Discovering Russian Literature discussion

CHAPTER I. AT ONE O'CLOCK, YOUR EXCELLENCY!
CHAPTER II. CONDEMNED TO BE HANGED
CHAPTER III. WHY SHOULD I BE HANGED?

I have not been previously familiar with Leonid Andreyev but thus far I am really enjoying his writing. One of the things which I find interesting about Russian literature, for it appear to be a common themes which appears in many Russian books is the way in which they approach the question of the justice system, and well as raise philosophical questions regarding the very nature of crime and guilt.

I love the first chapter of the book, and found it to be very engaging to read and quite brilliant. The whole concept of a person being confronted with the knowledge of exact time of their death, and how they would react to that was rather interesting to consider.

I can see how that information could be both liberating or a constant torment.

I also found it interesting seeing the similarities between the situations of the Minister and Yanson. Both are men who are confronted with the knowledge of their impending death, though in the case of the Minister he was spared his death, while Yanson is left waiting indefinitely knowing it is to come and that he has no escape, and yet he is still unable to come to grips with the idea.

Also interesting that while I do not find Yanson to be a sympathetic character, and I do not truly feel sorry for him as he did bring this fate upon himself by his own actions, but when he questioned the judge as to why he should be hanged, I thought it was curious that the judge (or anyone else) where truly able to give him a straight answer to this question. But rather they simply sought to avoid answering him.

Silver wrote: "I have not been previously familiar with Leonid Andreyev but thus far I am really enjoying his writing. One of the things which I find interesting about Russian literature, for it appear to be a co..."

It doesn't seem like the English reading audience knows much about his work. I myself didn't know about him until I accidently came across few short stories. They were all good. Andreyev's has done a good job of portraying their different reactions and emotions.

I saw the same similarity of the Minister's and Yanson's stories. While minister's fate didn't interest me at all (though the anxiety he is under after knowing his hour of death is pretty interesting ...) I was interested in Yanson's story. Like many criminal characters we find in Russian literature he too is a complicated one.

He lives in Russia but speaks Russian poorly, he is ignorant and it seems to others as he is purely cruel. His actions against animals or people show he is violent, but why? His violence is random.

I think he has got stupefied by anxiety over dying when he asks "why?" They didn't kill him for a month when he was ready and now when he has begun to feel comfortable in his cell like home, they want to kill him.

I don't feel sympathy towards him but I don't feel Yanson is a clod-blooded murderer. At least not at this moment.

Anya wrote: "Andreyev's world was a very frightening, unstable place and his work reflects it. The 1881 assassination of Tsar Aleksandr by terrorists led to a string of: executions of terrorists - new terrorist..."

The introduction of my copy says several of his well known stories like "The Seven Who were Hanged" "The Red Laughter" captures the spirit of the time of the first Russian revolution in which he actively participated in.

Did you finish this section?

Amalie wrote: " think he has got stupefied by anxiety over dying when he asks "why?""

When he is first sentenced he asks Why, and that is when the judges refuse or cannot give him answer. He never really accepts or comes to terms with the possibility of beginning hanged. He repeatedly tells the guard he doesn't want to be hanged, and the longer he is made to wait he convinces himself that he will not be hanged.

Amalie wrote: "It doesn't seem like the English reading audience knows much about his work. I myself didn't know about him until I accidently came across few short stories."

I've heard about him only because it is the group-read, I don't think he is that famous here in Italy. In fact I wasn't able to find an Italian translation. It seems they are out of print.

I've started only today because I could find a free edition on amazon. I'm reading it in English and it is less difficult as I thought.

I must still finish the third story.
I haven't much to say about the two first stories. Perhaps they are too short and there wasn't enough insight for my tastes. They aren't bad but perhaps I was waiting for more seen that in my preface Andreyev is compared to Tolstoj, Turgenev and Dostoyevsky.
Till now I like more the first one; it seems to me that the anguish of the minister is well depicted.
About the second story, perhaps I will read more about these characters in the next chapters because there wasn't a lot about them.

About the third story: I understood that Yanson asked why he had to be hanged because he had forgotten what he did. Did I understood wrong?

I don't know why Yanson kept asking why he must be hanged, but I think that could be an answer. He doesn't seem to be that aware of what is going on.

David wrote: "I don't know why Yanson kept asking why he must be hanged, but I think that could be an answer. He doesn't seem to be that aware of what is going on."

I hope to finish the third story tomorrow but I'm very busy in these days.

David wrote: "I don't know why Yanson kept asking why he must be hanged, but I think that could be an answer. He doesn't seem to be that aware of what is going on."

There could be two reasons:
1) he is a little bit stupid and doesn't understand what is going on and forgets what he has done.
2) even if he has killed it doesn't mean he deserves the same treatment. If killing is wrong why should he be killed? People who tell him killing is wrong want to kill him. Isn't it a contradiction? So, why should he be hanged?

dely wrote: "David wrote: "I don't know why Yanson kept asking why he must be hanged, but I think that could be an answer. He doesn't seem to be that aware of what is going on."

There could be two reasons:
1) ..."

I think he has got himself stupefied :) I like your second idea. It IS a contradiction. And NOT a solution to crime, looking at the history we can all understand that. Also, Andreyev was against the death sentence, so that explains.

To add something to your second view, I don't think it's only about Yanson's verdict. Courtroom here seems to have one purpose only that's to convict people and sentence them to death. It doesn't seem just.

We find to two common criminals (one is a professional robber and murderer and the other too had committed theft and murder) and five revolutionaries ("terrorists") without any proof of their crime. Yet all are given the same sentence. It is unjust.

Amalie wrote: "To add something to your second view, I don't think it's only about Yanson's verdict. Courtroom here seems to have one purpose only that's to convict people and sentence them to death. It doesn't seem just.

I agree. It seems that judges take it too easily to sentence them and treat them the same way. It is as if death penalty would be the easiest and quicker way to condemn a person in order to protect society. But, I agree with you, this can't be the solution.