THE IDIOT – Fyodor Dostoyevsky / eBook & Audiobook
THE IDIOT
The Idiot is a novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Initially published serially in the journal The Russian Messenger, 1868-1869, the author writes its entirety in Europe in a time of deep poverty, desperation and nostalgia for his home country. The Idiot, as an introspective and psychographic work that realistically embodies the personal turbulences and existential explorations of the author, is highly experiential and investigates matters of spirituality as well as philosophy.
In this case, Dostoyevsky focuses on the portrayal of a perfectly beautiful and good man. The title is but an ironic reference to the protagonist, the naïve and unbitter, Myshkin. The story is placed in Russia in the middle of the 19th century, where a young prince—and one of the most genuinely good and innocent heroes of world literature—is crushed under the weight of the unbearable reality. His honesty beyond compare, often interpreted as paranoia, creates an uneasy feeling of disbelief around him. However, the characters in the novel have many facets, true passions and emotions that unravel alongside the story.
Yet again, the author describes the image of contemporary Russia. Throughout the narration of The Idiot, he brings forward the sociopolitical problems that tarnish him and critisises utilitarianism and selfishness. He highlights the deeply emotional reality of his heroes in order to underline the inability of the person to reach the highest Christian ideal and to pose the question: How does contemporary society treat the modest and virtuous citizen? Can a truly good man maintain his originality and win the battle against the hypocrisy and maltreatment of the world around him?
Held as one of the greatest and most popular among Dostoyevsky’s novels, its universal and ubiquitous subject, as well as the wide spectrum of its characters, make the reader empathise with the heroes and lead to a deeper psychological analysis and self-analysis.
Plot Summary of The Idiot
Prince Myshkin, a young man that suffers from epilepsy, returns to Russia after a long medical treatment in Switzerland. He is an orphan and has no means to support himself. When he arrives in the strange, big city of Saint Petersburg, he has to face the disdain and sarcasm of the people around him. His benevolent and kind nature is met with ridicule, while he remains as benevolent and kind. Unexpectedly, the hero comes into a big fortune and, thus, finds himself the centre of attention amongst his peers. They have mixed feelings about his honesty and disarming naiveté: on the one hand, men interpret his generous simplicity as lack of intellect and treat him like an “idiot”; on the other hand, women, infatuated by his otherworldly, bizarre nature, fall in love with him and follow him through a series of events with dire consequences.
Author: Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Translator: Eva Martin
Publisher: OpenRightsLibrary
Date of first publication: 1868-1869
Size: 780 p. / 4 Mb
Licenses: Public Domain (Life+70 years), Pr. Gutenberg License
Format: Online Pdf | AudioBook
The Idiot – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
<a href="https://www.openrightslibrary.com/the-idiot-ebook-audiobook" target="_blank"><i>The Idiot – Fyodor Dostoyevsky</i></a> <iframe style="margin: 0 auto;" src="//v.calameo.com/?bkcode=003094022012614a7f9a7&mode=viewer&view=scroll&showsharemenu=false&authid=FcLgTDmz4tIG" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Categories: Classic Literature
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