Mimetic Lives: Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Character in the Novel

Mimetic Lives examines how Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky create lifelike characters in their novels through techniques such as mimetic life, which gives readers a sense of a character's autonomous, embodied existence. It explores a productive tension between mimetic characterization and the authors' ambition to transform the reader. The book challenges the contemporary truism that novels educate us by providing enduring models for the perspectives of others and emphasizes the resources of realism as a form for thought and its limits as a direct source of spiritual, social, or political change.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 248 pages
\n Publication date: 15 September 2021
\n Publisher: Northwestern University Press
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Mimetic Lives: Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Character in the Novel delves into the captivating question of why some characters seem so remarkably real. This insightful exploration is brought to life through readings of prominent works by Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky, two master storytellers who worked during the pinnacle of the Russian realist tradition. Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, each in their unique way, discovered groundbreaking techniques to enhance the aesthetic illusion known as mimetic life—the immersive experience that allows readers to feel as if they are truly living the lives of the characters they encounter.

However, these authors went beyond simply creating lifelike characters; they pushed the boundaries of this illusion by incorporating elements such as philosophy, history, journalism, theology, and myth into their novels. Kitzinger's profound analysis unfolds through a fresh perspective on renowned masterpieces like War and Peace, Anna Karenina, The Brothers Karamazov, and many others. By meticulously tracing the interplay between mimetic characterization and the authors' ambitious goal to transform the reader, Kitzinger unveils a rich and nuanced tension. She demonstrates how Tolstoy and Dostoevsky masterfully craft characters that feel utterly authentic, capturing the essence of human nature and eliciting deep empathy from the reader.

Yet, as captivating as these fictional worlds may be, Mimetic Lives raises a thought-provoking question: Can the illusion of "life" truly extend beyond the confines of the novel? Kitzinger challenges the prevailing notion that novels primarily serve as educational tools, offering enduring models for understanding the perspectives of others. Through a close examination of these realist masterpieces, she reveals the limitations of the novel as a direct source of spiritual, social, or political change.

Informed by extensive scholarship in Russian literary studies and the theory of the novel, Kitzinger's lucid work of criticism offers a captivating journey for scholars engaged in both fields. It invites readers to delve deeper into the complexities of character creation, the power of storytelling, and the enduring impact of literature on our understanding of the world. Mimetic Lives is a testament to the enduring fascination world of the novel and its ability to transport readers to new realms of imagination, while also prompting us to reflect on the boundaries between fiction and reality.

\n Weight: 344g\n
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 19 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780810143968\n \n