Thoughts on Dostoevsky's "The Idiot"

Thoughts on Dostoevsky's The Idiot is an essay by Hermann Hesse that explores the works and philosophy of the Russian Existentialist writer "the prophet" Fyodor Dostoevsky. Hesse marvels at Dostoevsky's portrayal of the human condition and his insights into the nature of suffering, redemption, and the search for meaning. The similarity between Myshkin and Christ is not entirely palatable to Hesse, yet he admits to an unconscious connection between the two figures. Hesse reflects on his personal images of both Jesus and Myshkin, noticing that they always recall each in moments of profound loneliness, like Jesus in Gethsemane and Myshkin among social tensions, revealing a shared theme of tragic isolation. The core of Myshkin's separation from others is his unique way of thinking, described by the author as "magical." Unlike others, Myshkin experiences reality differently, which leads others to reject him, just as Jesus was ultimately abandoned. This "magical" thinking is rooted in Myshkin's deep and direct connection to the unconscious and his moments of heightened sensitivity and insight. It is this same quality that both fascinates and terrifies those around him. Although not wholly isolated, as he is sometimes emotionally understood by the marginalized, such as criminals and hysterics, his innocence is not without consequence, leaving people rightly wary of him.