TTLV: Existential motifs in the stories and novels of F. Dostoevsky (Notes from Underground, Crime and Punishment)

MASTER'S THESIS INFORMATION

1. Student's full name:Nguyen Thi Thu Giang                           

2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: October 28, 1987

4. Place of birth: Thanh Hoa

5. Decision on recognition of graduate students No. 2998/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH dated December 30, 2013 of the President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in training process: no

7. Thesis topic name:Existential motifs in the stories and novels of F. Dostoevsky (Notes from the basement,Crime and Punishment).

8. Major: Foreign Literature Code: 60.22.01.45

9. Scientific instructor:Assoc.Prof.Dr. Pham Gia Lam, Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of thesis results:

On the basis of determining the aesthetic relationship in F. Dostoevsky's works with existential philosophy, especially the tendency of religious existential philosophy and examining existential motifs: individual, society, the meaning of free existence in two works of F. Dostoevsky belonging to two genres composed continuously: storiesNotes from the basement(1864) and the novelCrime and Punishment (1866),The thesis has argued the following points:

- On personal issues: Through the fate of the characters in the two works, F. Dostoevsky warned about the dangers of irrational selfish individualism, indifference to all anarchic rebellion.

- Regarding society: F. Dostoevsky opposes selfish individualism that harms human solidarity, but the writer also opposes secular collectivism, which equalizes all individuals and personalities. Without changing the prevailing social relations, it is impossible to overcome the state of alienation and estrangement between individuals.

- On the meaning of human existence: the answer to the problem of the individual losing meaning, the consciousness of existence can only find the true meaning of life through dialogue, communion with God.

- On individual freedom and responsibility: F. Dostoevsky opposes absolute freedom, which ignores all responsibility. According to him, religion in general, and Orthodoxy in particular, has the ability to help people establish a system of "structure" of individual responsibility. Therefore, freedom outside of religious belief will give rise to chaos and crime.

From the above explanations, the thesis comes to the assertion that F. Dostoevsky and existentialist philosophers are only similar in the way they pose problems but different in the proposed solutions to human existential problems.

11. Practical application:

Reference material for students and practitioners majoring in Literature studying the writer F. Dostoevsky.

12. Further research directions: none

13. Published works related to the thesis: none

INFORMATION ON MASTER' THESIS:

1. Full name: Nguyen Thi Thu Giang 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: October 28, 1987 4. Place of birth: Thanh Hoa

5. Admission Decision No. 2998/2013/QD-XHNV-SDH dated December 30^th, 2013 by Rector of University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in academic process: none

7. Official thesis title: The existential motifs in stories and novels written by F. Dostoevsky (Notes from Underground, Crime and Punishment)

8. Major: Foreign Literature Code: 60.22.01.45

9. Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. PhD Pham Gia Lam, Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of the finding of the thesis:

On the basis of determining the aesthetic relationship in compositions of F. Dostoevsky for existential philosophy, especially the tendency religious existential philosophy and surveying existential motifs: the individual, society, the meaning of freedom exists in two compositions with two categories composed seamlessly by F. Dostoevsky; they are the story namedNotes from Underground (1864) and the novel namedCrime and Punishment (1866),the thesis has explained the following theoretical points:

- Regarding personal matters: Through the fate of the characters in two compositions, F. Dostoevsky has warned of the danger of unjustified selfish individualism, indifference to all and anarchic rebellion.

- Regarding to society: F. Dostoevsky has opposed the selfish individualism which is detrimental to the solidarity of the human being but the writer also opposes secular collectivism, which removes every individual and personality. If social relations that are reigning are not changed, the state of alienation and estrangement between individuals cannot be remedied.

- Regarding to the meaning of human existence: this is the response for the matter that individual loosing meaning and sense of existence can only find the true meaning of life through the dialogue and communication with God.

- Regarding to individual's freedom and responsibility: F. Dostoevsky has opposed the absolute freedom, skipping all responsibilities. According to him, religion in general and the orthodoxy in particular, has the ability to help people establish a system of personal responsibility “structure”. Therefore, the freedom staying out of religious beliefs will generate chaos, crimes.

On the basis of explanations mentioned above, the thesis has asserted that the similarity between F. Dostoevsky and existential philosophers is in placing the issue, the difference is in the proposed solution to problems of human existentialism.

11. Practical applicability:

References for students, learners in the field of literature.

12. Further research directions: None

13. Thesis-related publications: None