DOSTOEVSKY’S MAJOR WORK

Moscow
2017
“The real 19th century prophet was Dostoevsky, not Karl Marx.” ―
Albert Camus1

“If you wish to glimpse inside a human soul and get to know a man, don't
bother analyzing his ways of being silent, of talking, of weeping, of seeing how
much he is moved by noble ideas; you will get better results if you just watch him
laugh. If he laughs well, he's a good man.” - Fyodor Dostoevsky2

To start with, let us have a glimpse inside Fyodor Dostoevsky`s work, as one
of the most notable Russian writers of all times. Often displaying characters in
extreme or fractured states of consciousness, his works demonstrate tremendous
talent for the penetration of human psychology and the analysis of the social and
spiritual policy of his Russian society. Many of his works were prophetic and he
was a precursor of modern ideas. He is one of the most important authors of
universal literature, whose work is a brilliant literary and philosophical response to
the social and spiritual crisis of his time, depicting paradoxical characters, in a
permanent and passionate search for social harmony, marked by profound
psychology and tragedy. His books are translated and commented throughout the
world, after which numerous famous theater and movie shows have been made.
Dostoyevsky`s genius is keen to look for the absolute, the sensitivity or the
response to the problems that trouble man through the most hidden thoughts
unrecognizable by him and the most mysterious feelings of the soul.
Among the most famous works of Dostoyevsky, we can enumerate the
following: Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, The Idiot, The house
1
Read more at: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/dostoevsky

2
Read more at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/3137322.Fyodor_Dostoyevsky
of Death, Notes from Underground. All of them are best known for the
psychological profundity, existential questions regarding humanity and last but not
least, the idea of God and how he started to be forgotten and rejected. As a result,
his works become stimulating, entertaining stories but actual representation of 19th
century intellectual history. These major works are also known as great “novels of
ideas” that treat timeless and timely issues in philosophy and politics. Finally, these
novels broke new ground with their experiments in literary form.3

Notes from Underground

From all the above novels, I choose to write about “Notes from
Underground”, the work that caught my attention from the first lines of the book:
„I am a sick man. ... I am a spiteful man. I am an unattractive man. I believe my
liver is diseased. However, I know nothing at all about my disease, and do not
know for certain what ails me. I don’t consult a doctor for it, and never have,
though I have a respect for medicine and doctors. Besides, I am extremely
superstitious, sufficiently so to respect medicine, anyway (I am well-educated
enough not to be superstitious, but I am superstitious).” (Dostoyevsky, p.3, 2014 )

What is underground and who is the one who lives in it?

Dostoevsky's novel is made up of two parts: first part consists of 11 chapters

and the second one, 10. The chapters can also be split into two as follows: the first
part, "Underground" or the abyss of his consciousness, which is written in an
intimate manner, as a daily journal, but not an usual one, this journal is based on
excessive thoughts and not on events.
3
Read more at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fyodor-Dostoyevsky
 In the first chapter, the main character is rising questions regarding his
identity, known also as “the underground man”, questions which will find its
answers through reading the novel. Moreover, in this part we encounter the
monologue of the main character, a 40-year-old man, nameless, who lives in St.
Petersburg. And as you could see above, the discourse begins with the lamentations
of the hero, which has hidden himself from the outside world and he is writing
down and analyzing all of his thoughts without any reluctance. He is like
imagining his own public, acting in a superior and narcissistic way while
explaining life`s existentialism.
The first part of the novel counts about 50 pages, but I say it with my heart
and I take responsibility that these are probably among the most disturbing and
interesting pages in the history of my reading list.
Another way of looking at the first part of the novel could be as an
introduction for the second part, where the hero, is remembering a series of events
or episodes to sustain his lamentations from the beginning. The second part our
hero is telling us more about his life, more exactly when he was 24 years old.
Dostoyevsky is trying to make his character come out from his “underground”
place, by presenting the society and the embarrassing moments which were
haunting him.

The underground man

This is Dostoyevsky we are talking about, so, how can his characters be? Of
course, we cannot talk about a simple, normal, flat character, but on the contrary,
we are facing a hero, which is terribly complex and full of contradictions and
flows. Dostoevsky's characters are remarkable because of the monologues,
contradictions, and their most intimate feelings. The physical features of the
characters are not so highlighted, but they are briefly described as pale, painful,
often obscure. What makes them stand out is their very voice, the hysterical,
nervous voice.4
Dostoyevsky illustrates the condition of the lonely, of the one that does not
feel like he is belonging to anything and anyone, and he has no point in this world.
So, this lonely man is trying to figure out and explain the problems of his
consciousness. How is he doing that? Well, Dostoyevsky’s character is talking
about the pleasure given or felt by humiliating situations and degradation. He is
actually rebelling himself against nature`s laws, rationality and he is supporting the
idea that when a human being has an accomplished goal he should not be happy,
because happiness is present just exactly until this goal is accomplished. What I
am trying to say is that, the road is important and not the final destination.
The tragic part of our character`s situation is that he is just a simple human
being, well aware of his condition and state of mind and soul and he is suffering
because of that, he is blaming himself for his life and he is more than convinced
that he will never “heal his wounds”. What is more, he is acting like he is not even
deserving to have his wounds healed, because there is nothing left for him, as he is
against the world`s way of existing.

The underground paradox

The underground individual is undressing in front of the reader. He brings to

light all the frustrations and sins accumulated throughout his life, he confesses
without any doubt, and remains naked. It only remains with its underground as it
retreats like a snail into a shell whenever it feels vulnerable and threatened. I mean,
all the time.
4
Check out for more here: https://hyperliteratura.ro/personajele-bolnave-ale-lui-dostoievski/
 „The long and the short of it is, gentlemen, that it is better to do nothing!
Better conscious inertia! And so hurrah for underground! Though I have said that I
envy the normal man to the last drop of my bile, yet I should not care to be in his
place such as he is now (though I shall not cease envying him). No, no; anyway the
underground life is more advantageous. There, at any rate, one can ... Oh, but even
now I am lying! I am lying because I know myself that it is not underground that is
better, but something different, quite different, for which I am thirsting, but which I
cannot find! Damn underground!” (Dostoyevsky, p.50, 2014)
Describing himself as a vanquished and cultivated, Dostoyevsky`s character
embodies the perfect type of person who is incapable of communicating and
understanding with those around him, as the events of the second part of the novel
prove that he seeks in vain to "embrace humanity" by reuniting with old school
colleagues, and when it comes to the possibility of true love, he is humiliating ut,
finally telling that he has missed all his life.
However, in my opinion, we all have our "underground" in which we shed
the most hidden thoughts, of which we are afraid or we consider themselves too
selfish to express them out loud. Dostoyevsky`s novel can be seen as an wake up
alarm, for those who are also living „underground”, so that they can make their
voices be heard. The instrument must serve the purpose that is why, one must know
how to make use of it. In order to achieve a desired goal, one cannot just act as a
spectator at his own show or judging what others are doing or not doing. Life must
not be hidden under the veil of well-spoken words. Life is a gift to live, not a
painting to admire!
In conclusion, human being is a selfish being and everybody is aware of this
fact. That is why, I think that the principle of the underground is to always advance
and never descend to one's level, just to integrate into a society.
References:
 Dostoyevsky, Fyodor, Notes from Underground, The University of Adelaide,
South Australia, 2014.
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Dostoyevsky
 https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/fyodor_dostoevsky_165693
 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fyodor-Dostoyevsky
 https://projectdblog.wordpress.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/
 http://blogdecititori.ro/dostoievski-si-ale-sale-insemnari-din-subterana/
 https://hyperliteratura.ro/personajele-bolnave-ale-lui-dostoievski/