Under Western Eyes
Critique • Quotes
First U.S. edition, 1911First publication
1911
Literary form
Novel
Genres
Literary
Writing language
English
Author's country
Englans
Length
Approx. 121,000 words
Notable lines
To begin with, I wish to disclaim the possession of those high gifts of imagination and expression which would have enabled my pen to create for the reader the personality of the man who called himself, after the Russian custom, Cyril son of Isidor—Kirylo Sidorovitch—Razumov.
— First line
Words, as is well known, are the great foes of reality.
To a teacher of languages there comes a time when the world is but a place of many words and man appears a mere talking animal not much more wonderful than a parrot.
"In life, you see, there is not much choice. You have either to rot or to burn. And there is not one of us, painted or unpainted, that would not rather burn than rot."
"The man who says that he has no illusions has at least that one...."
"...a belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness."
Sophia Antonovna got up and wished me good-bye, as though she had not heard a word of my impious hope; but, in the very doorway, where I attended her, she turned round for an instant, and declared in a firm voice—
"Peter Ivanovitch is an inspired man."
— Last lines
Critique • Quotes
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