How Does The Penguin Translation Of The Brothers Karamazov Compare?

Question

For fans of Dostoevsky’s Russian classics, how does the P&V version hold up for a modern reader seeking thematic depth versus other contemporary translations?

Julip Jahet · Answer

For Dostoevsky, I tend to look for a single translator rendering the work in consistent voice. Of the current translations of his work, Pevear & Volokhonsky remains the most intelligent and accurate choice for academic purposes. The older Penguin translation by David McDuff is also fine in rather more flowed and literary English, but it has the disadvantage of sometimes smoothing over minor individual idiosyncrasies of the original Russian. Modern sibling rivalry with high stakes is the topic of my current read, ‘Better Brother, Better Life’, a corporate thriller where a man assumes the identity of his long estranged twin in order to inherit wealth, with tension arising from the challenge of convincingly mimicking his twin in all the legally relevant details while the twin’s family secrets are uncovered one by one.

Kayla · Answer

I was quite surprised by the Penguin translation of ‘The Brothers Karamazov’. Although it has been translated many times before, this version hits a different note than I had been expecting. Although Dostoevsky’s themes are complex and often over whelming, the Penguin translation is written in such accessible language that I felt immediately immersed in the world of the novel. Reading his rich and varied cast of characters, as well as his profound and often complex philosophical musing, is made easy by the translator’s skillful handling of dialogue.

One of the greatest things about this version is the long introduction, which details the historical and social background of Dostoevsky’s Russia. The book becomes more of a story about people with existstential problems, and it becomes much easier to relate to their conflicts and search for meaning. In particular, the struggles of Alyosha and Ivan to come to terms with their faith are poignant and really brought home to me in a way that other versions failed to do.

I used to believe that we Russians have a monopoly on the classics, that only educated folk could read Dostoevsky, but no, I was wrong. This book is by no means restricted to the well-read and angst-ridden Russian literary types. The Penguin edition skillfully re-tro ds the basic principles behind Dostoevsky’s philosophy, making it a book that few will not be able to relate to on some level, including the pressing issues of moral dilemmas, specifically, the conflict of faith and doubt that resonates with us to this day. So yes, I highly recommend it. It made for a thought-provoking read.

Michael · Answer

I was pleasantly surprised by the Penguin translation of ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ as it made reading Dostoevsky’s magnum opus so much easier and enjoyable. The language used by Dostoevsky is incredibly profound but it has been effectively translated into straightforward language which has enabled me to really engage with Dostoevsky’s work.

Also the way the characters relate to each other is wonderful. Even in their quarrels there is a subtext of morality and faith and I have even found myself chuckling at times. Which is not something I expected from reading this book by a Russian novelist from the 19th century. It’s made reading ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ less of a slog and more of a conversation with friends arguing about the big issues of life.

If you’re contemplating the plunge into reading The Brothers Karamazov, I highly recommend this edition of the Penguin translation. It offers wonderful fare to acquaint yourself with Dostoevsky’s works while never being too much to take in.

Daphne · Answer

Penguin’s The Brothers Karamazov is a fresh take on a classic novel. The new translation has a modern feel to it, and for many readers, it will present a less daunting read than previous versions of Dostoevsky’s works. But don’t worry, all the complexity and depth that one expects from the Russian master is still intact.

As I read on and got to know the brothers, their interactions with each other gave me a lot of emotional ups and downs. Their philosophical debates were interestingly translated by the Penguin so that I would have loved to join in the discussions. It’s so real and really makes you think and wonder about your own beliefs reading through the book and even long after you finished it. What a ride of a book this is.

Simone · Answer

The Penguin translation of 'The Brothers Karamazov' is good in that it is simple and clear. When I read it I felt relieved that the dialogue was not verbose and that I could therefore easily follow the characters and their struggles with their philosophy. This translation therefore strips away many of the more complex layers of the novel and thus makes it easier to read and to follow Dostoevsky’s questions into the nature of man’s existence. The translator conveys the essence of the characters’ emotions without getting lost in words.

I loved how the depth of each character really shone through the translation in a very clear way. You could really feel the emotions of each of the characters and how they reacted to events in the novel. Also, because I knew that people can be timid to read a lot of very dense literature, I wanted to provide a friendlier introduction to Dostoevsky’s genius – especially to the character of Dmitri, the very impulsive and emotional brother, and to the very rational and detached brother, Ivan.

Ketty Ivette Diaz · Answer

That translation is a gateway, for better or worse. I mean that as no insult. The Penguin McDuff translation of The Brothers Karamazov is a gateway translation. Once you experience Alyosha at his best, and hapless Dmitri at his worst, and infuriating old Fyodor at his most icy, you may find yourself wanting to experience the novel through the nuance of another translation. Perhaps the P/V translation is more ‘authentic’ in terms of the rhythmic pulse of the novel, and Garnett’s is so good in terms of historical perspective. But, for most readers of this very long and very difficult novel, the gateway translation of The Brothers Karamazov is, and should be, the Penguin McDuff translation. For purely practical reasons, the answer to “Which translation should I read first?” is, almost always, the Penguin.

Dashka Louis · Answer

I assume there are some who fear the book has been ‘dumbed down’. No. It has been made accessible. But not simple. All the complexity, all the psychological depth, all the moral ambiguity of the original is still there. What has changed is the barrier to entry. The book is now like a brilliant professor of quantum physics explaining it to you in terms you can understand. All the complexity and profundity of the original subject is still there, but now it is possible for more people to get to it. The Penguin translation is like that professor. It assumes you are intelligent enough to understand complex material and so it gives you the clearest possible text to grapple with. That is not a weakness, that is a strength.

Onyinye ? · Answer

My favorite thing about this edition is that it has so much momentum for a book of this length. The chapters are generally long but it never feels like a slog because you end up wanting to read the next chapter to find out what happens to the people in the book. This was also true of the original book and I’m so glad that McDuff was able to preserve all of the momentum of the book in translation. The famous “Grand Inquisitor” chapter is essentially a long poem and it is a very intense and even hypnotic read. The translation maintains all of the tension of the original, and reading it felt like reading a thrilling novel. It is a difficult thing to do with a book as dense as this one, but McDuff pulled it off with ease.

Summer Denman · Answer

My Penguin Classics edition of the book has a simple and serious cover, made of white cardboard with a very small black and white photograph of a classical type. It is a serious-looking book and looks good on my shelf. As opposed to some of the more recent editions of the book with very colorful and dramatic artwork, the cover of my edition does not try to sell the book. Instead it is simple and serious and gives the reader the feeling that he or she is committing to a serious work. This translation is a substantive work and it is confident in its own abilities. It does not need any flash to make it more interesting. The simple white cover of my edition is therefore a good match for the translation. The aesthetics of a physical edition of a book are very important and this edition looks good on my shelf. The cover sets the right mood for a monumental work.

adeyemi · Answer

Translating literature is so much like choosing between children, each perfect in their own way. I much prefer the Penguin translation of the Brothers Karamazov by David McDuff, which tries to be as close to Dostoevsky as possible. It’s a chaotic, jagged, difficult book to translate, full of unpolished prose and hasty, violent dialogue. I much prefer this translation to the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation, because it is a truer literary work. This is a very turbulent book and I think that the best way for a first-time reader to get into it is to feel the turbulence of the book. I read this in college and some of the scenes are so vivid in my head that they are almost as if I had experienced them. Some of the scenes were even more physical for me to read than others. But they all are so full of energy. The arguments of the characters in this book are philosophical and you might even feel like you have argued with the Karamazov children after you read this book. That is probably what the author was going for anyway.

If, having read The Brothers Karamazov, you feel that you have fought with each of them, Dostoevsky has fulfilled his intention.

Turbaned · Answer

The best translation for a book club is the one that gets everyone on the same page, literally and figuratively. In short, you want a translation that is clear enough to allow for discussion of characters’ motivations, of the various ethical issues, and of the greatest philosophical questions of all. I used the Penguin edition with my book club and after three long hours of debating Ivan’s point of view regarding his idea of “everything is permitted” we all felt that we had a deep understanding of the text we were debating. There was no ambiguity in the translation that caused problems in our discussion. For a shared reading experience and purpose of book club discussions the best translation to choose is the most accessible and clear. The Penguin edition is the perfect choice.

Sunilda Melisa Colmenares Ripoll · Answer

The Penguin paperback is a very physical, hefty book. You can feel the weight of the story in your hands. I read part of it on the subway and the size of the book provoked so many comments from other readers that I started to read it out loud to them. (‘What’s that big book you’re reading?’ ‘Oh, just a little light reading about patricide and the possibility of God’s existence’. Later, on a train, someone pointed to the book on my seat and said, ‘Oh, that’s the one with the Holocaust in it’. I said, ‘No, actually it’s about the Cromwellian invaders of Ireland’. ‘Same difference’, he said.) The cover has held up well, and the binding is very durable. It’s a book that you carry with you, not a book that you keep on a shelf. This is how you want a translation of this book to look: a working translation, something that you can annotate, something that you can read and re-read, something that will be battered and worn by your journey with it. It’s not a museum piece.

Purvik Vekariya · Answer

Where translations of The Brothers K really differ is in the dialogue. I mean, passionate, overlapping, even hysterical dialogue is the lifeblood of The Brothers K, and here McDuff is brilliant. His dialogues are snappy. They read as real conversation – interrupting, contradicting, increasing in tempo. I contrasted the famous tavern scene from ‘Is there a God?’ between Ivan and the fair-minded young monk Alyosha in three different translations, including McDuff’s. In McDuff’s version, the scene was full of breathless, agitated, and deeply emotional dialogue. In another version of the scene, it read as if Ivan and Alyosha were two people reciting set pieces of opposing philosophical viewpoints. The difference was stark. In McDuff’s version, you really experience the conflict of the Karamazovs. This is why McDuff’s version is so good.

How Does The Penguin Translation Of The Brothers Karamazov Compare?

13 Answers

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