Under Western Eyes
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| Under Western Eyes | |
| Author | Joseph Conrad |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publication date | 1911 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | NA |
| Preceded by | The Secret Sharer |
| Followed by | Freya of the Seven Isles |
Under Western Eyes (1911) is a novel by Joseph Conrad. The novel takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia and Geneva, Switzerland and is viewed as Conrad's response to the themes explored in Crime and Punishment; Conrad being reputed to detest Dostoevsky. This novel is considered to be one of Conrad's major works and is close in subject matter to The Secret Agent. It is full of cynicism and conflict about the historical failures of revolutionary movements and ideals. The main character's name echoes, not oddly perhaps, future books/movie (by another author) about trying to manipulate thinking robots into crime and murder. Conrad remarks in this book, as well as others, on the irrationality of life, and the unfairness with which suffering is inflicted upon the innocent and poor and the careless disregard for fellow life with whom we share existence.
[edit] Plot Summary
The protagonist is a young orphaned Russian student named Razumov, a studious and career-motivated young man. One day, when he returns home, he finds a student acquantaince named Victor Haldin hiding in his apartment. Haldin informs Razumov that he has just committed a political assassination and evaded the police. This news causes the single-minded Razumov to panic, as he has no sympathy for Haldin's actions and feels that all he has worked for is slipping away.
Haldin requests Razumov to contact someone named Ziemanitch, who may be able to help Haldin escape successfully. Razumov is panic-stricken, but after much soul-searching agrees to help Haldin—primarily with the intention of getting him out of his apartment. When Razumov finds Ziemanitch in drunken stupor and unable to assist Haldin he temporarily snaps. Then, in a panic stricken state of confusion, Razumov proceeds to go to the one person that may be able to assist him, his sponsor at the university. Subsequently a trap is laid for Haldin, and Razumov finds himself taking the first step to becoming a secret agent, although at this time he has no such intention.
The narrative then shifts to Geneva where Natalia Haldin, the sister of the executed revolutionary, receives the tragic news. In his last correspondence to his sister, Victor mentioned a certain serious young man named Razumov who was kind to him. Nathalie soon learns that Razumov is scheduled to arrive in Switzerland, and she impatiently awaits the arrival of her late brother's final friend.
Razumov comes distressed to Geneva, though he is received warmly by the revolutionists in Geneva, who are planning an insurgency in the Baltic regions; he is also considered suffering from inner confusion, bitterness—all of which are accorded to his guilt at betraying Victor Haldin. No one knows that Razumov indicted Haldin, and he has been sent as a secret agent of the Tsarist regime. Razumov, in a passionate aim at atonement, reveals everything to Natalie Haldin and the revolutionaries, who extract equal revenge.
The story ends with atonement for Razumov and lives scattered amidst the despondent glare of revolution, and people who are caught inextricably within it, many times, without their consent.
[edit] External links
- Under Western Eyes, available at Project Gutenberg.
- Under Western Eyes, available as a printer-ready PDF from Ria Press.
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