Iconology and hypostatics in Dostoevsky's 'The Brothers Karamazov' and in the works of Augustine

This study deals with the status of personhood in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov and the works of Augustine. Two categories are central for the mapping out of a person: icon and hypostasis. The semiotic category of icon generates a foundational iconostasis (e.g., freedom-faith-love-hope or power-mystery-worship-authority) circumscribing a person, while the religious category of hypostasis denotes the co-inherent or common substance that underlies icons and persons. The study of icon (iconology) and the study of hypostasis (hypostatics) are undertaken in order to foreground person-bound ethical and soteriological praxis in Augustine and Dostoevsky. In studying personhood, two complementary methodological strategies are implemented: close textual analysis and the expansion of the theoretical apparatus and framework. Grounded in the interpreted text and theory, modeling strategies are designed for capturing person-versions and world-versions. The main part of this study develops an interpretation of iconology and hypostatics in Dostoevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov through the close textual interpretation of the Legend of the Grand Inquisitor. The second focus of the study proposes an iconologic and dialogic interface between the most prominent Dostoevskian and Augustinian icons in order to illuminate their internal similar typological substance, an enterprise designed ultimately to foster a better understanding of the iconology and hypostatics in The Brothers Karamazov.