Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk and F. M. Dostoevsky: Problem of Finding Faith and Theme of Mentoring in “The Life of a Great Sinner”

Abstract

The analysis of the unfinished novel “The Life of a Great Sinner” is presented. It is proved that the religious ideas of Tikhon of Zadonsk about freedom, nobility, humility formed the basis of image of protagonist of the work. The author emphasizes that the novelist outlined a complex structure of image of the hero, whose aspirations are multidirectional: on the one hand, to freedom as power over people and worldly greatness, and on the other - to Christian freedom and humility. Attention is paid to the issue of conditions for finding the Orthodox-Christian faith by the young hero. The author shows that in the process of its consideration the novelist included the figure of the mentor in the system of characters of the work, his the prototype being Tikhon of Zadonsk. The problem-thematic core of the idea is revealed: the literary Tikhon calls the character to humility (to conquer himself with God’s help), but the character does not penetrate the essence of the doctrine and follows the path of false humility, distorting what he heard from the mentor and arming himself with the formula “conquer yourself and you conquer the world” in its exclusively mundane understanding. The author comes to the conclusion that Dostoevsky does not remove the prospect of spiritual transformation of the young hero, but, experiencing difficulties in its artistic disclosure, leaves the idea. The author believes that the plot situation “mentor - student” retains its importance in the problem-thematic aspect in the future work of the novelist (“Demons” and “The Brothers Karamazov”).

Keywords

• f. m. dostoevsky
• the life of a great sinner
• tikhon of zadonsk
• humility
• freedom
• nobility
• positivism