The Idiot by Dostoevsky discussion

For discussion of chapters 7-8

If my memory of the mini-series is accurate, reading chapter 7, I perceived a difference between Myshkin in the film. In this chapter, Myshkin tells Ganya that he'd rather not take Ganya's message to Aglaya. He also tells Ganya that he resents being called an idiot. I didn't have the impression that Myshkin was as assertive in the mini-series as he is in the book -or self-protective (in a healthy way).

In both though, he seems to be drawn to suffering, and even to find suffering beautiful. We don't know much about Myshkin's past, but given that he was an orphan (what was his age when his parents died?) he may have suffered a lot as a child. But if he repressed the pain, he would be drawn to suffering in others, which would connect him to himself.

Ganya's character doesn't come across very clearly in the mini-series but starts to reveal itself well in chapter 7. And he's not exactly admirable.

His letter to Aglaya, begging her to give him hope that she might marry him, so he'd refrain from an engagement to Nastassia reminds me of Darcy's narcissistic proposal to Elizabeth in the middle of Pride and Prejudice. He didn't speak about why he loved her, but rather had the tone of "relieve me of my suffering".

We also witness the degree to which Ganya not only unfairly blames Myshkin, but also projects his own behavior onto Myshkin. Ganya is manipulative, and therefore believes that Myshkin is being manipulative rather than sincere. "The cunning fox has managed to wheedle everything out of me," he says.

Thoughts on chapter 8:
It's surprising to me that the General Ivolgin and Varya are more opposed to Ganya marrying Nastassia than the mother. One would think that the mother would have more objections to Nastassia having been a kept woman.

Frankly, I think it's unfair for a young woman's reputation to be ruined by a circumstance over which she had little control. I guess she could have run away from home rather than be Totsky's mistress, but she was only, what?, 15? And without any resources of her own.

In regard to General Ivolgin, at first I believed his story about knowing the Prince's father. But his recounting and the Prince's knowledge don't coincide and the more we know about him the less we are inclined to trust him. He seems to live in a fictional world in which facts are simply story elements to be distorted or omitted to serve one's purposes. (Sound familiar?)

The Prince is very able in understanding other people and giving them feed-back the way he does for Lizaveta, Adelaida and Alexandra. But two women fascinate him and he seems not to understand them, he is attracted but also anxious. It is Aglaja and Nastassia. These women are very beautiful and - by the way - wanted by Ganya.

I am looking forward to see what happens between the Prince and these two women. Especially when he will meet Nastassia eye-to-eye. There is a dangerous heat here.