length: 1276 words 3.6 double spaced pages rating: red free life without love – the malady of death the brothers karamazov, is a novel which contains many themes presenting outlooks on faith, life, and love. The character of ivan is the cornerstone which dostoevsky uses to present these outlooks. The idea of the malady of death is presented in the novel, the malady of death, by marguerite duras. The malady of death can be thought of as a disease or disorder caused by a sort of spiritual malaise. The way that our texts have presented this is not all that different from the words’ actual meanings. On page 3 of the malady of death the prostitute asked the man what he wanted to try and his response was, loving. The man in this text is incapable of loving and when he questions the prostitute as to why the malady of death is fatal.

National Technical Honor Society Essay

And also because he’s like to die without any life to die to, and without even knowing that’s what he’s doing, was her response pg. This response suggests that people who suffer from the malady of death have nothing to live for, a lack of faith so to speak, and thus don’t fight to stay alive. Love of others, love of themselves, love of god, love of this world, a person who suffers from the malady of death is missing some or all of these loves which make life worth while. The first real look that we get of ivan comes in book v when he’s having lunch with alyosha. He tells stories of the suffering of children and points to the horrors of unjust human suffering.

He is unable to reconcile this and can not come to terms that there could possibly be a loving god whom would allow this to happen. What differs between ivan and alyosha is that alyosha looks at himself and asks how he can help make humanity’s suffering happier. An example would be how he brought ilyusha’s friends to be by him as he approached death.

His immense distrust of humanity causes him to become detached from people leading to his inability to love others. This is what provided the readers with the fact that ivan lacks faith which is the building block to living a life without hope and love. Faith is presented as a positive, agreeing belief in god as zosima and alyosha have. Ivan also tells the story of the grand inquisitor which leads to the idea of free will and security. Dostoevsky presents the idea of free will as a choice or choices given to mankind. It seems as though he presents free will as a curse because it places a burden on man to reject securities and comforts in hope of eternal salvation.

Ivan states that people are too weak to make the choice between security and eternal salvation and therefore are doomed to unhappy lives. Ivan, in his story of the grand inquisitor, argues that because god rejected the devil’s temptations he won free will for humanity, but took away security. To him it’s as if christ is asking the impossible because humans are afraid of the unseen. All of this continues to build ivan’s lack of faith leading him on the path to living in the malady of death. Another major theme found in the brothers karamazov which affects ivan’s feelings is the idea presented by zosima on moral responsibility. Zosima, along with alyosha, state that everyone is responsible for the actions and sins of others. Ivan can not conceive how he is, in any way, responsible for anyone besides himself.

If there is no god as ivan seems to be leaning towards believing than ivan says that all is permitted. When ivan learns of what smerdyakov’s revelation is regarding the murder of fyodor he sees how people are involved in one another’s lives. After smerdyakov’s confession to ivan, the world and ivan’s views of it come crashing down on him and he can not handle the burden of it. Ivan battles internal conflicts and his way of processing ideas and events lead to his suffering. Ivan doesn’t believe in the immortality of the soul causing him to argue that good and evil are deceitful ideas and people may do whatever they wish without concern for mortality. The mere fact that he believes this shows that his view of humanity is not a good one. This causes him to separate himself from humanity leading to his inability to love and suffering from the malady of death.