“There has been nothing more insufferable for man than freedom.”
How do you review a book rated by many as the greatest book of all time? An epic of epic proportions, Brothers Karamazov has everything—drama, mystery, comedy, and Dostoevsky’s classic psychological philosophy. It’s so emotionally charged that you end up feeling deeply for even the least significant supporting characters.
Personally, I laughed, cried, bit my nails, took day-long breaks in the span of 1 month that I took to read it. I’ve read such long books before. The Lord of the Rings is one of my all time favorites.
However, that book is an epic thanks to the number of characters and the expansive geography they traverse. With Brothers Karamazov, its the sheer depths Dostoevsky drifts into each character’s psyche.
But at the heart of this book is a gripping tale, one that catapults you into the abyss. ‘The Grand Inquisitor’ is a dialogue between a Spanish Inquisitor and Jesus, where the former criticizes the concept of ‘free will’.
The poem/story inspired many existentialists and is one of the first texts to highlight the absurdism of life. It’s best summed up by the following quote
“There is nothing more seductive for man than the freedom of his conscience, but there is nothing more tormenting either.”
He feels that giving man free will was a mistake as it has just driven him into absurd confusion. Every living thing on Earth knows its purpose except man. Man has to choose, while stranded in a tempest of temptations, without knowing for certain that which choice is the right one.
This is especially true in our generation where religions and values have taken a backseat and freedom is at its peak. We often shout ‘tell me what to do!’ but unlike the previous generations, we don’t want a holy book or a father figure to give us an answer, even if that means we are always lost at sea.
As much as we want to reject authority and carve out our own path, the trail ahead greets us with tormenting confusion. We want the freedom to ‘do whatever we want to do’ but most of us don’t know what to do.
Some days, don’t you just hope that there was someone or something to show you the way, an authoritative figure with a whip and leash who you could obey without a second thought?
“There is no more ceaseless or tormenting care for man, as long as he remains free, than to find someone to bow down to as soon as possible.”
Sometimes, I am envious of the zealots know what’s the right thing to do because it’s written in their Bible, Quran or some other holy book. But even the ones with blind faith end up being blinded by confusion when they let the sight of reason shine, even for a minute.
What is the way out from this paradox? When being enslaved causes suffering and freedom ends up being insufferable, what does one choose?
by juankaius