Tag Archives: philosophy

The Notebooks for The Possessed (1869-1872) More than any of Dostoevsky’s previous writings, the Notebooks for The Possessed show his exploration of political ideas.  He seems to have set out to try to demonstrate the problems of the social utopianist beliefs of many of the leading Russian intellectuals at the time, (people like Chernechevsy, whoContinue reading

Letters (1872-1877) Dostoevsky criticizes the literary world of his time for being conventional, ambiguous, phony, dull—in short, lacking in sincerity and directness. Why?  He thinks that this is what happens to writers who are too afraid of appearing ridiculous.  Sometimes the truth of one’s experience is laughable, and if one becomes too preoccupied with avoidingContinue reading

Letters (1868-1871) When Dostoevsky was early in the process of writing the novel Demons, he told a friend that “I want to have my say, even if in the process my artistry should perish.”  This statement is striking because it reveals a battle within him.  He has convictions that he wants to air, yet whatContinue reading

Crime and Punishment (1866) Crime and Punishment is one of the most powerful reading experiences I’ve ever had. It hits me in a deeper way than most novels do. Why? I can’t answer that fully, but I think a factor that may be contributing to this soul-level experience has to do with the novel’s senseContinue reading

Notes from Underground (1864) Part 2 When I first ingest the words of Notes from Underground’s narrator, the Underground Man, I think, “Wow, this guy is really eccentric.”  Then I keep reading, and I think, “Dostoevsky seems to be deliberately trying to make a personality that is as contradictory as possible—how can such a disjointedContinue reading

Notes from Underground (1864) Part 1 The Underground Man claims that his reason for writing down episodes from his life twenty years earlier is because “I am particularly oppressed by a certain memory from the distant past.  It came back to my mind vividly a few days ago, and since then, has remained with meContinue reading

Winter Notes on Summer Impressions (1862) Winter Notes on Summer Impressions is a collection of essays about Dostoevsky’s tour of Western Europe.  In it, he outlines the themes that usher in his masterpiece period. With this work, Dostoevsky’s scope widens dramatically.  Much of his earlier writing focuses on individual psychology or isolated cultural issues.  TheseContinue reading