I finally finished Under Western Eyes. I don’t really know why it took me so long… no, wait, I do: too much quality time at the Flying Saucer and other similar establishments. Hey, at least I’m getting out more...

Overall, Under Western Eyes was a good read. The story dragged some in the middle but picked up considerably towards the end. The writing wasn’t particularly complex or overly simple; Conrad found a happy medium. The several extra English Lit courses I took in college have cursed me into a lifetime of overanalyzing everything I read, so with that, here follows some armchair analysis.

I almost wish I hadn’t read Crime and Punishment before reading UWE. The similarities between Raskolnikov (C&P main character) and Razumov (UWE m.c.) kind of impinged on my ability to let Razumov develop as a unique guy, but only because Raskolnikov was such a memorable (read: “whack”) character. The way Conrad painted Razumov helped the reader empathize with his lot in life – no family, no name, no support group, living in a foreign land, and yet, he is thrust into a difficult situation that would be easiest to get through with the help of a family. Though he does associate with a group of peers (Revolutionists), they can hardly be called a ‘support group.’ The reader wants to jump in and help Razumov when he stumbles but he inevitably voices some abhorrent and cocky opinion that turns the reader off. It’s a constant conflict between pity and contempt.

One recurring theme I noticed was Conrad’s use of the words verisimilitude and Mephistophelean. Perhaps it was intentional, perhaps it wasn’t; either way, they are very fitting. UWE is based on the covering up of a lie – or, several lies intertwined. Mephistopheles was “the devil in Faust’s legend to whom Faust sold his soul” (thank you dictionary.com). Verisimilitude, the quality of resembling truth, fits in well devils’ common literary role as antagonist. And if there was one battle that Razumov consistently endured throughout the novel, it was with his demons.

I’m sure finding where these words are used and noting their context would probably add to my point. Feel free to help me out below.

One more thing worth noting is the role of the Chateau Borel, the self-exiled Russian Revolutionists’ tactical and residential headquarters of Geneva. Everything about this supposed safe-haven reeks of death. People who live there are pale and ghost-like (Conrad actually uses the words ghost and ghoul). There is no heat. Time passes unnoticed. The fences, gates, and grounds are dilapidated and in need of maintenance. Concrete statues and steps at the entrance are unwelcoming at the least. What is supposed to be a home feels like a gloomy, deserted, and neglected shack. Leaving it after a pivotal interaction, our main character is washed clean by a thunderstorm. While the cleansing is kind of clichéd, it does work. Much like Raskolnikov in C&P, a man stumbles into inclement weather after a cathartic scene.

If you have an interest in translated Russian novels, you might want to consider giving yourself a ‘warm-up,’ as it were, with Under Western Eyes. It’s less of a time commitment but still provides a good taste of the Russian literary world. And if you’ve already covered the major Russian works, give Conrad a try for a different albeit refreshing point of view. Particularly enjoyable was Conrad’s narrative style, firmly rooted in the voice of an Englishman twice displaced: once for living in Geneva and twice for socializing in Russian circles (not that there’s anything wrong with that). If you’ve ever wanted to read a novel that ‘took’ you someplace but didn’t leave you standing when you arrived, try this book.

If you've gotten this far, I congratulate you. Please let me know if this review is helpful, total gibberish, or gives you the warm fuzzies.