sábado, 7 de febrero de 2015

KARAMAZOV = BARATHEON

Not long ago, my good friend Uttam Paudel reminded me, during a chat of Ice and Fire, of Dostoyevski's novel The Brothers Karamazov and its three titular characters.
And the two of us came to the conclusion that the brothers Baratheon of Storm's End had parallels in Czarist Russia (did Dostoyevski inspire R.R. Martin)?

Basically, our conclusion goes as this:

Dimitri Karamazov, the eldest brother, is just like Robert Baratheon: he leads a reckless life of drinking and wenching out of control, never denying himself any pleasure (French champagne? courtesans? Bring it on ASAP!). He is also very close to his youngest brother, completely ignoring the middle one.

Ivan Karamazov, the middle brother, is just like Stannis Baratheon: as intelligent as he is stern and straitlaced, constantly worried about right and wrong, and especially with himself and others doing right or wrong, isolated and misunderstood by his kin, and without much affection towards his brothers.

Alyosha Karamazov, the youngest brother, is just like Renly Baratheon: loved by all and even a little spoiled, good-looking, sympathetic, maybe too nice, too kind and too good, convinced that he is meant for greater things.


Now is this more than mere serendipity? Did Dostoyevski inspire R.R. Martin?




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