Just finished reading Dostoevsky’s “The Gambler”. What a mad book! You can feel the emotions of gambling in your very head. Providence save me from such an addiction.
Once again, Dostoevsky astonishes me with his writing. Apart from the work itself, I’m constantly surprised by his depiction of Russian society. It’s obsession with all things French (an indication of the french cultural domination at the time), the odd formalities and hierarchies, and above all, the constant preoccupation with appearances. Our society is so different now, that with all it’s flaws, things are much better – perhaps not changed essentially, but certainly toned down.
Image Credit: airloc
- The Gambler
I’ve learned from Wikipedia that Dostoevsky was able to write in this manner about gambling because he was an avid gambler himself. This means that he was perfectly aware of the dangers and yet he let himself get taken over. I believe there are only a few other addictions of the sort in this world – addictions where merely getting into them once is enough to damn you forever – no matter how good and great you were before. Dostoevsky describes in the book how a respected matriarch – a Grandmother no less – insists on being introduced to the roulette one day in her old age and ends up squandering all her immense wealth in a matter of days.
I’m reminded of the wisdom of Ulysses (or Odysseus), who when learning of the Siren’s ability to enchant, capture and destroy all men with their deadly song, ordered his sailors to bind him to the mast and ignore his pleas to be let loose while they themselves had their ears sealed up with wax. He alone realized that he wouldn’t be able to control himself. no matter how strong he thought he was. But he wanted to hear them nonetheless, and thus had himself tied up.
There is the saying – “Pride goeth before a fall.” I’m afraid to tempt fate – to declare to all that I am inviolable. Lancelot himself fell into this trap. While singing happily in the forest about how strong and pure he was, he overreached himself and fell so low that one can’t help but think that it was a warning. In fact, along with gambling, falling head over heels in love with the wrong person can be as devastating.
After reading “The Gambler” as well as “The Old curiosity shop” by Dickens, it seems to me that those who gamble without getting entrapped, never really get into the game. If anyone does, their own strong nature can be turned against them and they can be ruined.
My blood is still pounding in my ears and I can almost smell the roulette table. Getting into the mind of a gambler is a scary thing.