Fyodor Dostoyevsky
1) The Idiot
A Russian prince returns to Saint Petersburg after a long absence in Switzerland, where he was undergoing treatment for epilepsy. On the train he meets and befriends a man of low origins. This man becomes the dark counterpart of the inherently good prince; the two can also be seen as Christ- and devil-like figures. Dostoevsky wished to portray an unspoiled man, whose goodness is plunged into the chaos of Saint Petersberg society and a passionate
...Notes from the Underground is Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1864 masterpiece following the ranting, slightly unhinged memoir of an isolated, anonymous civil servant. A dramatic monologue in which the narrator leaves himself open to ridicule and reveals more of his weaknesses than he intends, this influential short novel lays the ground work for the political, religious, moral and political ideas that are explored in Dostoevsky's later works.
Is murder is permissible in pursuit of a higher purpose? Meet Raskolnikov, an impoverished ex-student in St. Petersburg who formulates and executes a plan to kill an unscrupulous pawnbroker for her cash. Raskolnikov argues that with the pawnbroker's money he can perform good deeds to counterbalance the crime.
4) Бесы
This is original Russian language text of Dostoyevsky's rich political novel Demons (Besy in Russian). The story is a testimonial of life in Imperial Russia in the late 19th century. Dostoyevsky's life of ideas and spiritual realism concept is presented through his definition of evil as the passion for power. The demons are ideas, such as: idealism, rationalism, empiricism, materialism, utilitarianism, positivism, socialism, anarchism,
...The two years before he wrote Crime and Punishment (1866) had been bad ones for Dostoyevsky. His wife and brother had died; the magazine he and his brother had started, Epoch, collapsed under its load of debt; and he was threatened with debtor's prison. With an advance that he managed to wangle for an unwritten novel, he fled to Wiesbaden, hoping to win enough at the roulette table to get himself out of debt. Instead, he lost all
...Although Russian fiction master Fyodor Dostoyevsky is best known for epic, sprawling novels that detail psychological and philosophical problems in minute detail, his more concise work is also remarkable in its scope and depth. This collection of stories will please fans of classic Russian literature and Dostoyevsky buffs who are interested in sampling the author's forays into another format.
Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky is today best remembered for his longer works, including the sprawling philosophical epic The Brothers Karamazov. Although his shorter works of fiction have received less attention, critics and fans alike recognize them as thought-provoking, complex and elegant. This volume, which collects two of Dostoyevsky's novellas, is a perfect introduction to the writer's oeuvre.
Среди произведений Достоевского 'Идиот' занимает важное место. Писатель предугадывал трагедию современного человека и полагал, что она в полной мере раскроется в России, стране крайностей и противоречий. Атмосферу всеобщего кризиса Достоевский
...Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky is regarded by scholars and critics as one of the most important writers of the nineteenth century. His deeply philosophical novels present a nuanced look at some of the psychological struggles that men and women face. This novel, set against the backdrop of the initial rumblings of revolution in Imperial Russia, delves into the motivations that inspire extreme political ideologies.
10) The Gambler
Delve into the question of the morality of gambling in this brilliant novella from famed Russian fiction writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The author of Crime and Punishment tackles the perennially controversial topic of gambling with his trademark incisiveness in this fast-paced, satisfying read. Literary sleuths say Dostoyevsky had an intimate knowledge of the subject matter—it is rumored that he penned this novella in order to help pay
...This excerpt from the Russian literary masterpiece The Brothers Karamazov is a parable set against the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition, which Dostoyevsky uses to explore questions about God's existence and human freedom. This bite-size text is a great way for beginners to acquaint themselves with Dostoyevsky's style.
12) Poor Folk
Delve into the always-timely issue of poverty and socio-economic marginalization in the first novel by acclaimed Russian fiction writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Poor Folk recounts the trials and tribulations—and all-too-rare moments of triumph—experienced by several groups of destitute peasants in nineteenth-century Russia.
In 1849, renowned Russian thinker and novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky was sentenced to execution for his subversive political beliefs. As he awaited his turn in front of the firing squad, Tsar Nicholas I sent a message commuting the writer's sentence to a period of exile in Siberia. He spent the next four years there engaged in hard labor. Dostoyevsky's gripping novel The House of the Dead is based largely on his own experiences in a Siberian
...16) Idiot
Prince Myshkin returns to Russia from an asylum in Switzerland. As he becomes embroiled in the frantic amatory and financial intrigues which center around a cast of brilliantly realized characters and which ultimately lead to tragedy, he emerges as a unique combination of the Christian ideal of perfection and Dostoevsky's own views, afflictions, and manners. His serene selflessness is contrasted with the worldly qualities of every other character
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