Freedom, Memory, and History: The Literary Reimagining of Fichte and Hegel

• In Event: Intersections of Philosophy and Literature: Approaches to the Concept of Memory

Abstract

This paper takes an exploratory approach, delving into the dynamic intersections between German Idealism and Russian literature. It investigates how Russian authors reformulate and expand philosophical concepts through narrative and aesthetic expression. Specifically, it focuses on the reimagining of Fichte’s concept of the self-positing “I” in the works of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Hegel’s notion of historical consciousness in the writings of Leo Tolstoy. When embedded in narrative structures and character development, these philosophical ideas transcend their original systematic frameworks, offering fresh perspectives on freedom, morality, and history. Rather than merely accepting or rejecting the philosophical concepts presented by the German thinkers, literature creates new avenues for understanding autonomy, memory, and historical agency.

Author

• Marina Bykova, North Carolina State U