Analysis Of The Idiot And The Idiot By Ernest Hemingway

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Idiot and Ernest Hemingway s A Farewell To Arms feature differing schools of thought in the ever-evolving world of literature; A Farewell To Arms depicting impressionistic realism through Hemingway s objective retelling of events in the First World War, and The Idiot conveying psychological realism In Dostoevsky’s projection of not only his epileptic behavior, but his idyllic sense of man (Neilson Kashdan). Despite these differences in writing styles, each author features the inclusion of the certain similar personality quirks in the characterization of the protagonist of each novel. Noteworthy differences include contextual experiences by the author and time period differences (in both relative society and location) which reflect differences in the setting of the two novels, differences in writing styles, and drastic differences In overall theme. Both in A Farewell To Arms and The Idiot, the protagonists (lieutenant Frederic Henry and Prince L ev Nikolayevich Myshkin, respectively) share common character traits with their respective authors. Like Dostoevsky, Nikolayevich suffers from epilepsy (Saul), resulting in brilliant yet sudden seizures, described as an â€Å"extraordinary light; all torment, all doubt, all anxieties were relieved at once, resolved in a kind of lofty calm, full of serene, harmonious joy and hope, full of understanding and the knowledge of the ultimate cause of things† (Dostoevsky 5). Such similarities in regards to Hemingway