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Silence and Confession in The Brothers Karamazov
Author(s) -
JENS BENJAMIN
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the russian review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.136
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1467-9434
pISSN - 0036-0341
DOI - 10.1111/russ.12061
Subject(s) - silence , confession (law) , fyodor , meaning (existential) , icon , phenomenon , variety (cybernetics) , literature , philosophy , aesthetics , art , epistemology , law , political science , artificial intelligence , computer science , programming language
Silence is an integral part of discourse, shaping our utterances and imparting meaning in a variety of ways. Fyodor Dostoevsky proves to be especially attentive to the communicative possibilities of silence, using the phenomenon in diverse ways in a wide range of contexts in his works. In The Brothers Karamazov Dostoevsky draws on Eastern Orthodox icon theology and tradition to imbue a particular form of silence, molchanie , with the ability to facilitate communion (in the fullest sense of the word) in certain contexts. This use of silence is most clearly articulated by Dmitrii Karamazov in his “Confession of an Ardent Heart,” and practiced by Alesha during the confessions of his brothers Dmitrii and Ivan.