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Questions tagged [fyodor-dostoyevsky]

Questions regarding the works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821 – 1881), the Russian journalist and author of such works as 'Crime and Punishment' (1866), 'The Idiot' (1868–1869) and 'The Brothers Karamazov' (1879–1880). Use this tag with the tag [russian-literature].

9 votes
1 answer
3k views

"There is only one thing that I dread: not to be worthy of my sufferings" — where does this Dostoyevsky quote come from?

I read Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning and he quoted Fyodor Dostoevsky as follows: Dostoevski said once, "There is only one thing that I dread: not to be worthy of my sufferings." ...
Steven Creech's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
167 views

Crime and Punishment - what's with the smiles?

In Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, there is always this repeating motif of "smiling", a facial practice that Raskolnikov does a lot of. "poisonous smile" "sardonic smile&...
thetrueembodimentofstupidity's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
171 views

What does Dostoyevsky's character's statement about Permissiveness mean for Morality in Western Civilization?

One of Western civilizations most important and well-respected piece of literature is The Brothers Karamazov by Feodor Dostoyevsky. Among other important religious issues, Dostoyevsky has one of his ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Locating a quote in Dostoevsky's The Idiot

I am trying to locate this quote that I came across. I believe it was spoken by Aglaya (or Nastasya?) in The Idiot, but I'm having trouble locating it: “I want to talk about everything with at least ...
David542's user avatar
  • 477
5 votes
2 answers
242 views

"Hamlet" reference in "Crime and Punishment": translator's invention?

I am reading Pevear & Volokhonsky's translation of Crime and Punishment. In part II, chapter 6, Raskolnikov is at the "Crystal Palace" restaurant, where he runs into the clerk Zamyotov ...
Kevin Troy's user avatar
  • 2,120
1 vote
1 answer
255 views

What is the significance of the money given to Liza in Notes from Underground?

At the end of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, the following occurs (from Wikipedia): After all this, he still acts terribly toward her, and, before she leaves, he stuffs a five ruble note ...
Sparsity's user avatar
  • 113
3 votes
1 answer
330 views

What is the difference between romanticism and existentialism?

It seems existentialism and romanticism are both literary movements which (1) see a man as irrational, and (2) search for meaning in an individual's life. Can we say that these movements are ...
Marina's user avatar
  • 165
0 votes
0 answers
49 views

What is the main idea and the main problem of Dostoyevsky's Demons?

What is the main idea and the main problem of Dostoyevsky's novel Demons? I have tried to identify one main idea and the main problem of the novel, but in the end nothing came out.
Wazard's user avatar
  • 1
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Did Dostoevsky say “While nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer, nothing is more difficult than to understand him.”?

Raskolnikov’s Strange Ideas: How Dostoevsky Predicted Modern Terrorism – Bloggers Karamazov “While nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer, nothing is more difficult than to understand him.” –...
user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
118 views

What does it mean to look like "a hair-dresser's assistant"?

In the 1st Chapter, Part I of Dostoevsky's The Idiot (Eva Martin's translation) you can find the following passage, in which Rogojin is describing the first time he saw Nastasia Philipovna: I was ...
LLCampos's user avatar
  • 541
11 votes
2 answers
3k views

Use of "pounds" instead of "roubles" in passage of "The Idiot"

In the 1st Chapter, Part I of Dostoevsky's The Idiot (Eva Martin's translation) you can find the following passage: These men generally have about a hundred pounds a year to live on (...) In this ...
LLCampos's user avatar
  • 541
9 votes
1 answer
407 views

What kind of censorship was Dostoevsky avoiding by obscuring place names?

In the opening paragraph of Crime and Punishment, two locations, S— Lane and K—n Bridge, are identified only by their first and final letters. My translation has a footnote which says that Dostoevsky ...
Daniel Walker's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
832 views

Original Russian text of this review of Crime and Punishment

In the introduction to Constance Garnett's translation of Crime and Punishment, she quotes this Russian critic: In the words of a Russian critic, who seeks to explain the feeling inspired by ...
Isa's user avatar
  • 233
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

The Brothers Karamazov - Why does Dmitri use "Bernard" as an insult?

"Bernard" is first mentioned in Book XI. Ivan, Chapter IV, in an exchange between Dmitri and Alyosha: “Ethics?” asked Alyosha, wondering. “Yes; is it a science?” “Yes, there is such a ...
LLCampos's user avatar
  • 541
5 votes
1 answer
231 views

The Brothers Karamazov - ladies of the eighteen stone?

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Book XI, Chapter IX The expression "eighteen stone" is mentioned 3 times in the whole book, all in same chapter: What I dream of is becoming ...
LLCampos's user avatar
  • 541

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