Introduction to Semiotics of Cultures, 2010 Juri Lotman – Universe of the Mind Chapter 7 - Symbols Case study Dostoevsky’s The Idiot ( ) Vesa Matteo Piludu University of Helsinki

Dostoevsky’s The Idiot ( ) Complicate symbolism Criminal trials as symptoms and symbols But the symbolism is more subtitle: there is a mystery and is expressed the impossibility to express thing precisely, as in a documentary The reality is interpreted not with realism but as a metaphorical plot, full of symbols that should be interpreted The word doesn’t describe things, but allude to more deep concepts

Dostoevsky’s The Idiot Hyppolite’s inexpressible symbolism Hyppolite In every idea of genius or in every new human idea, or, more simply still, in every serious human idea born in anyone’s brain, there is something that cannot possibly conveyed to others, thought you wrote volumes about it and spent thirty-five years in explaining your idea; Something will always be left that will obstinately refuse to emerge from your head

The Idiot and romantic symbolism In Hyppolite’s there is a clear reference to the romantic concept of the inexpressible truth The language and the meaning are always inadeguate The truth could be understood only by approximation, allusions by the interpretation of symbols

Baratynsky from Complete Poetry The word for Baratynsky Alien to plain meaning For me is a symbol Of Feelings for which I have not found expression in languages

The Idiot Also the characters are symbols (name, identifying marks) According to Lotman Nastasya Filipovna is a character based on the La Dame aux Camélias And also to Susanna and the elders Rembrandt in the Dresden Gallery, visited by Dostoevsky

La Dame aux Camélias novel by Alexandre Dumas Adapted for stages, films, ballets "woman with a past" Influenced Verdi’s Traviata

Lady with the Camelias

Mucha’s version

Italian film (Mauro Bolognini)

Ballet

Nastasya Filipovna Tragic heroine in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's novel The Idiot. daughter of an aristocrat with no money still a young child, falls under the "protection" of a rich rogue named Totski. she had suitable private education As she grows older, Totski visits her only occasionally on the estate where he has left her it seems likely that during this time Nastasya was coerced into the position of a kept woman by Totski Totski married another woman and hopes to satisfy her by giving her an apartment in St. Petersburg

Following adventures Tragic finale, after various adventures with Prince Myshkin and Rogozhin Nastasya, refuses Myshkin, claiming that she cannot 'ruin him,' and tells the company that she will marry Rogozhin. Myshkin tries again to save her from the fate that she feels she deserves, telling her: "You're so awfully unhappy that you really think you are yourself to blame... I- I shall respect you all my life, Nastasya Filippovna."

Nastasya Filippovna: A Woman Scorned by Nicola Smith From the beginning of Part One, Nastasya Filippovna appears to be a fascinating, wild creature who is rebelling against the "natural” role of woman for her time. The shock and scandal that seems to surround her exploits suggests that her actions are not within the confines of her "role". However, the more we come to know her the more we see that she has been exploited by society of the time and the men that surround her and desire to possess her. Unable to stand up under the destructive forces that surrounded her, the strongest, most promising character was reduced to insanity by Dostoyevsky. It seems that he may sympathize with her situation, given the use of word choice we have seen, and even some of the ironic, yet sad depiction of a young girl violated. Filippovna must die to escape the tragic and unjust plight of a woman scorned.

Nastasya Filippovna. Illustration for F. Dostoyevsky’s novel “The Idiot.” 1956

1647 Rembrandt - Susanna und die beiden Alten

Susanna and the elders

Susanna and the Elders by Alessandro Allori

Susanna and the Elders by Jan van Noordt

Susanna and the Elders by Artemisia Gentileschi

Symbol and artistic inspiration The symbol accumulate and organize new experience around previous symbols and signs, it turns into a memory condenser Future authors could selectively combine elements of symbols (Lady of Camelias, Susanna or Nastasya) to build up other plots (ballets, films)

Symbol Can be expressed in synchronic verbal-visual forms which can be projected onto various texts or transformed under the influence or texts and authors