Individualism_Through_'Notes_on_Underground'_by_Dosteovsky

Dostoevsky’s Novella “Notes From Underground” presents us with a spiteful, confronting and yet appealing individual who has paved the way for many alienated souls seen in literature. The term ‘individual’ is used to describe a human being; therefore every human being is inevitably individual. However, the unnamed narrator in ‘Notes From Underground’ has a perpetual longing for confirmation of individuality and self authenticity which is where we can revisit Kaufman’s point that individuality is “wretched and revolting”. The narrator’s thirst for individualism has driven him to alienation, constant contradiction and the sacrifice of his happiness, this to me, is the wretched part. Later Kaufman states that although this quest is full of “misery” it is “the highest good”. The fact that Dostoevsky has created a character that is viewed as a hero, much like Holden Caulfield (Catcher in the Rye) and Yossarian (Catch 22) is where the good is found. Through all the spite and revolt the narrator portrays, he is still able to be indentified with by people not only in 1800s Russia, but 200 years later by people today. He speaks of problems with money and health and his constant contradictory of himself brings him further away from the secrecy and exclusivity from the audience by the narrator and closer to being one of them. The unnamed narrator of ‘Notes From Underground’ has a constant negative tone throughout the piece. His opening lines are short, aggressive and pessimistic. “I am a sick man… I am a spiteful man.” The use of ellipses and brutal full stops in conjunction with repetition allows us to immediately create the voice that is negative. This tone is the foundation for the narrator’s struggle with identity and being an individual. He states “a man in the nineteenth century…ought to be…a characterless man” showing us his rejection of the norm and illuminating his thirst for individuality. He expresses his felt oppression by this thirst which adds to the sacrifice he has made to seek individuality; “Now, I am living out my life in a corner”. Here we see he can no longer live life, but instead has chosen to bleakly “live out” his life with frivolous consolations that fill him with remorse. Here we see a side of individuality that is brutal; Dostoevsky beautifully shows the wretch the narrator has become through his pessimistic pursuit of individuality. Not only is the tone of the narrator a negative one, it is also exclusive and often patronising towards the audience. However, as the narrator’s human qualities shine through: such as a struggle with money and health, the audience are drawn closer to the narrator as they identify with this common hardship that is seen in everyday life. Dostoevsky gives the narrator as dismissive and misanthropic tone throughout the piece; “That you will probably not understand” says the narrator. The way he addresses the audience can be noted because it changes throughout the piece as he becomes more human and less superior. He begins patronising the audience as seen in the above example, then transitioning to a collective group feeling as he addresses the audience as “gentlemen”. The exclusivity is still visible however less so when he says near to the end of the piece “stay, let me take a breath” he pleads for the audience’s attention. This technique shows the good in this search for individualism, that although this alienated man is negative and wretched, he is captured as a timeless hero as he is able to grow closer to the audience. Furthermore, he outlines a struggle with health “my liver is bad” as well as outlining a common finance problem “it is very expensive to live in Petersburg, I know” which allows the audience to connect in some way with the protagonist and in turn growing closer to viewing him as heroic whilst maintaining his angst and alienated features. In conclusion, Dostoevsky has presented us with a confronting character who struggles with identity in an aggressive manner. The sacrifices he has made to prove his individualism has cost him his happiness; here is the wretched part of individualism. We see a man who constantly contradicts himself which shows the audience his insecurity and relentless effort with his pursuit of individuality. However, although this journey is wretched and cost him a lot, there is a good perspective; his ability to possess similar human struggles such as money and health. He becomes a hero as the audience are able to indentify with these common struggles; here is where the good in Kaufman’s quote can be seen.