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culture

protagonist Razumov (a name derived from
the Slavic word for “reason”) is an industrious
and ambitious student in Sankt Peterburg – a
self-made man aspiring a good public service.
Yet, misled by Razumov’s industriousness and
frank talk, a fellow student with revolutionary
views, who has just killed a brutal head of
police (story based on historical facts), runs
to him for help to escape. Instead, after a night
of torment, Razumov reports on his colleague
to the police, which arrests the idealistic youth
and executes him. Next, the Tsarist police
recruits Razumov and sends him to Geneva to
spy on the revolutionary emigree community,
which formed there at the beginning of the
The house on who lived in an overcrowded boarding-house twentieth century. In the book, that community
avenue de la room with fresh mind and dignity. includes the mother and sister of the executed
Roseraie 25, youth. Razumov’s horrendous dilemmas are
where Joseph Conrad came to Geneva for treatment at the exacerbated by his falling in love with the
Conrad stayed in Champel hydro-therapeutic baths on four sister of the boy he has betrayed. When the
1891, 1894, 1895 occasions: in 1891, 1894, 1895, and 1907. psychological pressure makes him confess his
and 1907. Photo Every time he stayed at the hôtel-pension La traitorous act, the emigree community sends
by the author. Roseraie, which still stands today at Avenue its hitman (also a historical figure) to torture
de la Roseraie 25. He had already finished a and maim Razumov.
sailing career and become a recognized writer,
but his health was ailing, affected by the stress Critics see in this novel signs of Conrad’s
he had endured, nervous breakdowns, and disdain for revolutionary activities. As in other
a tropical disease he had contracted in the works, Conrad argues here that both tyranny
Congo.
and violent revolution are incapable of solving
human problems. The novel is intrinsically
Geneva and La Roseraie proved to be related to Russian history and experts discern
propitious for Conrad’s creativity. It was in in it the influence of Crime and Punishment.
1907 at La Roseraie that he rapidly completed Yet for Conrad, in general, Dostoevsky was
his first novel with a spy plot - The Secret “too Russian” - something that shed a shadow
Agent – a story set in London, involving on his opinion of other peoples’ concerns and
terrorism, spies, and Russian diplomats. Most dreams.
importantly, that stay in Geneva gave him
the inspiration and the setting for his next Conrad’s works stand out among his
novel – Under Western Eyes - one of his major contemporary British and other writers
works. Set in Sankt Peterburg and Geneva, a with their practically global coverage – from
psychodrama about an ordinary person who Central Africa and the South Chinese Seas
is recruited as a spy by a ruthless regime. The
to the British Isles, Poland, and Geneva. In
this sense, Conrad can rightfully be called
“Geneva and La Roseraie proved to be a forerunner of globalization. Yet Conrad’s
propitious for Conrad’s creativity. It was in global mobility associated him to another

1907 at La Roseraie that he rapidly issue that he faced in his life and revealed in
his works – the pain of exile. Under Western
completed his first novel with a spy plot Eyes, like other Conrad’s works, contemplates
- The Secret Agent – a story set in London, on the condition of exile in modern society.
involving terrorism, spies, Geneva, the meeting-place of the hapless
refugees depicted by Conrad, has all the
and Russian diplomats. ” cruelty of a place of exile, a cruelty not wilful,

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