“ Why live in real life? It's better to dream. One can dream the most delightful things, but real life is a bore. ”
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov (1880). copy citation
| Author | Fyodor Dostoyevsky |
|---|---|
| Source | The Brothers Karamazov |
| Topic | dream reality boredom |
| Date | 1880 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | Translated by Constance Garnett |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/28054/28054-h/28054-h.html https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Brothers_Karamazov |
Context
“But do you know, I should like to reap, cut the rye? I'll marry you, and you shall become a peasant, a real peasant; we'll keep a colt, shall we? Do you know Kalganov?»
«Yes.»
«He is always wandering about, dreaming. He says, 'Why live in real life? It's better to dream. One can dream the most delightful things, but real life is a bore.' But he'll be married soon for all that; he's been making love to me already. Can you spin tops?»
«Yes.»
«Well, he's just like a top: he wants to be wound up and set spinning [pg 656] and then to be lashed, lashed, lashed with a whip.” source
«Yes.»
«He is always wandering about, dreaming. He says, 'Why live in real life? It's better to dream. One can dream the most delightful things, but real life is a bore.' But he'll be married soon for all that; he's been making love to me already. Can you spin tops?»
«Yes.»
«Well, he's just like a top: he wants to be wound up and set spinning [pg 656] and then to be lashed, lashed, lashed with a whip.” source
Meaning and analysis
