Pyotr Verkhovensky's demon

Cilj ovog rada je predstaviti Petra Stepanoviča Verhovenskog kao glavnog bijesa odnosno demona u romanu Bjesovi (Besy, 1872.) Fjodora Mihajloviča Dostojevskog. Budući da u romanu postoji više likova koji su obuzeti bijesom, na što upućuje i njegov naslov, radom se nastoji dokazati kako je Verhovenski ključna figura fabularnih i idejnih aspekata romana, a time i njegov glavni bijes. U prvom poglavlju se stoga objašnjava naslov romana, koji je bivao različito prevođen i unutar istog jezika, te se nastoji prikazati razloge zbog kojih je Dostojevski izabrao upravo taj pored termina čert, demon, d'javol i satana. Teza rada se nadalje nastoji dokazati analizom postupaka junakove karakterizacije i odnosa prema drugim likovima te analizom motiva i simbola koji aludiraju na demonsko. Naime, što se karakterizacije tiče, junakova vanjština se temelji na elementima tradicionalnog vraga koji je u Rusiju došao iz stranog svijeta, njegov manični smijeh kao lajtmotiv odzvanja gotovo cijelim romanom, a njegovo ponašanje se može usporediti s onim najvećeg majstora manipulacije: upravlja skoro svim likovima u romanu, no za potrebe analize smo se skoncentrirali na Stavrogina, Juliju Mihajlovnu, Lembkea i Šatova. Kao motivi i simboli demonskog analiziraju se okupljanje “organizacije“ koja podsjeća na inicijaciju u sektu, potpisivanje ugovora s vragom i histerični smijeh koji junaka povezuje sa šutom, tradicionalnim ruskim vragom koji ima odlike lakrdijaša ili dvorske lude.The aim of this paper is the character analysis of Pyotr Stepanovich Verkhovensky whom we consider to be the main demon in the novel Demons (Besy, 1872) by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky. Since, as the title itself suggests, there are many characters in the novel that are possessed by a demon, the aim is to prove that Verkhovensky is the key figure of the story and of its conceptual aspects, and therefore the main demon in the novel. In order to achieve this goal, the first chapter provides an explanation of the novel’s title, which was subject to different translations even within the context of a single language; an explanation of Dostoevsky’s motives to choose the term besy among others (chert, demon, d'yavol or satana) is provided. Subsequent chapters deal with character analysis, Verkhovensky’s relationships with the other characters, and certain motifs and symbols that allude to the demonic aspects in the novel and show that Verkhovensky is its main demon. Peter Stepanovich’s character analysis reveals certain features of the Russian folk devil. His appearance is based on the elements of the traditional devil who came to Russia from abroad, his manic laughter serves as the novel’s main leitmotif and is echoed almost throughout the story, and his behaviour is compared to the great master of manipulation: he controls almost every character, but the emphasis of the analysis is put on Stavrogin, Julia Mikhaylovna, von Lembke, and Shatov. Demonic symbols and motifs analysed are gathering of the “organization“ that resembles the initiation into the sect, signing the contract with the devil, and hysterical laughter which links Verkhovensky to šut, a traditional Russian devil who has the characteristics of a buffoon or jester