Is there a double in this text? If not, what accounts for Golyadkin's perception that he has been doubled? What is the evidence that you can find for either argument?
Golyadkin’s problems are apparent from the first chapter, specifically to the instance of Golyadkin’s dilemma in his carriage. He was already acting out of his station, by ordering a carriage, and shopping in the Nevsky Prospect. He notices the head of his office in the carriage next to him, and must decide whether or not to acknowledge him. On the one hand, it would be rude not to, but on the other, he could get in trouble for acting out of his station in the table of ranks. He ultimately decides to not do anything, deciding to “pretend that I am not myself, but somebody else strikingly like me, and look as though nothing were the matter. Simply not I, not I – and that’s all” (5). This train of thought foreshadows the later aspects of the book, when Golyadkin actually sees his double. He is already developing him in his mind. Golyadkin’s delusions continue to be seen by the time he attempts to enter the birthday party of Klara Olsufyevna, under the assumption that he was invited. Upon his arrival to the party, he is refused entry as the guards have orders to not admit him. Our hero is already confusing the aspects of life with what he wishes his life would be. This is what Golyadkin’s double represents. The double is everything that Golyadkin wishes he could be.
I personally do not believe that there is actually a double of Golyadkin in "The Double." It seems to me that the appearances of Golyadkin Jr. line up a little too conveniently with what I see as Golyadkin Sr.'s psychotic break with reality. In particular, I'd like to focus on the very first time we meet the double. The first appearance of the double happens almost immediately after an intensely embarrassing experience caused by Golyadkin's persistent social anxieties, made clear for the readers by the first few chapters of the story. He is originally refused entrance to Klara Olsufyena's birthday party, but then sneaks back in to hide in a dusty corner for three hours before finally finding the courage to go into the room where the party is actually happening. He stumbles over all of his words and makes a complete fool of himself, especially when he tries to dance with Klara, and is quickly removed from the party. After he flees, Golyadkin finds himself on a bridge, contemplating the humiliation he just endured and whether he should commit suicide or not. This is the pivotal moment: in his most weakened, vulnerable state, after running for who knows how many miles in the cold and losing a shoe, he encounters his double for the first time. I do not think that this is merely a coincidence. It's clear from the language that Dostoyevsky uses to describe Golyadkin's movements throughout the streets of St. Petersburg shows that he is not in the right frame of mind: "If any disinterested spectator could hae glanced casually at Mr. Golyadkin's painful progress, he would have instantly have grasped the awful horror of his pitiful plight and would certainly have said that Mr. Golyadkin looked as though he wanted to hide from himself, as though he were trying to run away from himself...he was so perplexed that, in spite of everything surrounding him, he stood several times stockstill in the middle of the pavement, completely possessed by the though of his recent horrible humiliation; at that instant he was dying..." (pg 33). His erratic movements show that he isn't thinking clearly. In this scene before actually seeing the double, he feels as if "some one was standing near him, beside him, also leaning on the trailing, and...had said something to him" (pg 34). He looks around and sees no one, so it is obvious that these feelings are products of his imagination. Right afterwards, he actually sees his double. Who is to say that this couldn't be a figment of his imagination as well, caused by the effects of extreme embarrassment on his already fragile self esteem?
Personally, I do not believe there is a physical double that exists within this story, but I do believe that to some extent, the double does exist. In chapter XII when Golyadkin goes to his Excellency with the intent of discussing papers and a possible increase in his table of ranks, he notices the presence of his double. But, within this scene and within his insistence on proving his double's presence, it becomes quite apparent that he is not actually there. In fact, when one pays attention to the conversation had between his Excellency, and both the Golyadkin's, only the senior can converse with his junior (120). Therefore through this scene, one can prove the lack of existence of the double, despite Mr. Golyadkin Sr.'s ardent belief in his existence. So, while I do not believe Mr. Golyadkin Jr. physically exists, I do believe that he is a perfect example of 'unheimlich' becoming 'heimlich.' As he lives in the Russian society in which the table of ranks cannot be questioned, Mr. Golyadkin Sr. finds a way to rebel agains the society, without consciously being aware of it, as a result of his repressed thoughts. At the end of chapter five, the narrator says, "The nocturnal visitor was no other than himself--Mr, Golyadkin himself, another Golyadkin, but absolutely the same as himself--in fact, what is called a double in every respect..." (38). Through this direct narration that reflects Golyadkin Sr.'s insistent belief in his double, one gets insight into my second argument. I believe, that to a certain extent, the double does indeed exist, just not to a physical point. I believe, as a result of particular points in the narration, such as in chapter IV when the narration suddenly turns to an I format in which the narrator discusses his technique. Therefore, I believe that we do know both the double and the senior because the double is narrating what the senior is doing and seeing because there is no other way for the senior to express his true feelings. The double accomplishes all that the senior wants, and he never questions it. So, in a sense, Senior is rebelling against the Russian government by creating a double in his mind that can break all the rules without consequence. Hence, while the physical existence of the double is clearly false, I do believe, that to some extent the double does exist, almost as a maddeningly brilliant form of Golyadkin Senior's rebellion.
I feel that Mr. Golyadkin’s perception that he has been doubled stem from two inner desires. The first is that Mr. Golyadkin wants to see him advance past Rank 9 in the Table of Ranks. Both Mr. Golyadkin Sr. and Jr. are not opposites for the sake of duality; the double exists to how one can succeed in society. Golyadkin Sr. is too anti-social. Because of his paranoia of everyone judging him, Sr. “subsides into silence” (29) in order to blend in. On the other hand, Jr. is far more expressive and stands out as an individual. He performs his job so efficiently that it pleases everyone even “his excellency”. We see Sr.’s envy in Jr. when he boasts he can be “relied upon in the service, and worthy of promotion” unlike Jr. (71). Mr. Golyakin wants to advance in rank but through his double, he is seeing how in order to achieve that goal, he has to be something he’s not. The doubling also serves as a means to erase Goldyakin’s current self. Jr. shows up right after Sr. is kicked out of the party, a major moment of embarrassment for him. At the height of his shame, Sr. wishes not only “run away from himself, but to be obliterated” (33). That desire is practically fulfilled by the end of The Double as Jr.’s actions serve to have Sr. “turned into ridicule and treated with contempt” (65). Ultimately, Sr. is ostracized and confined by his doctor. I think Sr. perceives Jr. as a double as a sort of mental defense from resisting the erasure of his current self. The duality between Sr. and Jr. remind me of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde where it’s two sides of the same person battling for complete dominance.
Golyadkin believes that there is a man who looks and acts exactly like him running around making him look bad, his double. Initially Golyadkin acknowledges the fact that there is really nothing special about the double and seems to think they are kindred spirits. It is one thing that Golyadkin sees his identical double, who happens to share the same name. It is an entirely different thing that the other characters are also somehow able to see and interact with the double to a degree. Golyadkin asks Anton Antonovitch “You spoke just now of a family likeness …You let slip the remark.”(44). Anton Antonovitch responds by saying “Yes indeed! You are right there is a striking likeness, and you are quite right in what you say. You really might be mistaken for one another.” (44). This is evidence that it is not just Golyadkin that sees the double. The double even has conversations with Andrey Filippovitch and the Director of the office that Golyadkin works in. This leads me to believe that there might be a new person in the office and Golyadkin’s life who may resemble Golyadkin, however the man is not his exact double. Golyadkin is projecting the insecurities that cause him to blunder so often into this other person.
My interpretation of the so called "double" in this story is that he was a complete delusion, and that this man Golyadkin sees is, in reality, not there at all. Throughout the story, from the very beginning, we see that in all of Golyadkin's endeavors, he is constantly getting in the way of himself and creating his own self-destruction. Even if his intentions are clear at first, once he enters a situation he seems to lose all purpose and become a complete mess, contradicting himself and never seeming to know what he wants or how to portray that. As a result of his foolery, mostly everyone he comes across is against him as well, insulting or mocking him, or their consensus that he did not belong with them in society. With so many people so clearly against Golyadkin, perhaps at first he wished to create a double of himself that was a better representation, that would fit into society and be "normal" and successful. Since he is already seemingly mad, it is not surprising that this desire would manifest itself into a delusion. However even this delusion that Golyadkin has created for himself fails and turns against him. Since no one in society seems quite as against Golyadkin as he himself, it is no wonder that his double turns against him too. Another thought I had was that Golyadkin did not intentionally create the delusion of his double to help himself, but rather he unconsciously recognized himself as so self-destructive that his mind actually created a physical form that represents the Golyadkin that always ruins everything, maybe so that he could blame someone else and not feel foolish, or maybe because he felt that there was such a force against him that he felt it had to be real. Either way, I believe the double of Golyadkin was a delusion resulting from the many forces working against Golyadkin, which he took and manifested into one being, whether it was conscious or unconscious.
Golyadkin’s problems are apparent from the first chapter, specifically to the instance of Golyadkin’s dilemma in his carriage. He was already acting out of his station, by ordering a carriage, and shopping in the Nevsky Prospect. He notices the head of his office in the carriage next to him, and must decide whether or not to acknowledge him. On the one hand, it would be rude not to, but on the other, he could get in trouble for acting out of his station in the table of ranks. He ultimately decides to not do anything, deciding to “pretend that I am not myself, but somebody else strikingly like me, and look as though nothing were the matter. Simply not I, not I – and that’s all” (5). This train of thought foreshadows the later aspects of the book, when Golyadkin actually sees his double. He is already developing him in his mind.
ReplyDeleteGolyadkin’s delusions continue to be seen by the time he attempts to enter the birthday party of Klara Olsufyevna, under the assumption that he was invited. Upon his arrival to the party, he is refused entry as the guards have orders to not admit him. Our hero is already confusing the aspects of life with what he wishes his life would be. This is what Golyadkin’s double represents. The double is everything that Golyadkin wishes he could be.
I personally do not believe that there is actually a double of Golyadkin in "The Double." It seems to me that the appearances of Golyadkin Jr. line up a little too conveniently with what I see as Golyadkin Sr.'s psychotic break with reality. In particular, I'd like to focus on the very first time we meet the double. The first appearance of the double happens almost immediately after an intensely embarrassing experience caused by Golyadkin's persistent social anxieties, made clear for the readers by the first few chapters of the story. He is originally refused entrance to Klara Olsufyena's birthday party, but then sneaks back in to hide in a dusty corner for three hours before finally finding the courage to go into the room where the party is actually happening. He stumbles over all of his words and makes a complete fool of himself, especially when he tries to dance with Klara, and is quickly removed from the party. After he flees, Golyadkin finds himself on a bridge, contemplating the humiliation he just endured and whether he should commit suicide or not. This is the pivotal moment: in his most weakened, vulnerable state, after running for who knows how many miles in the cold and losing a shoe, he encounters his double for the first time. I do not think that this is merely a coincidence. It's clear from the language that Dostoyevsky uses to describe Golyadkin's movements throughout the streets of St. Petersburg shows that he is not in the right frame of mind: "If any disinterested spectator could hae glanced casually at Mr. Golyadkin's painful progress, he would have instantly have grasped the awful horror of his pitiful plight and would certainly have said that Mr. Golyadkin looked as though he wanted to hide from himself, as though he were trying to run away from himself...he was so perplexed that, in spite of everything surrounding him, he stood several times stockstill in the middle of the pavement, completely possessed by the though of his recent horrible humiliation; at that instant he was dying..." (pg 33). His erratic movements show that he isn't thinking clearly. In this scene before actually seeing the double, he feels as if "some one was standing near him, beside him, also leaning on the trailing, and...had said something to him" (pg 34). He looks around and sees no one, so it is obvious that these feelings are products of his imagination. Right afterwards, he actually sees his double. Who is to say that this couldn't be a figment of his imagination as well, caused by the effects of extreme embarrassment on his already fragile self esteem?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I do not believe there is a physical double that exists within this story, but I do believe that to some extent, the double does exist. In chapter XII when Golyadkin goes to his Excellency with the intent of discussing papers and a possible increase in his table of ranks, he notices the presence of his double. But, within this scene and within his insistence on proving his double's presence, it becomes quite apparent that he is not actually there. In fact, when one pays attention to the conversation had between his Excellency, and both the Golyadkin's, only the senior can converse with his junior (120). Therefore through this scene, one can prove the lack of existence of the double, despite Mr. Golyadkin Sr.'s ardent belief in his existence.
ReplyDeleteSo, while I do not believe Mr. Golyadkin Jr. physically exists, I do believe that he is a perfect example of 'unheimlich' becoming 'heimlich.' As he lives in the Russian society in which the table of ranks cannot be questioned, Mr. Golyadkin Sr. finds a way to rebel agains the society, without consciously being aware of it, as a result of his repressed thoughts. At the end of chapter five, the narrator says, "The nocturnal visitor was no other than himself--Mr, Golyadkin himself, another Golyadkin, but absolutely the same as himself--in fact, what is called a double in every respect..." (38). Through this direct narration that reflects Golyadkin Sr.'s insistent belief in his double, one gets insight into my second argument. I believe, that to a certain extent, the double does indeed exist, just not to a physical point. I believe, as a result of particular points in the narration, such as in chapter IV when the narration suddenly turns to an I format in which the narrator discusses his technique. Therefore, I believe that we do know both the double and the senior because the double is narrating what the senior is doing and seeing because there is no other way for the senior to express his true feelings. The double accomplishes all that the senior wants, and he never questions it. So, in a sense, Senior is rebelling against the Russian government by creating a double in his mind that can break all the rules without consequence. Hence, while the physical existence of the double is clearly false, I do believe, that to some extent the double does exist, almost as a maddeningly brilliant form of Golyadkin Senior's rebellion.
I feel that Mr. Golyadkin’s perception that he has been doubled stem from two inner desires. The first is that Mr. Golyadkin wants to see him advance past Rank 9 in the Table of Ranks. Both Mr. Golyadkin Sr. and Jr. are not opposites for the sake of duality; the double exists to how one can succeed in society. Golyadkin Sr. is too anti-social. Because of his paranoia of everyone judging him, Sr. “subsides into silence” (29) in order to blend in. On the other hand, Jr. is far more expressive and stands out as an individual. He performs his job so efficiently that it pleases everyone even “his excellency”. We see Sr.’s envy in Jr. when he boasts he can be “relied upon in the service, and worthy of promotion” unlike Jr. (71). Mr. Golyakin wants to advance in rank but through his double, he is seeing how in order to achieve that goal, he has to be something he’s not.
ReplyDeleteThe doubling also serves as a means to erase Goldyakin’s current self. Jr. shows up right after Sr. is kicked out of the party, a major moment of embarrassment for him. At the height of his shame, Sr. wishes not only “run away from himself, but to be obliterated” (33). That desire is practically fulfilled by the end of The Double as Jr.’s actions serve to have Sr. “turned into ridicule and treated with contempt” (65). Ultimately, Sr. is ostracized and confined by his doctor. I think Sr. perceives Jr. as a double as a sort of mental defense from resisting the erasure of his current self. The duality between Sr. and Jr. remind me of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde where it’s two sides of the same person battling for complete dominance.
Golyadkin believes that there is a man who looks and acts exactly like him running around making him look bad, his double. Initially Golyadkin acknowledges the fact that there is really nothing special about the double and seems to think they are kindred spirits. It is one thing that Golyadkin sees his identical double, who happens to share the same name. It is an entirely different thing that the other characters are also somehow able to see and interact with the double to a degree. Golyadkin asks Anton Antonovitch “You spoke just now of a family likeness …You let slip the remark.”(44). Anton Antonovitch responds by saying “Yes indeed! You are right there is a striking likeness, and you are quite right in what you say. You really might be mistaken for one another.” (44). This is evidence that it is not just Golyadkin that sees the double. The double even has conversations with Andrey Filippovitch and the Director of the office that Golyadkin works in. This leads me to believe that there might be a new person in the office and Golyadkin’s life who may resemble Golyadkin, however the man is not his exact double. Golyadkin is projecting the insecurities that cause him to blunder so often into this other person.
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of the so called "double" in this story is that he was a complete delusion, and that this man Golyadkin sees is, in reality, not there at all. Throughout the story, from the very beginning, we see that in all of Golyadkin's endeavors, he is constantly getting in the way of himself and creating his own self-destruction. Even if his intentions are clear at first, once he enters a situation he seems to lose all purpose and become a complete mess, contradicting himself and never seeming to know what he wants or how to portray that. As a result of his foolery, mostly everyone he comes across is against him as well, insulting or mocking him, or their consensus that he did not belong with them in society. With so many people so clearly against Golyadkin, perhaps at first he wished to create a double of himself that was a better representation, that would fit into society and be "normal" and successful. Since he is already seemingly mad, it is not surprising that this desire would manifest itself into a delusion. However even this delusion that Golyadkin has created for himself fails and turns against him. Since no one in society seems quite as against Golyadkin as he himself, it is no wonder that his double turns against him too.
ReplyDeleteAnother thought I had was that Golyadkin did not intentionally create the delusion of his double to help himself, but rather he unconsciously recognized himself as so self-destructive that his mind actually created a physical form that represents the Golyadkin that always ruins everything, maybe so that he could blame someone else and not feel foolish, or maybe because he felt that there was such a force against him that he felt it had to be real.
Either way, I believe the double of Golyadkin was a delusion resulting from the many forces working against Golyadkin, which he took and manifested into one being, whether it was conscious or unconscious.