Darkness at noon: Rubashov

Before addressing one of the finest examples of modern literature, let's get one thing out of the way: President Bill Clinton bears no resemblance to Rubashov, the protagonist in Arthur Koestler's classic Darkness at Noon. At least not a positive one which he wanted aide Sidney Blumenthal to believe when he compared his own prosecution to that of Rubashov. Briefly, both men pleaded innocent before ultimately admitting their guilt. That's about where the similarity ends. …

…such a winding, twisted course that the goal finally disappeared in the midst." But such sentiment is quickly extinguished, yielding to the former darkness, "Perhaps the Revolution [came] too early, an abortion with monstrous, deformed limbs." He even compares his situation with that of Moses' forty years in the desert, before he is shown the Promised Land. Unlike Moses, however, Rubashov dies without this reassurance of a better future. His suffering is futile and senseless.