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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].

8 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
12 votes
1 answer
529 views

Narrator in The Idiot

I'm struggling to understand the narrator in The Idiot. He seems like an omniscient narrator, talking of characters in third person. But, in Chapter I of Part One, while describing know-it-alls, the ...
Kandrax's user avatar
  • 121
8 votes
0 answers
378 views

What is the significance of the Grand Inquisitor in The Brothers Karamazov?

In The Brothers Karamazov, Ivan tells a long story to Alyosha about the Grand Inquisitor. I have been trying to grasp its meaning for some time, but what is the significance of that story?
Soumil's user avatar
  • 143
8 votes
0 answers
589 views

Was Pyotr Stepanovich in "Demons" really connected to the international?

In the noval Demons (by Dostoyevsky), there was a character, named Pyotr Stepanovich Verkhovensky, who claimed that he was connected to the international. Did Dostoyevsky mention anywhere in the book ...
Navid777's user avatar
  • 431
6 votes
0 answers
81 views

What was Max Beerbohm's literary relationship to Dostoevsky?

I'm currently reading Max Beerbohm's Zuleika Dobson. When the Duke suddenly pours out his soul to Zuleika, his regrets and love so exaggerated that readers can't help but cringe and laugh, I thought ...
Andrew Cheong'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
3 votes
0 answers
336 views

Dostoevsky's attitude towards Sonya Marmeladova

Note: The question concerns a somewhat touchy topic - prostitution. I am not a native English speaker, therefore, I cannot be sure which terms are suitable for a discussion. I am using words of the ...
Zhiltsoff Igor's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
186 views

What are the arguments against atheism in Crime and Punishment?

I'm trying to figure out exactly what arguments Dostoevsky tries to make in Crime and Punishment against atheism. I'm talking about the kind of conclusion he wants you to make for yourself when ...
Chris Fraser's user avatar
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