Page 25 - GALIET BENEATH THE ICON: The Lamp Dostoevsky´s Kirillov IV

In this nugget of thought, another Russian critic, K. Mochulsky, says that, “Kirillov kills himself not only to destroy the idea of God, but also because without God he can’t live.” This assertion seems far more palatable than its western counterpart by a Irving Howe who says that “Kirillov’s attempt to replace God-Man with Man-God leads to the destruction of the Man-God he wants to create.”37 Yet, E. Wasiolek, asserts that “Kirillov believes that with the death of God, man will be free to be good; but the logical consequences is that without God, man will be free to do his pleasure, and neither good nor evil will exist.”38
Morally, to negate the existence of good and evil is a nihilist confusion. To do solely what pleases is absolutely amoral; it can lead to self-destruction and atrocious acts. It also disregards and negates the philosophy of duty to self and others.
In the end, it almost feels to the reader that Kirillov does not want to truly kill himself: he is rushed and forced by Peter. We conclude by saying that if Kirillov’s suicide was forced, his death is absurd because he doesn’t accomplish his goal: he kills
37 Shneidman, N.N. Dostoevsky and Suicide. London: Mosaic Press. University of Toronto. 59
38 Shneidman, N.N. Dostoevsky and Suicide. London: Mosaic Press. University of Toronto. 59
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