Konson, G. R. Karamazov’s Rebellion: Mental Disorder or Appearance of a Guest from the Hell?

Abstract: The subject under review is the delusion of Karamazov and the image of devil seen by Ivan. In this regard, the author analyzes different views that exist in critical literature on the matter perceiving Karamasov’s devil as a metaphysical ‘guest’ from the Hell or a personified part of Karamazov’s personality appearing in his delusive imagination; medical explanation of Ivan Karamazov’s psychological state based on Dostoevsky’s disease, interpretation of Ivan’s delusions based on the psychological analysis of Ivan’s features, interpretation of Ivan Karamazov as a rebel, sinner and atheist who eventually suffered from the split personality disorder; interpretation of the devil as the vaudeville hero and discovery of the neomyphilogism phenomenon and the ‘twinism’ motive. The research method used by the author consists of different types of analyses that complete one another including historical, ethical and philosophical, psychological, literary and comparative analysis. The scientific importance and novelty of the research is the creation of the author’s conception of Ivan Karamazov’s mental disorder. According to the author, trying to find answers to the global questions, Ivan Karamazov, in fact, lived in his own world of ideas and constant ‘fight with God’ (E. Soloviev’s expression). The author shows that Ivan lived in the ‘being-for-himself’ and this is why, despite his nervousness, he could understand the ‘guest from the Hell’ quite well and had arguments on ethics and philosophy with him. This is quite a new approach to the question and the author makes the conclusions based on this approach. The author concludes that Karamazov’s emotional and psychological state can be defined as the manifestation of the ‘human-devil’ binary archetype that appeared as a result of Ivan’s transcendency ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ and therefore it is not a pathology but an acute deviation of his mind explicated by Dostoevsky for the purpose of a better expression of alternative images in one’s self.

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