Myshkin dwells on capital punishment is yet another example of his christ-like sentiment.  He empathizes with the convicted, being led to the gallows, and can understand what they must be going through.

I didn't have time to read Ippolit's whole speech over, just now, and I didn't see where he mentioned that he doubts the awesome power of humility in the part that I did read, but I'd have to guess what he meant, taking into consideration where he's coming from.  Ippolit basically is sentenced to death, and there is nothing that anyone can do to change that, no level of humility or anything else will spare his life, and the power of humility isn't so awesome in his case.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2008, 07:23:44 AM by Scoundrel » Logged

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