The Body, the Theatre of Emotions: Under Western Eyes

The chapter on Under Western Eyes addresses the issue of emotions and contingencies by focusing on the theme of the body, and examines the process that Razumov undergoes in learning how the body participates in thinking, feeling, and the shaping of his personality. It begins with a discussion on the two ways that an image can be impressed on our consciousness: visible and tangible or verbal and conceptual. This is followed by a close analysis of three important conversations that Razumov holds in Geneva in terms of visible impressions and verbal expressions of the participants, and explores the theme of the body (or ‘person’), which runs throughout the novel, in close connection to the issues of emotions, thoughts, and identity. It concludes by emphasizing that Razumov gains an insight into the true nature of identity by developing his sensitivity to the body and the emotions that it expresses.