Davydov A. At the Roots of the Russian Reformation. (Reading the Fyodor Dostoevsky's Novel The Double

Abstract

The article gives the analyses of «small man» thinking in conditions of creating a «big society» in Russia made by Dostoevsky. It researches a conflict between the patriarch stereotypes in mentality of the hero and the appeared before him necessity to think rationally. It investigates Dostoevsky’s conclusion: this is a conflict between the patriarch culture of Russia which is ineffective and therefore bad and the culture of the West which is though rational and effective but much worse because it comes from Devil. Salvation of Russia is in her community and in the rejection of the principles of personality and «big society» coming to Russia from decaying individualism of Europe.   The article estimates the text of the novel of «the Double» and logic of Dostoevsky’s thinking. It backs the attitude resulted from Pushkin and Lermontov’s Russian Reformation which for the first time stated the sense of personality in Russia as the new cultural foundation for Russia. Dostoevsky was also involved in this reformation process but he took antipushkin position. This position started from «Dvoinic» and continued in his «Writer’s diary», «Puskin speech» and others. Socio-cultural analyses is used. Particular attention is payed to logic of inversion in thinking of the novel’s main hero. A unique version of this logic is investigated. Destroying effect of inversion on the personality of the hero is shown. It is shown that Dostoevsky beginning from «the Double» made his antieuropean choice.           1) The article describes a mechanism of inversion in culture and psyche of the hero consisted from parts: «hyper-», «under-», «come up to; lift the top-» and «not-» makes the hero rush between hyperactivity and hypercompensation -- both the first and the second permanently pushes him to his psychological and social calamity. 2) The conclusion about antipushkin choice of Dostoevsky is made for the first time. 3) The XIX-th century: There has started Russian Reformation. It is religious-moral by its aims but secular by its means. If Pushkin stated the problem of personality has started Russian Reformation, then Dostoevsky - an adept of Russian religious and communitarian «soil» - has become the first herald of Russian Counter-reformation.