도스토옙스키의 작품에 나타난 관상학

Abstract

So far Dostoevsky's philosophical reflection on human-beings has been mainly considered as discourse of western philosophy. However, his philosophical perspective on human-beings can be discussed in term of physiognomy. Once we understand how keenly his philosophical view is related to physiognomy, we will be able to expand the level of human understanding to a new horizon. Dostoevsky’s primary concern was on human. Anthropology, whose academic subject is human, has close relationship with physiognomy which can be referred to as the grammar of facial text. Physiognomy is the study of inferring a person's personality, constitution, and even fate through one's outward appearance. Likewise, Physiognomy is the art of reading the essential characteristics of human-beings from their outlook. Interestingly, Dostoevsky frequently showed his talent as a physiognomist. Describing the appearance of his characters, he related it with characters' personality or themes of virtue and vice. Every time a new character appeared, Dostoevsky was obsessed with observing his or her appearance. Main characters in his works, especially in these three works such as The idiot and The Brothers Karamazov, tell other people's fortune by using physiognomy with their special insight and intuition. For example, Myshkin, the main character in The Idiot, foresees Nastassya Filippovna's future. Also, Alyosha and Father Zosima, the characters of The Brothers Karamazov, predict the future of Katerina Ivanovna and Dmitri Fyodorovich Karamazov respectively. Such characters with philosophical insight and vision, created by Dostoevsky, are also the people who broaden the human understanding with intuition and wisdom. That is, authenticity of Dostoevsky's literature lies in his artistic trial to contemplate human faces and intuitively look into their mind and soul.